Get Ready for Me, Love, Cause I'm a Comer

Today was a day of self cleansing. I got to sleep in...I cannot begin to tell you how inexplicably sad it is that I can deem 10AM as sleeping in. Really, Aaron? That's the best you can do. So I haven't eaten anything of substance in about...o...since I got here and I was definetely needing some more introspection. So I get up, take a shower and decided to go to Cici's, the cheap and delictable buffet of pizza, desserts, and salad.

So Liz, my literary friend, and I head off to the place. I get a slice of spinach, a few slices of the barbeque, and, my favorite, the Macaroni and cheese pizza. Not to mention the almost whole plate of chocolate brownies and of course my diet coke. So I sit in the booth all alone and start reading with Vampire Weekend's "Mansard Roof" playing in the background. I made sure to sit by a window so I can look outside. It's a beautiul day. I go back for more (duh...) and I get about half the tray of brownies there and some more of the usual slices of pizza. Going to Cici's was one of the best ideas I've had while being down here. I had only been like dying of starvation each and every day, and was sure I was going to drop about fifty pounds while here. But I'm pretty damn sure I just put that fifty pounds back on this pizza binge. After I finish with my second, I, of course, go and take the rest of the brownies on the buffet. Also, I decided to try the dessert pizza they have. It was amazing. Warm and buttery apple filling with the zing of cinnamon crumbles baked in.

As I sit there, I get a sense of...revelation. As much as I bitch about my job, lack of life, and starvation, I really have no right to complain. Here I am in this beautiful city (I mean come on, a Heron was walking along side me on my way here) for an extended period of time and getting paid to work in a place where you can go home with fireworks going off behind you. Also, look at where I am now. I find myself taking the scenic route while walking (which is astounding in itself) to exciting adventures with myself. I'm being on my own, I'm thinking of ways to improve myself, and...I'm changing..and for the better.

There is one thing most that most fulfills this sense of change: God. I can feel the once short and thin bond growing between us. I feel more connected with Him than I ever have. I feel His prescece constantly, especially when alone. It's almost as if He is sitting there in the booth beside me as I eat alone, walking beside me when I'm traveling around the gorgeous land He created. But, for me, it's a companionship. I see Him as not only you know...creator of the universe...but my friend. Someone I'd slap five with. I hope that's not blasphemous.

After this filling, probably weeks worth of food filling, meal I go to Wal-Mart. I get a Palm Leaves and shaving creme and head to the register. The old lady behind the counter said "Ooooo! Looks like someone's having a party toight." Poor senile old woman, slaving away at the world's largest chain of supermarkets hath made her mad. I smile, then say a silent prayer for her as I leave.

I go home, and start to do landry for the first time since I've been here. It was fun for me, because I acted like Neil Patrick Harris in DR. HORRIBLE'S SING ALONG BLOG, since the laundry room is laundromat style, singing the song "Laundry Day" to some random Latina girl dong her laundry as well. She looked over at me the minute I sang to myself "Wanna say...Love your hair.." and I shifted my head down as quickly as possible. I return to home and get ready for work.

The sad part about my job, is that I don't find myself doing much thinking at all while preforming my daily tasks. I kind of smile my way through it and help guest when I need to. Thankfully, nothing when haywire today and I survived the night, although I did have to handle my first "protein spill," which is what they equate throw-up. To me, "Protein spill" sounds worse than any other synomym for throw-up. I'd prefer vomit, chuncks, or even spewage rather than protien spill. Most everybody I talk to about this says they don't apporve either because they think of protien shake. I just think of eating it as a source of protein and soon enough I have my own protien spill. Also, I had to work until 2 AM...starting at 5PM. Not the most fun thing to do especially when it's like freezing outside (wait a second! Aren't I in Orlando?!) and all I'm wearing is T-shirt.

I get a ride home from a co-worker in her kind of cool, old, beat up Mercedes Benz. When I get home, they place is completely dark and everyone is asleep. There's spaghetti with meat sauce on the stove and I scarf some down. Then, I devour my palm leaves because I saved them for when I got home so I would have something to come home to. It's kind of like the reason I'm fighting this war is so that I come home to a delicious, chocolately baked good. In any case, this place is slowly starting to feel like home. Maybe not the people quite yet, but maybe I'll come around (I've decided I'm the one with the problem because they all are living in harmony). But the constant mess I get to clean up for them, the darkness of the rooms all the time, and the very little amount of food I have stocked are all reminders that this is my new domain. This is the Ashram where I am to change my inner being, to relate it in EAT PRAY LOVE terms.

So here I am, in the dark, at 3AM and I'm just wondering...what's tomorrow got for me?