Lately my days consist of nothing more than playing computer games and eating, with the occasional shopping trip to get more food, or sometimes, beer.
But today was unusually busy...
9:05am - Woke up still groggy from the Benedryls.
9:10am - Took shower, shaved, brushed teeth, etc.
9:20am - After dressing in shorts, t-shirt and short-sleeve button down, got in Nugget and drove to McDonald's on 17-92 in Sanford. Ordered 2 Egg McMuffins (2 for $2 special) and a large black coffee. They messed up the order and I only paid for the breakfast sandwiches, I got the coffee for free.
9:35am - Loaded 2 loads of laundry into washers at the Seminole Laundramat and, rather than sit in the landramat, I sat in my car in the parking lot of this strip mall and ate one of the Egg McMuffins and drank the coffee.
9:45am - Before I had finished my coffee, a hornet flew in the car through the open driver's side window and landed on my left forearm. Somewhat freaked, I quickly flicked the bug off my arm and it flew away, but not before I'd spilled about an ounce of hot coffee on my leg and carpet in my car.
9:48am - I noticed in my rear view mirror a pale-looking, thin guy loading a huge frozen turkey into his small pickup truck. That's it, just the turkey. He soon thereafter drives away.
9:51am - A bald guy working at RadioShack next door to the Laundramat came out of the store and smoked a cigarette. As he is finishing, a teenage guy on a bike asks him if the job opening, advertised on the sign in the window, is still open. He answers that it's been filled. The teenager rides his bike away.
9:53am - Another teenager, this one on foot, walks into the RadioShack where the bald guy has already reentered. He soon ambles back out after just a minute or so. Perhaps he was looking for work as well?
10:05am - A Chinese guy holding a folded apron makes his way to the small Chinese restaurant to the left of the RadioShack, the Rent-A-Center and the Cash Advance America stores. It's locked. he looks impatient and paces up and down for the next few minutes amongst the stores obviously irritated. Methinks he's a cook at the Chinese restaurant and the owner hasn't yet shown up to open the place.
10:10am - I transfer my washed clothes to the dryers, insert enough quarters for 40 minutes of drying time, and go back to my car. Before I go, I hear that two women have broken out into a verbal argument and others are staring in amazement. I hear one of the ladies shout to the other as a comeback: "Well keep on truckin', bitch!". No wonder I sit in my car.
10:12am - A Lexus pulls up in front of me and a perfectly-coiffed blond gets out, retieves a wedding gown from the trunk and brings it into the Laundramat, which also serves as a dry cleaner specializing in fine fabrics and wedding gowns.
10:15am - Bald RadioShack guy keeps messing with some contraption above the door. Then he takes another cigarette break.
10:16am - The owner finally shows up for the Chinese restaurant, opens the door, lets the cook in and turns on the neon "OPEN" sign.
10:25am - More people, usually pulling up in older beater cars enter the Landramat, start their laundry and either stay or leave. No other stores get traffic.
10:25am - Bald RadioShack guy, not having any customers all morning, stands outside and smokes another cigarette.
10:55am - I gather my now dried clothes, fold them and cram them into my basket. As I'm leaving I notice the two women who were arguing earlier have since made up and are chatting happily like old friends.
11:03am - Head over to Albertson's, get some essential groceries including Barilla Ziti, Classico D'Abrussi Sausage, Pepper and Onions Pasta Sauce and yes, a 12-pack of Bud.
11:18am - At the Post Office, I drop off my viewed Netflix selections and pick up my mail from my PO Box. Good news: I can receive unemployment benefits starting 12/1/08. I got the hookup, baby!
11:22am - I call Symantec HR Hotline to check on the severance package. They say they never got my signed paperwork despite my having sent it early last week by Priority Mail. She says I can fax a copy if I have it. I tell her that Charles Schwab has not yet changed the status of my employment with Symantec, thus I can't apply for full withdrawal. She said I'd need to call them on that.
11:29am - I'm back in the same strip mall that the Laundramat was located and go into the Office Depot to use the public fax. $6.10 later, my paperwork is faxed to Cupertino.
11:40am - I call Schwab and let them know that I've been laid off yet it still states I'm employed by Symantec so I can't apply for the withdrawal. The rep says he'll contact Symantec and get it cleared up.
11:45am - I call the HR hotline and confirm that they have received my paperwork. They say everything is all set and I should receive my severance pay in 7 days.
12:01pm - Channel surfing; decide to watch the news.
12:30pm - News is over, quickly change channel to avoid any glimpse of the soap opera coming on next. Watch the Food Network. It makes me hungry.
12:55pm - Call Cheng's (Speed Dial 4 on my cell phone) and order lunch.
1:09pm - Drive to Lake Emma Shopping Plaza and pick up a large order of House Special Lo Mein at Cheng's. As usual, Cheng's is almost empty with only one party at one table. I hope they don't go out of business, they're the best Chinese food in the area.
1:20pm - Back home, I dig into the Lo Mein, and start on the 12-pack as I watch the History Channel.
Mmmmm. Life is good. For now.
But today was unusually busy...
9:05am - Woke up still groggy from the Benedryls.
9:10am - Took shower, shaved, brushed teeth, etc.
9:20am - After dressing in shorts, t-shirt and short-sleeve button down, got in Nugget and drove to McDonald's on 17-92 in Sanford. Ordered 2 Egg McMuffins (2 for $2 special) and a large black coffee. They messed up the order and I only paid for the breakfast sandwiches, I got the coffee for free.
9:35am - Loaded 2 loads of laundry into washers at the Seminole Laundramat and, rather than sit in the landramat, I sat in my car in the parking lot of this strip mall and ate one of the Egg McMuffins and drank the coffee.
9:45am - Before I had finished my coffee, a hornet flew in the car through the open driver's side window and landed on my left forearm. Somewhat freaked, I quickly flicked the bug off my arm and it flew away, but not before I'd spilled about an ounce of hot coffee on my leg and carpet in my car.
9:48am - I noticed in my rear view mirror a pale-looking, thin guy loading a huge frozen turkey into his small pickup truck. That's it, just the turkey. He soon thereafter drives away.
9:51am - A bald guy working at RadioShack next door to the Laundramat came out of the store and smoked a cigarette. As he is finishing, a teenage guy on a bike asks him if the job opening, advertised on the sign in the window, is still open. He answers that it's been filled. The teenager rides his bike away.
9:53am - Another teenager, this one on foot, walks into the RadioShack where the bald guy has already reentered. He soon ambles back out after just a minute or so. Perhaps he was looking for work as well?
10:05am - A Chinese guy holding a folded apron makes his way to the small Chinese restaurant to the left of the RadioShack, the Rent-A-Center and the Cash Advance America stores. It's locked. he looks impatient and paces up and down for the next few minutes amongst the stores obviously irritated. Methinks he's a cook at the Chinese restaurant and the owner hasn't yet shown up to open the place.
10:10am - I transfer my washed clothes to the dryers, insert enough quarters for 40 minutes of drying time, and go back to my car. Before I go, I hear that two women have broken out into a verbal argument and others are staring in amazement. I hear one of the ladies shout to the other as a comeback: "Well keep on truckin', bitch!". No wonder I sit in my car.
10:12am - A Lexus pulls up in front of me and a perfectly-coiffed blond gets out, retieves a wedding gown from the trunk and brings it into the Laundramat, which also serves as a dry cleaner specializing in fine fabrics and wedding gowns.
10:15am - Bald RadioShack guy keeps messing with some contraption above the door. Then he takes another cigarette break.
10:16am - The owner finally shows up for the Chinese restaurant, opens the door, lets the cook in and turns on the neon "OPEN" sign.
10:25am - More people, usually pulling up in older beater cars enter the Landramat, start their laundry and either stay or leave. No other stores get traffic.
10:25am - Bald RadioShack guy, not having any customers all morning, stands outside and smokes another cigarette.
10:55am - I gather my now dried clothes, fold them and cram them into my basket. As I'm leaving I notice the two women who were arguing earlier have since made up and are chatting happily like old friends.
11:03am - Head over to Albertson's, get some essential groceries including Barilla Ziti, Classico D'Abrussi Sausage, Pepper and Onions Pasta Sauce and yes, a 12-pack of Bud.
11:18am - At the Post Office, I drop off my viewed Netflix selections and pick up my mail from my PO Box. Good news: I can receive unemployment benefits starting 12/1/08. I got the hookup, baby!
11:22am - I call Symantec HR Hotline to check on the severance package. They say they never got my signed paperwork despite my having sent it early last week by Priority Mail. She says I can fax a copy if I have it. I tell her that Charles Schwab has not yet changed the status of my employment with Symantec, thus I can't apply for full withdrawal. She said I'd need to call them on that.
11:29am - I'm back in the same strip mall that the Laundramat was located and go into the Office Depot to use the public fax. $6.10 later, my paperwork is faxed to Cupertino.
11:40am - I call Schwab and let them know that I've been laid off yet it still states I'm employed by Symantec so I can't apply for the withdrawal. The rep says he'll contact Symantec and get it cleared up.
11:45am - I call the HR hotline and confirm that they have received my paperwork. They say everything is all set and I should receive my severance pay in 7 days.
12:01pm - Channel surfing; decide to watch the news.
12:30pm - News is over, quickly change channel to avoid any glimpse of the soap opera coming on next. Watch the Food Network. It makes me hungry.
12:55pm - Call Cheng's (Speed Dial 4 on my cell phone) and order lunch.
1:09pm - Drive to Lake Emma Shopping Plaza and pick up a large order of House Special Lo Mein at Cheng's. As usual, Cheng's is almost empty with only one party at one table. I hope they don't go out of business, they're the best Chinese food in the area.
1:20pm - Back home, I dig into the Lo Mein, and start on the 12-pack as I watch the History Channel.
Mmmmm. Life is good. For now.