I should be doing homework right now.

So… Keeping with the idea of pictures, and actually using the new Christmas camera, I thought I would explain the next few images. These are all pictures I have taken at my current store, El Cajon and 67th. I think about all the stuff I just see, much like when you are driving along or riding on a bus or train and staring out the window. To me, none of the images I see when doing so really stick out, it is just filed in my head as “stuff I see on a bus ride” or whatever. The file in my brain that these images would be in is labeled “Stuff I see at work.” This store has two things going for it as far as visual stimulation. First, it is on top of hill, so I get some pretty sweet sunsets/sunrises.

The second thing this store has going for it is that the alley that my dumpster is in is not like any other alley I have ever had a dumpster in. Does that make sense? I guess I will have to start taking pictures of cool and uncool dumpster locations to illustrate this point, for now you must just take my word for it. In my experience dumpsters are usually closed in, out of sight and out of mind. The walk to and from is often quite the same. Boring. I like my dumpster walk right now, and I am going to miss it. Honestly, there is nothing like taking the trash out as soon as you see the grey start to come above the buildings in the morning, and just to get a secret peek at the world before it is awake and ruined by large groups of people going about their daily business. I like it when it’s quiet. This is the closest to recess I get from the way it feels to be in California and I love it.

The first picture is from last week. I think it was Thursday night. I started bringing my camera to work after I found out I was being let go on Wednesday. It had been raining and overcast constantly since last Friday, and the clouds finally broke long enough for me to see the sunset on Thursday. This is a picture of that moment. I wanted to try and get a couple shots, but the batteries in my camera died after the first picture. I forgot to charge them before I took it to work.

The second picture is the same sky as in the first picture, just from the back of the store as opposed to the west parking lot, and at about 5:30 or 6 on an overcast morning. Note that the white sign on the top right side of the brown building in this image is the same sign in the bottom center of the first picture.

The third picture is the wall directly across the alley from my back door. There is a piece of graffiti that has been painted over. It says “AZTEC NATION.” You can read it through the paint. Total side note: That is an idea that most “sureño” or southern latino street gangs identify with. Back on track: I like this building. I don’t know why, but this building makes me feel the same it feels to finally see the Jordan River Temple when driving back to SLC from St. George or something like that.

The last picture is looking down my trash alley to the east.
I am really going to miss this part of my job. I like this alley. I like my store. I am really bummed that I cannot stay.