I’m on day 9 of this weird throat thing/cough. It’s a long time to carry a bug, and I can only assume it’s because I haven’t had any good rest in a while. And tomorrow I’m off to LA for the week. I’ll be in the office until about 1, and then won’t be back until Friday. I’ll be semi-reachable, but since we’ll be shooting I’ll spend a lot of time away from my computer with my cell phone off. I can’t wait. I love hotels, I love room service, I love that someone else makes my bed and that I have a bunch of cable channels to watch while I eat from a little tray that I’ve set up on top of the blankets.
This trip is just me and Mary, who’s on the production team (meaning she’ll go on shoots for lots of different areas, she doesn’t work just for Coaches). I’m happy about that, as I can see us being friends. It’s not that I don’t like my coworkers, but I’m very careful to draw a line between work and personal life. I generally don’t like the two to mix at all. From my six years at CNN I have only one friend who I kept. And even then, I rarely saw her outside the office until after I quit. I don’t know why I feel so strongly about this, but I absolutely do.
I’m continuing to battle a bit of insomnia. Worrying about money seems to have taken the place of worrying about the wedding. I got wiped out by some back taxes a few months ago and this is as close to the bone as I’ve ever lived. Damon and I are looking hard at ways to economize. We just went down to one cell phone account that we’ll now share. It will be a hassle, but not a massive one. Mostly I’m content to let him have the phone. I don’t like to talk on the phone anyway. But I need to take it with me while I’m in California, and he’s going to hate that. But unless we can produce a wand that conjures money, we’re just going to have to deal. The worst part is that it’s looking like being cash poor is going to have a big impact on the holidays. By my estimation, we’re not going to get away with less than $1,000 in travel expenses for Christmas. Plane tickets are a freaking fortune, and we have to stay in a hotel or b&b because everyone is his family smokes, and I spent the last holiday there in an asthmatic haze. But he’s dying to see his family, his sister will have had her baby and I’ve got to figure out a way to make it happen.
jaysaint 
Posted by baldsug on September 19, 2005 at 3:21 pm
I completely relate to the work life/private life separation. I have never realy socialized with my corporate co-workers outside of work-related events. The weird thing is, my impression was that when I was doing the restaurant thing, I used to go out with my co-workers all the time but I’m realizing now, that’s not true. I’d go out places after a shift with them but I’d never come in on my days off to hang or meet up with them outside of the restaurant/bar. weird.
If the insomnia gets really bad feel free to email or skype. We’re 6 hours ahead so odds are I’m trying to stay awake at the office while you’re trying to fall asleep. We may be able to trade REM cycles.
Posted by jaysaint on September 19, 2005 at 4:06 pm
Here’s where I reveal just how un-cool I am. What’s skype?
Posted by baldsug on September 19, 2005 at 10:57 pm
Not uncool. I didn’t know of it myself before getting here but a lot of expats use it for free long distance and international phone calling over the computer (chat feature too). Unfortunately, they just got bought by ebay so I don’t know how much longer it will be free. http://www.skype.com
I’m on as mrk5800 and Andrew is on as Andru1000
Posted by jaysaint on September 22, 2005 at 1:33 am
Allow me to add to the confusion. I’m working in LA this week, further disorienting myself. But at least having lots of fun.
I’m not high-tech enough for Skype, but you can find me on IM at JllnStChrls.