bad jews and there is no floor 13

as it's yom kippur, a seasonal true story for you all.

it was back in london, when i was working at the broadcasting company. i was covering reception, doing the early shift. the other receptionist, samantha, got in about 9:45, already moaning. it was yom kippur, she's jewish, ergo she was fasting (but had come in to work anyway). she's a mouthy broad, that one - i get on well with her, but that's only 'cause i never took any of her shit - and she kept moaning and bitching about being hungry and feeling faint, and she'd been ill earlier in the week and was saying she probably shouldn't be fasting because she was still weak from being ill. then she decided G-d wouldn't mind too much if she just had a little something to keep her going, so she went down the shops.

she returned a few minutes later with a paper bag, looking guilty, but happier. she sat down at her computer, not saying anything. i was still answering phones. a few minutes later there was a lull, no phones ringing, no cars to call for. she turned to me.

"oh han. it's so bad."
"what's wrong sam?"
"i got a sausage roll," she says in a quiet voice, leaving this to sink in.
"so, like, pork?"
"yes!" she wails. "not only am i eating on yom kippur, i'm eating pork! i'm such a bad jew!"

and then she spends the rest of the day bitching about being a bad jew and eating at every opportunity she gets. atonement my ass.

* * *

okay. i had just written a whole blog entry that was pretty downbeat, but then i re-read it and was like, stop fucking whining... [to summarise: the weather's shit, my roommate is a jerk, i had cold wet feet all day, i'm broke, i can't find the energy, brain power, will power etc to finish my class project which i've looked at so long my mind is about to melt, i'm pretty scared and lacking faith in myself about this magazine project i'm running]. it may be honest, but it's just kinda boring to read.

it seems weird, too, 'cause there are some good things going on. like this project thing i get to run for a nice little magazine, which i should be really excited about, but i'm mainly kind of scared and a little antsy, that i'll totally fuck it up or something, that the kids who are being absolute stars and helping out will just be bored or - i don't know, think it's a waste of time or something. but then i just talked to one of the kids involved in the project and i actually am kind of looking forward to it now. just still a bit - well, a bit self-doubting i guess. but i have faith in them. they're good people.

and a cure for downbeatness and severe apathy in the face of 3000-word Managing Information projects: loud, good music. i think some old Motown or something. something singalongable. i was doing my laundry last night, wandering round the building in my PJs and scandinavian slipper sock thingies, and the radio station in the laundry room was playing Aretha and i was bopping around, transferring from washer to dryer. it was fun. then a guy came in and laughed at me, but in a nice way. oh, and we have a retarded elevator here. it never says the right floor number. and today it said "errrrr 13" every time we stopped. there *is* no floor 13. comedy. i like that possessed elevator. it has character.

ooh electrelane. i'll listen to that. reminds me of the montreal road trip. good times. good people.

okay, there's the upbeat i was looking for... :)