Yesterday’s “lasts” and good-byes:
Taking the train to San Francisco
40 minutes in time when I was completely alone with my thoughts, not really having to do anything I didn’t want to do. Usually spent listening to my iPod or text messaging. Sometimes updating the Facebook status. Mostly just enjoying the minutes being enclosed in my own little corner of the world.
Approaching the building where I work
A former movie theater and thus has an unorthodox look for a place of business. The marquee’s purpose now is to promote our brands and manga. Except there are too many brands and titles for me to ever know so I usually ignored that marquee. But yesterday I took notice. Something about a “word” …
Sitting down at my desk and working in an office full of people
Full of people so long as you arrived after 10:30 a.m. It’s the only office I know of where if you show up at 9 you can see tumbleweed floating from one cubicle to the next. Forget about going in even earlier. Is the building even accessible before 9???
An office full of people…that’s something I’ll miss. I’ll work from home now, which of course will have its perks. But I kind of liked the whole ceremonial morning process of waking up, showering, blah, blah blah until I finally sat down at my desk. And from there hearing all KINDS of buzz around me, half in Japanese, half in English and then some in $%&@# (though that usually came from me…)
Farewell to my computer and the death of andrea dot gonzalez at viz dot com
Some noteworthy sub-points on that computer:
- It was the 4th computer I had with the company. Not because they were super on top of making sure I had the latest and greatest in technology. In fact it was quite the opposite. For whatever reason, electronics and I don’t mix and either my previous computers SOMEHOW got in water’s way – or they fell down a flight of steps – or they were kidnapped by the Mexican mafia in the airport in Mexico City. It’s not like any of this was MY fault, but nevertheless, it earned me the reputation of calamity Sam with electronics. Hence, the reason I had four computers throughout my VIZ career and hence, why I never got anything super new… when everyone else who had a company
sponsored phone received an iPhone… I did not. I don’t blame them. Who knows what kind of mishap would have happened with that thing!
- That computer also turned me away from the dark side. Meaning, I used to be a dedicated and devoted PC user. Mac’s were all kinds of weird in my eyes and only certain people used them – the creative types. I am not that person and therefore thought that Macs weren’t for me. Well I was proven wrong and now I am a hungry and avid Mac aficionado. Weirder things have happened.
As for andrea dot gonzalez at viz dot com – well, that was just plain sad. I feel like a slice of my identity was deleted, Matrix-style. That was MY email for 5.5 years (albeit “rented” to me by VIZ) and now it’s not. I console myself by reminders that I still have gonzandrea at you know where dot com and I can still call that my own. Right now, I guess all I can say is R.I.P. andrea dot gonzalez at viz dot com. Hope you’re remembered for the force that you were!
After work happy hour with my friends
AWHH with friends usually consists of Sauvignon Blanc and in the usual style, contains high levels of talking
smack, complaining and making fun of each other. Yesterday’s AWHH was with Jordan and Shannon, high ranking in my social network of friends and acquaintances. Topics covered in the hour or so I was with them: bachelorette parties, boobs, online dating, my moving crisis (now resolved) and Shannon’s career – past, present and future. Quite a lot packed into a one hour special but always fun and now, most of all, astronomically cherished. I wonder what Chilean style AWHH will look like? How long will I be ordering Pisco Sours before I finally get sick of them? Right now I can’t imagine that day will ever come, but I am always quite surprised by how often Chileans DON’T drink Pisco Sour…
But then again, these said “lasts” aren’t really, truly “lasts.” They were the last time I would be doing them as an employee of VIZ who worked in the city and lived in the Peninsula. I find solace in knowing that THESE “lasts” will be replaced by new firsts. The first time I meet my future husband out for happy hour after work; the first time I meet my friends in Chile out to go shopping; or the first time I can take a meeting with a Chilean partner without having to fly through various airports and time zones to do so.
And just as an end note, I have to say I was touched by my coworkers’ send off yesterday…I mentioned before that I only knew about 5% of the 30% of the employees who work there and they were all present to see me off with some sparkling wine and cake. A good “last” memory of my time with them. Just as Coke used to provoke people with the slogan “I’d like to buy the world a coke,” I too wish I could buy the 5% of 30% a refreshing beverage of choice… just to say Thanks!
I hope I'm not disappointing you but Chilean style AWHH look pretty much the same for us 🙂 We cover pretty similar topics.
For me, I don't drink a ton of Pisco at happy hour, Sour or elsewise…it's more of a hard core carrete drink.
Looking forward to meeting you…soon!
Oh, I'm going to miss you so much! I can't believe I don't get to see you one last time. And sister friend, I still need an update on all the wedding stuff – when, where, etc. I'm so happy for you and this new exciting life! I love you!