NRKANGEL'S BLOG

nRkangel

The Last Blog of My Second Life...
Thursday, September 30, 2004

First off, it's nice to see you back, Has. Been awhile! Good to see that Ivan didn't getcha. Have fun in Israel. Just remember this bit of wisdom when visiting that part of the world... if in doubt... DUCK!

You know, I've really tried to get a couple of entries in this week, but for some reason, I could never get one done. I have three half attempts that I didn't finish and one that would have been posted except that my computer crashed on me before I could hit "Update". (Wouldn't you know that that was the one that I didn't write in Word and cut and paste into the Blog...) It makes you believe that there is a higher power and he's a lot like Mel Brooks.

It’s D-day. All week my contact from Japan has been here along with the guy who runs the rep company which will be taking over my job. At first I was a little anxious to get things started, but as things got busy, I got focused. It helps that this week has been one mad rush to get things done that they hadn't thought about before. "Who does the web hosting? How about e-mail? What should we do about voicemail?"

One of the first things that the rep guy said to me was, “Why did you guys wait so long to do this?” I nearly laughed in his face. When he asked me if I could stay another week, I wasn't completely successful stifling the grin. But today they both went to Couthern California to visit another of our customers and won't be back until about four pm. No one is looking over my shoulder and I'm able to do one thing at a time. One thing at a time until 5:01, then walk away calmly and begin a new life.

Tuesday night, the head of the rep company, one of his engineers and my contact took me out for a “celebratory” dinner. Whether the reps were there to celebrate my leaving or their getting control of the North American territory was anybody’s guess.

I’m going to miss my Japan contact. He’s a genuinely good guy. Hard worker, mild manner and always friendly. As for the guys who are replacing me… Let's just say that they're not my favorite people. The boss is the kind of a slimeball. Says one thing and then contradicts himself later. Always pushes for someone else to pay the bill unless there is someone there he wants to impress, then he becomes “Mr. Generosity”. He pats you on the back in public and trashes you as soon as you leave the room. Still, who was I to complain? He’s a good businessman and picked up half the tab. (But not without bitching about it.) I’m just glad I won’t have to deal with those guys anymore. Sushi and saki for three-and-a-half hours is only fun if you enjoy the company.

The funny thing is that I left the restaurant feeling full and a little light-headed from the alcohol. Almost three hundred bucks for four of us on sushi and booze, but about two hours after I got home I was hungry again! I couldn't believe it! Here it is, around midnight and I'm making a frozen pizza!

For the first time in a long time, I regretted not having a beer to chase it with. Somewhere along my life, I pretty much stopped drinking at home altogether. My liquor cabinet consists of a bottle of scotch, a bottle of sake and bottle of wine. Since neither scotch nor saki goes with pizza, and I hate opening a bottle of wine for one glass, I settled for a diet coke. (Wanna hear something weird? I drink diet sodas because I like the taste.)

Then last night I go out for dinner with friends. Muuuuuch more enjoyable. A different sushi restaurant (run by friends of friends) and 10 of us sitting around talking and laughing. Unlike the previous dinner, time flew by and it was nearly closing before we knew it. They all signed my going away card in front of me. (Jokingly telling me where NOT to look when someone else got the card. "Hey, look! Over there! No, Keep looking!") I even got a couple of going away presents from one friend. (Thanks, Yv!) I got some poseable Daredevil action figures to play with (or use for blocking out a scene) and a tiny, personal “zen” rock garden to keep my stress level down. (THAT will get some heavy use over these next couple of months.) I’m really going to miss all of these people.

So last night was the first night I slept early in a week. The past four or five days, I’ve been up ’til two or three a.m., sorting through stuff to toss or pack while the tube is on in the background. I’ve caught a couple episodes of this show “Girlfriends” (on WB?). I was surprised at how good it is. Not exactly Firefly, but nonetheless a good comedy where there are no stereotypical idiots. This show can’t possibly last. Well maybe it can…it’s not on Fox.

This morning I got a call from a customer at 7am to tell me that their equipment went down last night. I'm still damp from the shower and sitting there in a bathrobe for half-an hour helping them track down the issue before telling them I’d stop in on my way to the office.

Got outside and summer was totally gone. The skies were dark gray and a storm-heavy wind gave the morning an ominous chill. I went to the customer, took care of the issue got to work a little later than usual still feeling a little weird. (Probably because I've been looking at everything like it's the last time I do this or that. "Last time I see this customer.", "Last time I call them.", etc., etc... Fortunately that gets monotonous really quick. (Not to mention absurdly funny if taken to extremes...) "Last time I use the bathroom in this place!"

Strangely, everyone at work assumed that I wouldn’t be here on my last day. People were surprised when I showed up. Yesterday the rep guy asked if I'd be here or not. Why would everyone assume that I was going to ditch? Am I just abnormal in some way that everyone sees but me? (That would be a great psychosis to bring to a therapist. Unfortunately, I like being "a little abnormal". It keeps me sane.)

Two more hours and I’m out of here! My heart leaps, my stomach plunges and somewhere in between, I have this little smile that I’m trying really hard not to wear.

My third life begins tomorrow. It is the life that perhaps I should have tried to lead a long time ago. But hell, it's only too late to try if you quit living. Today, I give closure to the last eight years.

But as of tonight...

I’m Free
-Kenny Loggins

COMMENTS

Thursday, September 30, 2004 3:46 PM

JEBBYPAL


Good luck with it all! Sounds like you deserve it. Hope the third life goes well.


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