A Six-Year Workaversary, and an Unexpected Gift

Six years ago today ("today" being December 30th), I was asking myself how on earth I had gotten myself into a position where I had no money, no job, no will to get dressed, and apparently no desire to bathe. I was depressed, living off my credit cards, and living on Doritos (and not in a good way).

Six years ago today, I swallowed my pride and accepted a job at $7 an hour, making sandwiches at a restaurant 3 blocks away from my home, where I stopped wearing my rings and started wearing t-shirts and tennis shoes with marinara stains on them (they didn't start that way).

Six years ago today, I began the process that kicked me out of my depression and began the slow (agonizingly slow) trek to fiscal solvency. Yes, I'm still only about halfway up the mountain, but I'm on my way.

Between six years ago and today, I got a promotion to a training position (still hourly, but I got to travel and I got per diem), I opened 19 stores, I developed Plantar Fasciitis, I got a job in the Payroll Department (despite my art degree) and I got a promotion within that department. Between six years ago and today I moved to a one-bedroom apartment from a studio, I still flirt with depression but it's no longer a love affair, and when I subsist on Doritos usually it's merely because I enjoy them.

And today, on the six-year anniversary of being once again employed, I got an unexpected gift... a free ticket to see The Addams Family in its pre-Broadway stay at the Oriental Theater in Chicago. I do not take joy in the fact that K's friend had to cancel her trip to visit him for the New Year at the last minute. But it was such a huge blessing to get an email saying "Do you want to go see The Addams Family tonight? I've got an extra ticket." Because K never makes me pay when we go out for lunch, and I knew he wouldn't make me pay for the ticket, and he certainly didn't make me pay for dinner.

I don't think you will ever understand how much I wish we could be attracted to each other.

But as someone who doesn't have the money (or the credit) to go to New York to see all the shows, I was awestruck to be breathing the same air as Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth.

I mean, they're like famous! Ok, I've been to the theatre before. I saw Joseph twice in High School back when Donny Osmond was just dancing for the Pharoah's wife and not all of America.

I saw Wicked two years ago.

And I finally saw Phantom of the Opera last Christmas.

I even saw Miss Saigon in London.

But that was forever ago. This was tonight. This was Nathan and Bebe. They've been in movies and on Frasier! (one of them anyway.) And besides, it was my workaversary present.

I started my day with trepidation, wondering if my boss would even remember or if I would have to remind her like I did last year (she remembered, eventually). And amidst my plans for NYE going down the crapper, I was given this opportunity to see a show that lauds the ideals of love, foreplay (boy, does it) and above all, being true to oneself.

If that wasn't a great way to wrap up my year, I don't know what is.

So happy workaversary to me, and stay tuned because Fictionary Friday will either take the week off or be secondary to my Last Year/This Year Letter.

See you next year.