Tuesday 15 August 2006

And he takes and he takes and he takes....

Well, given that today is Tuesday, it looks like I must have survived my first day in my new / old job in my new / old company. On the other hand, the fact that I’m sitting here writing this at 09:44 in the morning over my first cup of coffee probably tells you everything that you need to know about my level of motivation.

I got off to a flying start yesterday morning when I turned up 15 minutes late to my own induction, and I suppose it’s been pretty much downhill since then. I watched a company ra-ra video telling me all about how wonderful everything is, I got told I needed to replace my ID badge with identical – but new – ID badge and, best of all, I got given a set of maps telling me how to get to the company’s head office. Yes, the same building that I have been working in for the last few years and the very same building I was sitting in when they gave me the maps.

Absurd.

Still, it’s not all bad news: when I got out of my car this morning and headed towards the main building, the car park smelt of steak and kidney pudding.

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I was listening to “Illinois” by Sufjan Stevens on the way into the office this morning. I’ve only listened to it all the way through a couple of times, but it’s already worming its way into my affections. Perhaps it’s the slightly funny mood I’m in, but this morning I found myself deeply moved by “Casimir Pulaski Day”. It’s breathtakingly beautiful and achingly sad.

I love it.

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and thanks for all your congrats, by the way. Much appreciated. C. very much likes the idea of a competition to choose the song for our first dance, so I reckon we'll be doing that at some point then!

I'll also see if I can find a nice photo of the two of us somewhere.

7 comments:

  1. Sufjan Stevens is fantatsic. Try Seven Swans also if you like Illnoise. I gather he's planning to do an album based on each of the US states, so plenty more to come...

    First dance? Well, its gotta be Huey Lewis innit, although i think as LB mentioned earlier, Hip To Be Square is the number.

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  2. The first dance is always tricky.

    I'll save my vote now, but suffice to say "In 1972 a crack commando unit..."

    You know it makes sense.

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  3. OK...

    He has a song called Casamir Pulaski day?

    That had to be my favorite holiday growing up in the south suburbs of chicago. Why?

    At the time I had no clue who Casamir Pulaski was, all I knew was we had that day off school. I think I even had some grade school teachers who didn't know who the guy was...

    First song though... hmmm...
    "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash?

    Honestly that's something I'd have severe trouble with trying to figure out. My musical taste leans towards the dark side, not exactly a great thing for a time of celebration.

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  4. That Sufjan Stevens album was my #1 album last year... so obviously I agree with you that it's great.

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  5. 'Casimir Pulaski Day' is a gem of a song in an album packed with gems. Very twee, but somehow it doesn't irritate me at all.

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  6. You seem to be handling the work situation remarkably well. Maintaining a sense of the absurd should help see you through until you're able to find something more suitable. Good luck!

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  7. Congrats on the wedding news, my friend. That is truly awesome.

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