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May, 2003: Stapled Finger
Friday, May 1st, 2003
Hehe... big meeting tomorrow. The boss said they're considering me for a promotion. A few seconds before that, I told him I might be quitting in a few weeks (which is true). A promotion would be cool. Kind of makes my head spin. Really, though, I think this is all a big hunk of irony. You see, it's quite likely I will be leaving, at the very latest, in August (because of college). So, once promoted (assuming I'm promoted) I'll be quitting. Fuckers!!! It's also very likely that this is merely a carrot in front of my face. It's a trick. They'll never mention the promotion again. Bah! It's the not knowing that gets ya!
Sunday, May 3rd, 2003
So, this weekend is finally over. Yesterday I worked the longest shift in my life: 14 hours. Everyone had to be there bright and early for the meeting. It wasn't so bad, actually, and they had 5 dozen donuts. I kept spacing out and I only remember a few things they said. It was nothing bad and almost everyone got a raise. After the meeting, they called us in, one at a time, to see our raise-determining reviews. I received 58 out of 60 which is very good. I'm convinced I only lost two points because they didn't want to give anyone a perfect score. As such, I got a 20 cent raise and have now reached the pay-cap for my position, $6.50
A guy comes into the theater a lot who looks vaguely familiar and somewhat famous. I was working with a new guy this weekend and he recognized this customer right off the bat. Turns to he is an actor... Cool.
I've convinced the projectionist to put a hammock in the booth. Hehe.
As expected, I have heard nothing more about a promotion. After this week I will be working my summer hours. I hope to work near 40 hours a week, but am expecting no more than 30. I'm not really sure what to think about this summer. All I know is that it's still three exam filled days away. I'm not really sure what I'm going to be doing after this summer, either. I don't know where I'll be living, where I'll be going to school or where I'll be working (or if I'm even going to be working). "Nothing's certain but change" –Floyd
Friday, May 9th, 2003
Well! It's summer. I've moved home and left college for the next three months. I think I'll actually be able to get a lot of hours during this period, and careful budging should have me pretty well prepared for what ever I do next year (whether it be get an apartment, stop working or whatever). I also talked to one of my other bosses about the possible promotion and it seems more likely (although, it sounds more like a "make her do more stuff" thing than a promotion. Still, that's cool with me. I could use some more responsibility).
I'm also planning to get back into Stop-Motion Animation this summer. I'll shell out some big bucks for a nice camera and real software and try to make a few higher quality shorts (previous experience in the stop-mo world has provided me with the know-how to do nice work, I just need a better set up). This will give me something to do on my off days. I wonder how many off days I'll end up with...
Yea, everything's pretty great right now. I'm going to Cancun in a week. That should be fun. Work is great, too. Although, whenever I get to the theater and start helping my first customer I get this nagging, disenchanted feeling. It's kind of a bummer. Work, though, does not suck (at least not right now).
Three months...
Saturday, May 10th, 2003
Today was my first Saturday not working a double in nearly 9 months. I was thinking how short the day would seem and how easy it would be. I, of course, was wrong. This was a hell day. Bad weather drove many parents to seek refuge from their screaming kids by sending them to the movies. The place was swamped with little people all day. It was so very busy and there were many mean, hateful customers. If I was not trying to get a promotion and still didn't care about my job, today would have been the day I finally snapped back at a customer. An unusually large amount of people felt like yelling at my co-workers and me and all of the unreasonableness had put me in an absolutely horrible mood. I also started getting really frustrated with the people I was working with. It's cool that the place is so slack, but when it comes time to do work it's like everybody just shuts down. Pisses me off. (I could go on and on with this point, but we'll leave it at that) So, yea, I was in a pretty bad mood. It's like there was a balck cloud following me around and I couldn't get rid of it.
Some relief arrive when this old guy walked up to me and was like, "Have you heard of the hippies?" and I'm like, "Yea, I think I've heard of the hippies..." and he's like, "I was one of 'em! I was a hippie!" and I'm like, "Well, let me shake your hand." His wife shook her head like, "Oh my god, I can't take him anywhere..." I thought it was cool.
Eventually 6 o'clock rolled around and I was finally going to get to leave. Somehow, though, I ended up staying until 8:30... Aye de mi.
Side Note: I'm hoping to fill my summer with the following hobbies: Book writing, working out and stop-motion animation. All three of these items seem to be off to a minimal start. We'll see what happens... (hmmm, I can't seem to remember a single thing about last summer...)
Monday, May 12th, 2003
Sunday has come and gone. For once I worked sunday night instead of day. That was interesting... I did the count at the end of the night for the first time in 9 months since Ridge closed. Gee, not too much more to say about that.
Today, Monday, is my one day off followed by 5 days of work and then a trip to Cancun. Wednesday night, the Matrix will arrive. We'll have showings at 10, 10:30 and 10:40pm. This is scary, although I'm not expecting it to be as busy for those first three showings as it could be. None the less, Friday and Saturday will be crazy. Hopefully it'll work out.
I've realized that I can't remember a single thing about last summer. It seems to have been pushed out of my mind to make room for new information. I was afraid this would happen. I'm now sure that for every new bit of learning I take in, something else will be squeezed out. Such is life.
Tuesday, May 13th, 2003
Tonight was crazy. I think it was the first week night I've worked at West Tower (excluding spring and winter breaks). It was incredibly slow. I must not have had more than twenty customers the whole night. Everyone was bored, even the boss. He ripped the people out of a movie poster and taped sticks to them, making puppets. This provided us with at least a little entertainment...
Wednesday, May 14th, 2003
Dear Reader,
For almost two years now I have kept this online journal so you could see what it is like to work at a movie theater. This, however, may be my last entry as it is quite likely that I will forever lose my mind tonight.
You see, The Matrix Reloaded hits theaters nationwide tomorrow, but West Tower is doing three special sneak previews tonight at 10, 10:20 and 10:40pm. It is very possible that all three showings will sell out and it will be busier than ever before. Things will get crazy and I'll lose my sanity. Oh well. Sanity isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Thursday, May 15th, 2003
HaHA!!! I'm alive!!! Last night was a bust. It didn't get busy at all for the first night of the Matrix. I suspect this is because it wasn't widely publicized that it was released early. Most people probably think that tonight is opening night and I'm sure the place is swamped. The beautiful thing is that I'm not there dealing with the nameless, faceless masses. (I will be tomorrow and Saturday, though. Hmmm...)
Today it was also rather slow. We all stood around a lot shooting the shit. I learned that the place had a pretty big mouse problem last summer. It was a severe infestation, really. But, everything seems to be cleared out now, which is good.
It looks like I will be leaving my job for six weeks to go work in Orlando, Florida. I'll leave in mid June and come back in early August (Unless, of course, I transfer Universities, then I suppose I won't be coming back). I think trying my hand at a different trade (film media) will be good, but I could be blowing my "big chance." The bosses have finally told me that they might be expanding my responsibilities, but I don't think this will hold true if I leave for the bulk of the summer. I need to realize, however, that this is not a big loss. Picking up and moving to Florida will also be pretty weird. Not to mention the whole process of learning a drastically different trade. Then again, it's only for six weeks and I will have my job to return to. I'll also be in Florida, five minutes from Downtown Disney and twenty from an old high school buddy. This is good. I should at least try it. No matter how horrible it may be, it's only for six weeks and I'm really losing nothing. Many people would kill for this opportunity. I often tell myself I have to look for the opening doors and go for them. I shouldn't pass this up, and I'm not.
In the more immediate future, I'm leaving for Cancun in a few days and will be gone approximately four. It's supposed to rain while I'm there. Oh Well.
Side Note: I've outlined the book I plan to write based on my job, but have now lost interest in the project. This tends to happen with my great endeavors.
Sunday, May 18th, 2003
The Matrix Hell weekend is over and I am alive. Things got pretty busy, money disappeared and I got to usher. In nine hours I will be on my way to Cancun. I'll then return from Cancun for two weeks before leaving for another six. During that month and a half I will be in Orlando, Florida filming people on an adventure ride. I will also be soaking up the sun and getting buff. When I return in August I hope to be stronger and tanner than ever before and prepared to put in another three years at the movie theater.
That's everything in a nut shell.
Friday, May 23rd, 2003
I have returned from Cancun.
Today I learned that they were preparing to promote me to manager when Ridge closed. I also learned there are plans in place to make me a manager at West Tower but by my leaving for two months to go to Orlando, I am likely ruining these plans and destroying forever my chances at promotion. This sucks. God damnit.
Saturday, May 24th, 2003
I found a website today with details about the fate of Ridge. It turns out Freeman Partners, LLC bought the place from Regal for $2,350,000. And, yes, it's being torn down and replaced by a 58,000 square foot Kroger grocery store. $2,350,000? Is that all it was worth? Hmmm
Monday, May 26th, 2003
Last night I accidentally put a staple through my finger while talking to a customer on the phone.
Thursday, May 29th, 2003
Man oh man, back to working weekdays. Today will be my third one in a row. Weekdays are no good, no good at all. They are slow and boring and terrible. Yesterday after I got off from work, it was like I had been asleep all day and had just woken up.
I've been spending a lot of my off time with Hemp. That is, making hemp jewelry. Methinks I have a knack for it.
In two and a half weeks I'll be moving to Orlando Florida. Driving down there is going to be no fun, no fun at all. Aye de mi! I wonder how very weird it will be returning to the theater after a two month absence. I'll probably be getting a job through my University next year, so if it sucks going back to West Tower, I can quit.
Everything in my future right now is very undecided. I don't know what I'm getting myself into in Florida, I don't know what I'll be returning to in August. I don't know where I'm going to school. And I don't know where I'm going to be living. Normally, I would be very on egde with all of these unknowns, but for some reason I'm not, at least not yet. I have a feeling, though, it will all hit me eventually and I will be sick with worry until everything is resolved. For now, I'm trying to put that point off for as long as possible and I have a fairly strong feeling that everything will work out in the end.
For now, I'll get ready for another weekday at work.
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