My season started today. Many of the same familiar faces, minus a few who have retired, and a few new faces.
My days off were changed, and my truck is gone, given over to the park stewards. There is a new Ford Transit, which I will be driving on Thursdays and Fridays. The route is a bit easier, as every day there will three custodians, so the number of restrooms is less. McKay park restrooms will not be done until 2017, and Skyline is still being remodeled. Once again, my submitted request to have Juniper demolished and built from the ground up has been politely ignored. Everyone had a nice winter, except the ground crews who have to plow the snow off the paths and parking lots. We even had popcorn for our first morning.
After work, I walked Logger's Loop, which is 1.3 miles. The flags on the Old Mill foot bridge were various shades of blue. I was tired, but I wanted make myself stronger and I felt the need to de-stress. I plowed my way through the route, feeling more and more tired as I went, but knowing that when I was done, I could go home and relax. The sky was overcast, the air cool, and there were some scattered raindrops, but not enough to do anything. I thought about some army where the troops were told to do field exercises until they broke a sweat. I thought about the actor who played "Sulu" in the original Star Trek television shows, how he ran to get out the worries and the memories that he knew he could do nothing about, so that his mind and his body were too tired to care. It was in his autobiography, To the Stars, and I enjoyed his account of his run when he was waiting to hear back on his audition, of the scene of overlooking Los Angeles at night.
Years later, one of the things that resulted from his habit of running was that when he was called back to put on his uniform, he was one of two cast members who didn't have to have the seams let out. For me, with the walking, I was able to put on a size smaller work tee-shirt, one which I couldn't get over my body last year. This year the size I've worn for the past five years didn't get ordered, so yes, it's very good that I can get into it. The shirt is snug (I told a co-worker, "I think I look like I'm headed out to the AARP wet tee-shirt contest") but there are people wearing tighter shirts at work.
My days off were changed, and my truck is gone, given over to the park stewards. There is a new Ford Transit, which I will be driving on Thursdays and Fridays. The route is a bit easier, as every day there will three custodians, so the number of restrooms is less. McKay park restrooms will not be done until 2017, and Skyline is still being remodeled. Once again, my submitted request to have Juniper demolished and built from the ground up has been politely ignored. Everyone had a nice winter, except the ground crews who have to plow the snow off the paths and parking lots. We even had popcorn for our first morning.
After work, I walked Logger's Loop, which is 1.3 miles. The flags on the Old Mill foot bridge were various shades of blue. I was tired, but I wanted make myself stronger and I felt the need to de-stress. I plowed my way through the route, feeling more and more tired as I went, but knowing that when I was done, I could go home and relax. The sky was overcast, the air cool, and there were some scattered raindrops, but not enough to do anything. I thought about some army where the troops were told to do field exercises until they broke a sweat. I thought about the actor who played "Sulu" in the original Star Trek television shows, how he ran to get out the worries and the memories that he knew he could do nothing about, so that his mind and his body were too tired to care. It was in his autobiography, To the Stars, and I enjoyed his account of his run when he was waiting to hear back on his audition, of the scene of overlooking Los Angeles at night.
Years later, one of the things that resulted from his habit of running was that when he was called back to put on his uniform, he was one of two cast members who didn't have to have the seams let out. For me, with the walking, I was able to put on a size smaller work tee-shirt, one which I couldn't get over my body last year. This year the size I've worn for the past five years didn't get ordered, so yes, it's very good that I can get into it. The shirt is snug (I told a co-worker, "I think I look like I'm headed out to the AARP wet tee-shirt contest") but there are people wearing tighter shirts at work.
![]({"http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51qButP1tML._SX322_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg":[324,499],"http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51qButP1tML._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg":[225,346]}) |
| His childhood and Star Trek years, published prior to Facebook. |
No comments:
Post a Comment