The sun, still hours beneath the horizon, has not yet begun stretching his rays into the night sky like a yawning child.
I find myself awake in a sleeping city like Santa on Christmas morning and much like the Elves I’m prepping parcels.
Earlier this week I started a new chapter in my life. Hanging up my beer shirts for non-slip leather shoes I got on the Indy 500 racetrack otherwise known as 35W being Minneapolis bound. The aggressive morning commute is a muscle I haven’t worked out in YEARS, almost 8 to be exact.
These semi pro drivers in pickup trucks, SUVs and cars weave through traffic like it’s a sport and treat their cars like they are in a drag race. Almost flying to work and most probably dissatisfied with their career. For the first time ever, I am grateful for the Corona virus because I can’t imagine that morning commute with all the people that are working from home!
Luckily the orientation trainer we had reminded me of an old beer rep, a hipster millennial that kept things funny and interesting. Offensive language always relaxes me, but that’s probably because my mom is a sailor. Most of the training and orientation I had already experienced with other companies I had worked for. But let me say this, the ethics videos that seemed to last for years were a snooze fest.
On the second day of mandatory orientation, I reached out to my local supervisor and she told me that she needed me at the facility for training at 4am.
4
A.M.!
I thought she was messing with me, until another woman said to our class that we might be receiving direction to check in at 4am, we can not be late.
I set my alarm for 3am on Wednesday and even our nocturnal cats didn’t open their eyes while I got ready for the day. I left a little early with the intention of getting coffee before the shift started. I stopped at a 24 hour gas station and interrupted the clerks (probably) 20th smoke break of the shift. The coffee pots were empty. I was so tired I thought I was doing something wrong, so I asked…
“Coffee isn’t brewed until after 4am, “ he irritatedly said, “I guess I can start it early.”
I told him not to bother, with a 4am start time and a 10 minute commute I would resort to other coffee sources.
Cold espresso for the win.
My love for coffee started in the corporate world. Up all night nursing my babies tea wasn’t cutting it after a long commute and hardly any sleep. But like the Beastie Boys I liked my sugar with coffee and cream, now I prefer it gangster like Bert Kirshner…black. Brewed coffee is much different than espresso and I don’t know myself on espresso, throw in a brand new environment, I couldn’t help but wonder what I got myself into.
I was the first one onsite, but not by much. The first day went surprisingly well. I picked up on a lot of it, they allowed me a ton of hands on experience which is my favorite way to learn. The people are really friendly and great, however…there is an older person that is quite the shit talker.
Shit talkers always make me put up my guard ESPECIALLY when they are beyond nice to the people they have previously bad mouthed. Best to just not get involved with office politics…
Next week I join the racers for more Minneapolis training. I have to pass a test before I’m ruled capable for the job and then I’m thrown into the workload.
I’m used to driving to work with the sun up and leaving in the dark and now I leave in the dark, before the birds are up, and sun is breaking when I’m done. If I can figure out a good routine, I think this could give me an opportunity to be VERY productive.
