Sisyphus (or Sisyphos) is a figure from Greek mythology who, as king of Corinth, became infamous for his general trickery and twice cheating death. He ultimately got his comeuppance when Zeus dealt him the eternal punishment of forever rolling a boulder up a hill in the depths of Hades.
This is how I feel most times in my Kandi life. Here is just another example. I have talked about how I need to get out in public to make Kandi real. COVID wiped out the extensive network of volunteer opportunities that I built up over the past five+ years. Then The Cleveland Museum of Art welcomed back volunteers to serve as wayfinders. So for the past few months, I have probably gotten there at least weekly. I get to get dressed. I get to feel a part of something special. I am greeted, I am appreciated. I was part of a “team”. I was very, very happy. A museum day was a day I looked forward to very much, despite the fact that there were few patrons and frankly, the days there were boring. Now, I am out.
No, I didn’t do anything wrong and it’s no one’s fault. Just circumstances. Effective November 1, they eliminated this “position”, replacing it with an information desk. The problem with that is the shifts are longer and only one person (f’n COVID again!) works the desk. So the need for volunteers has been cut to about 30% of what it was with the wayfinder position.
My seniority there isn’t long enough to get first dibs, so out of the kindness of the heart of my friend the Volunteer Coordinator, I will be working one single shift in November. Frankly, this depresses me greatly. I used to work huge parties and wonderful chamber music concerts. Events, happenings. People knew me, hugged me, sought me out when they got there. Now I am not really needed.
I am back to the old, what can I do?? But I am used to frequent disappointment as Kandi, so I’ll keep pushing the rock up the hill, with no end in sight……….. COVID blows for everyone, all of us in one way or another.
October 22, 2020 – My final shift as a wayfinder. I wore this recently purchased $2 skirt and free sweater (acquired in a clothing swap), feeling cute as a button. This skirt is so much better in real life than in photos, it has so many different colors that just don’t come through here.
I got out the door a bit early, so I stopped at Dillard’s where I look for bargains. Usually, there are not many, so it’s easy for me not to buy anything. But when there are, I have picked up some outstanding items. Today, they were practically giving away earrings, so I picked up a couple pair.
The interesting part of the stop was when I was checking out, the credit card reader froze up. That gave me a “moment”. The woman was so sweet, but she didn’t know what to do. She asked a manager and repeatedly referred to me as “she”, naturally and effortlessly (yeah, no one notices these things but me). Made me happy.
My day at work was a huge nonevent. I worked solo on a very dead day. So I stood there, looking like the best dressed greeter in museum history (of course, I am joking), doing almost nothing. Thankfully it was a gorgeous, sunny, unseasonably warm day.
A bittersweet day. I lobbied many of the other woman I work with to find something, anything for me to do there. I am clearly a welcome part of the fabric of the place and I do not want to lose that. I’ll keep pushing the damn rock up the hill and see what happens.
For your amusement, a few lighter photographic moments.
Looks like I just have to dig in again and continue to reinvent myself, over and over and over……
Life got into the way for Stephanie and she’ll be back soon!
from Kandi's Land https://kandis328772669.wordpress.com/2020/11/07/sisyphus/
via IFTTTSidor som bodycontact
No comments:
Post a Comment