Getting some stuff done, while recouperating
Posted: January 27, 2015 Filed under: Janitorial work | Tags: bedroom, coming out, crafting, crocheting, gender identity, genderqueer, janitors, lgbtq, mental health, non-binary, queer, work 11 CommentsThis is pretty much the best type of leave of absence anyone could ask for. Last week, I was in the hospital, but I wasn’t sick or incapacitated in any physical sense. And being out of work for this week, I’m able to get to some stuff I’ve been putting off, in some cases for years.
This week,
– I’m getting my car inspected.
– I’m going to therapy Mon. and Fri.
– I’m meeting with my new psychiatrist.
– I’m having lunch or dinner with a couple people.
– I’m working on finally finishing this blanket I started 2 years ago.
– I’m finishing a piece of writing, a collaborative blog post with Michele Witchipoo.
And the big thing I’m finally getting around to: I am cleaning my room.*
My room has been a disaster area for mostly my entire life. I mean, I guess there were periods of time where I kept things organized throughout my childhood, but largely, it’s a watch-where-you-step zone. There is a method to the madness, but it doesn’t work all that well, and there have been times recently where I can’t find something. I have a tendency to not unpack bags and also a tendency to not want to touch things because they have sentimental value and are buried somewhere down there. It’s like an archaeological dig. This room has not been cleaned in probably 2 years – lots of dust and hair and just grossnesses. At least no food or stuff like that – I’m good about that.
I guess I have a confession: I am a janitor who is a messy person at heart.
Really only a partial view. Need a panorama for this mess!
Almost done with this blanket!
I have a fair amount of anxiety about returning to work next week. I have never been out of work for this long, ever. People might be asking me questions that I need to be prepared to field. Although it may be tough to believe in my line of work, I was temporarily experiencing quite a lot of stress, and many changes were under way, leading up to being out of work. I think I can manage it better once I get back, but I won’t really know until I’m in it. Either way, I know I’ll be ready to go back – only so much I can do with huge swaths of unstructured time. (I’ve also been playing thought experiments about how hard would it be to come out as non-binary at work? Everyone really likes me there – I think they could get on board. We’ll see…)
*When I say “my room,” I’m referring to the room where my partner and I sleep, and where I store a lot of my personal belongings in big disheveled swirls. We don’t hang out in there or watch TV or anything because it’s not all that aesthetically pleasing, at least for my partner. Also, it is the attic of our house, so it is very cold in the winter.
janitorqueer 
Glad that you are feeling up to doing so much. The blanket looks like a great crazy quilt. Have you seen the Gee’s Bend quilts? If not Google image them I think yours are related even though theirs are cloth not yarn.
Take care,
Jamie
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Just image searched it – those quilts are amazing!
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What a wonderful blanket! Looking forward to see the finished piece!
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All the best when you see your new psychiatrist!
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Thanks! I’ll probably be writing about that soon too!
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Your blanket is beautiful. Perhaps you can just make it big enough to cover the whole pile …
A friend just spent a few days cleaning another friend’s house. Her rule is: put things away, you can sort through them later. So, she gets those super heavy duty bags that they sell at hardware stores, then just throws everything inside. At that point, the space can be cleaned, and you can sort through bags at your leisure, in the comfort of your nice clean space!
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haha, I like your comment about covering the mess w/ blanket!
And I like your friend’s method, but I’d be afraid I’d never get around to the bags. I love putting things in bags, but then I never unpack them! We’ll see how far I get with just organizing and throwing out / donating…
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I have to admit that that is exactly what I told my friend when she described her method. I also have to admit that it is dangerous to open closets at her house, because of her use of this tactic!
Good luck.
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Good luck with all the projects, getting back to work and coming out (or not). Love the blanket, looks like a labour of love and sentiments. Take care, JQ!
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I keep meaning to let you know that I’ve been thinking about this blog entry and you recently. I’ve finally become productive after months of unemployment, depression. I’m finally on my game and getting weird things simillar to finishing a blanket started 2 years ago.
It feels nice to have the time and energy to get that all done. Enjoy the free time.
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Hey thanks! Interesting how productivity (such as getting a job) can lead to more productivity. Any sort of change can help, I think. Look forward to reading more from you!
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