The Insignificance of Things - What is Really Important

As an actor, often struggling, I've had my fair share of part time jobs. I've waited tables, catered, run a staffing agency, been a personal assistant, written freelance, done hospitality at an auditorium, been a party planner, and most recently done work as a public adjuster for insurance companies.

I've witnessed a wide range of people in their habitat and am always amazed, and somewhat dismayed by people's attitudes. As a personal assistant I was literally a piece of trash who my employer could control with a snap of his fingers. As a party planner, I could work a twenty-two hour shift with no overtime without an ounce of gratitude. It wasn't until the most recent job though that I truly realized the value of things.

Working for a public adjuster I'm often left sitting behind a computer looking items up online to see how much they retail for or calling designers or warehouses to get accurate prices. It wasn't until my employer was swamped that she flew me to a "burn home" to assess first hand damage. A "burn home" is literally a house where there was a fire. Damage can range from a heap of garbage to a home that is intact with excessive smoke damage or burn areas.

Now, for the record, about two years ago, my father called and told me that my house back home had had a house fire. We lost a majority of our down stairs and most items would be thrown out. The first and only though that went through my head was, is everyone ok? Soon followed by, is the dog ok? It was by coincidence that I had started a job working with burn houses a few months before my family's misfortune. Because I was so far away, I never had to deal with their loss in person.

On this specific job, I was just brought in to literally write down all the items as they were pulled out of a giant heap of what any observer would call a pile of garbage. As my partner zipped up his biochemical suit and walked into the middle of the pile, I was left sitting in 40 degree weather outside without food, or a restroom for hours writing down items that he threw aside.