10 February 2008

Taking a Break From Cleaning

I'm spending part of my Sunday afternoon working at Karla's studio. I just got done shredding a three-inch thick stack of papers, and sooner, I'll be working on cleaning up a spill on one of the dance floors. I've found that I really, truly enjoy cleaning. This is as baffling to me as it is to most. On the surface of it, what is there to enjoy? While make everything else nice and shiny, you make yourself look like crap in the process. I don't care who you are - no one looks good after they've finished cleaning something for a few hours. I'm sure this even applies to Rosario Dawson and Ellen Page, two actresses who I could not imagine ever being anything but uncute.
It didn't used to be like this. I used to be the typical idle teenager, content to live in his filth simply because it was easier than trying to muster the effort and the time (which somehow seemed more precious then) to tidy up his situation. As I grew, this slowly changed. Even in college, at the worst point of being depressed, my apartment would be spotless. Sure, there were recently smoked cigarette butts in an ashtray and my homework wasn't done, but the pile of ironing on the floor? Oh yeah - starched and pressed, hanging in the closet for another week's duty. My rent check? Probably overdue - but my toilet was spotless. Eventually, I figured that living in a house where something always had to be done probably rubbed off on me. I simply cannot relax or sit still. Even when I'm watching a movie, I have to be doing something, or simply thinking about doing something.
The good news is that I've found a way to take this cleaning, working wanderlust and turn it into some extra income. Working at the studio gives me an outlet for the constant need to be doing something, and I come home exhausted most days I work both my regular job and then go clean for a while. In short, it's not easy being unable to sit still, but at least now my afflictions are helping me earn extra money. I can live with that - it could be far worse.

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