—subject line of an email
And (True or false?) don’t we all adore perfection?
I’ve been waking up when I do get up these days
with a groggy head. With brain fog (isn’t that already
a blast from the past. With not-a-morning-person head.
And I’m not not a morning person. At least not when I
have the structure of a job. And I’ve had a thirty year
career as an executive assistant. Granted, I had
no idea that one might have a career as a glorified
secretary when I was first seated at a desk with a
nameplate that announced to the unfortunate folks
career as an executive assistant. Granted, I had
no idea that one might have a career as a glorified
secretary when I was first seated at a desk with a
nameplate that announced to the unfortunate folks
who might encounter me that this was who I was. That
this is who I am. But it is. I’m not even the least bit
cubicle-resistant, really. I’m also not cubicle-dependent.
In fact, I can take any space of around four feet by five
and turn it into a pleasant working space. Happily. Most
In fact, I can take any space of around four feet by five
and turn it into a pleasant working space. Happily. Most
days. Just not this morning. And the reason is simple.
It’s because presently, and for the last year, I have had
no cubicle of residence. Therefore, I have had no
semblance of daily structure at all. And when that
happens, I gravitate toward being a night owl. Which
is no fun at all, if you ask me. So, for four years I’ve
had but one residence, but no official office, no employer.
In fact, it’s barely even a residence, my home-away-
from-work. It’s tiny. It’s cheap. And it requires an extra
ordinary amount of work just to maintain, this home
of mine. Chalk that up to just another reason I’ve
no home of employment at present. Truth be told,
or come to think of it, it’s been longer than a year.
My last job, which, like that ones I’ve had over the
past decade, was a temporary job, a contractual
obligation. Except I had an entire office to myself.
One that upon entering or exiting I could lock. One
that was mine and only mine. So to speak, of course.
In fact, it’s barely even a residence, my home-away-
from-work. It’s tiny. It’s cheap. And it requires an extra
ordinary amount of work just to maintain, this home
of mine. Chalk that up to just another reason I’ve
no home of employment at present. Truth be told,
or come to think of it, it’s been longer than a year.
My last job, which, like that ones I’ve had over the
past decade, was a temporary job, a contractual
obligation. Except I had an entire office to myself.
One that upon entering or exiting I could lock. One
that was mine and only mine. So to speak, of course.
That is a tag I could very well add to every single
sentence I present: so to speak. Anyway, In my so-
called successful and thus far long career I’ve only ever
had one of those (a real office that was all mine, so to
called successful and thus far long career I’ve only ever
had one of those (a real office that was all mine, so to
speak) long ago. And while, in general, I’d much
prefer the illustrious career of a person who performs
his duties in a cubicle to one who does so in a spacious
office with a beautiful view and a door that one might
lock upon either entering or exiting, given the fact that
prefer the illustrious career of a person who performs
his duties in a cubicle to one who does so in a spacious
office with a beautiful view and a door that one might
lock upon either entering or exiting, given the fact that
it is usually the executives I support who have these, it
was joy having one for three months of contractual labor.
And speaking of temporary employment, which I found
myself niched into about a decade ago (tough times, etc.),
and unexpectedly, in much the same way I found myself
in a career that has at least intermittently given me no
small amount of success and financial independence, or
And speaking of temporary employment, which I found
myself niched into about a decade ago (tough times, etc.),
and unexpectedly, in much the same way I found myself
in a career that has at least intermittently given me no
small amount of success and financial independence, or
should I rather say that I have given to it a right goodly
amount of success, yes, well, then I'm flummoxed over
amount of success, yes, well, then I'm flummoxed over
whatever the reason(s) I have no job at present. And I’ve
never worked harder job-searching as I have since I left that
last, lovely but temporary gig in which I had an actual office,
full-time permanent work, that is. No more temporary
last, lovely but temporary gig in which I had an actual office,
full-time permanent work, that is. No more temporary
assignments, I say. I have simply refused to even look at
those this past year. Hence. Look at me now. Anyway,
I suppose that all this has been a way to say that I
should shut up and get back to the business of finding
a new cubicle of residence. Or perhaps I should run for
office. President Cubicle, perhaps? My chances might be
just as good landing that job. But, if I'm being honest,
that might just be another way to draw out the time
between now and when I can once again (and with entirely
too much relief) say that I have a home of employment?
too much relief) say that I have a home of employment?
