I’ve become the girl who knits at work. (In my head I thought this would be cool — if I saw someone knitting I would definitely strike up a conversation — but I quickly learned that few people think like this, and knitting is not [socially] cool).

I’ve been focusing on doing things just for me, so I don’t really care that these people don’t care. But that’s not my point. After 5 months of having zero time constraints and nowhere to be, I learned to make the most of my downtime.
I went back to work for a bit this month, which was much needed mentally and financially, but it wasn’t very busy work. A lot of waiting around and looking busy, so I started bringing yarn and books to work and I don’t even care that I look like an old lady.

When I got called back to work, I subconsciously imagined a good pow-wow with my art department, lots of hugs and catching up like everything was back to normal. The reality: chaotic, socially distant, exhausting.

Working during the pandemic is … interesting. You get used the mask (well, kind of). You get used to looking at people in masks. You don’t, however, get used to breathing in them while moving furniture in 100 degree weather. There were times where I’d take it off in a private office for a water break, then return to work and totally forget to mask-up.

So this month I worked 3 consecutive weeks, wrapping and clearing out the stage I’ve been working on for 6 years. It was such a trip to see it all come down after working here for so long, but I was handling it just fine.

And then they cleared out the Props office. I didn’t expect any of this to make me cry. I watched them take apart the stage and the audience bleachers, empty green rooms and storage warehouses. But it wasn’t until I saw my little prop office coming down that I felt it all. It’s so bizarre, the memories that come back to you in moments like that.

Before I joined the art department, I worked as a production PA and I used to pop into that room any chance I had, just to help them on something. I fell in love with this industry in that small, windowless office. I met so many interesting people, learned about new tools and adhesives and products, and stayed way past dark on a Friday night to finish work for Monday morning. And I loved it. And I know that I will be able to do all these things and more in my career in the future, but I guess in my mind I imagined everything here just staying in place.

After a slightly emotional final day on the lot (and a beautiful champagne toast to my co-worker Blake and I on our last day), we met in Griffith Park for a socially distant picnic pizza party. It was the perfect closure with some of the best coworkers I could have imagined. We relieved our funniest memories working on Stage 10, just laughing and reminiscing. Some of our friends will be continuing on with The Real for [virtual] Season 7, but most will be moving on.

Thankfully though, I know I’ve got some cool gigs lined up. The start dates are still TBD, but at least I’ll be going back to an environment where I can actually create things at work. Because this prop world is more than just a paycheck for me — I genuinely do love what I do, and I can’t wait to get back to it.