Old Lady Collections

The young man two cubicles away asked sheepishly, "Do any of you happen to have a plastic fork?"

"Do I?!?" I cackled maniacally. 

I reached into my desk, and presented him with this: 

Some old ladies have bowls of hard candy. I have a cup of plasticware.

Radio Reunion

A few weeks ago, the radio station I used to work for began running announcements promoting its 70th anniversary. Past and present staff members are assembling for a one-day special broadcast retrospective at the end of the month. What I said to The Husband upon hearing this was, "Hm, I guess my invitation got lost in the mail." I grumbled a bit about being left out, being not important enough to be included, or being just plain forgotten, and then I thought nothing more about it.

Until yesterday. When I received a text from my former radio boss. "Huh," said I to The Husband nearby, "It's Radio Boss."

"Oh," said The Husband in a tone that suggested it was going to be bad news, "I think I know what that might be about."

"Oh," said I in a tone that suggested I figured out it was going to be the invitation I had previously been offended by not getting.

Which it was. Was I available, Radio Boss wanted to know. Could I join them? I told him I'd have to check my schedule, ask time off work, would get back to him.

I checked my schedule. I'm available. If I asked for time off, it'd be granted. 

Before we went to bed last night, I told The Husband I wasn't going to do it. The last time I participated in a reunion-type production like this one, it hadn't gone well. I had come prepared with things to talk about, entertaining memories, and questions to ask. But after I'd been introduced to the audience, the floor was never opened to me to speak. They talked to me and around me. They even asked me questions to which they provided their own answers. They didn't care to hear anything I had to say. Didn't even notice that they hadn't allowed me, a guest of the show, the opportunity to talk. Afterwards, I felt like crap. I wished I'd never been invited at all.

They're radio people, they love the sound of their own voices. I get it. So, I know this time won't be any different. My answer is no.

I'm typing this at 1:30am. Woke up thinking about the situation, getting upset about it even though I've already decided to send my regrets later this morning. 

Yes, I eventually got the invitation.  But, it came after *weeks* of promoting the event on the air in announcements that listed some of the personalities that would participate. Yet, I'm invited with four days to spare. An afterthought.

These people don't deserve my time or any of the emotion I'm currently spending on them.

Deep breath. Let it out.

Go get some rest, Roses. 

Stranger Than Fiction

Coworker 1 walking toward me: Hey, Stranger!

Me to Coworker 2 walking next to Coworker 1: He and I have met, but he knows I'm strange.

Working Up an Appetite

The Husband and I have been treating ourselves to fudgicles and ice cream over the past few weeks.

We had the following conversation Sunday morning.

He: We should weigh in today...

Me: Oh no.

He: ...then watch the news...

Me: Mm, even more fun.

He: ...get depressed and eat our feelings.

Me: I don't know about you, but my feelings are delicious. 

Poor Support Systems

There are two things that never cheer me up when I'm struggling: Facebook and my boss

Knowing this, I nonetheless insist on trying to squeeze water from those stones.

While today's problems became compounded the choices I made in seeking support, I am learning from these mistakes, and I am now less likely to repeat them.

Still gonna repeat them, for sure, but hopefully not so often.

The One With the Live Stream

The garden hose has no nozzle, so I placed my thumb across its mouth to aim water into the garden. The Husband watched in silence as I moved the arched stream from plant to plant.

"Marvel at my accuracy," I said.

"I am," he said. "You're as good as any boy."

Placement

The Husband and I are walking through Target.

Me: Oo! Office supplies!

He: No, honey, this is kitchen storage.

Me: Not if I put it on my desk!

Retired for Five Days Post Mortem

I think this experiment was a fail.

With unlimited time and permission, I was almost always at a loss for what to do. Apparently, I thrive with some sort of structure. 

This is not good.

Not good at all.

Retired for Five Days followup

So far, The Husband's answer to, "What would you do if you don't *have to* do anything," is ...

... start unstarted house projects and finish unfinished house projects.

For me, the answer so far has been...

... finish reading an unfinished book and buy toothpaste

Retired for Five Days

The Husband and I are in the middle of a 5-day weekend. We're not traveling anywhere, and we don't have any special plans. Just engaging in a mix of catching up on home projects and relaxing around the house. 

While we are very much enjoying tye time off from work, it doesn't feel like a "vacation". The Husband suggested we instead pretend we are retired.

Let me tell you, the mindset of a retiree is a far better than the one of someone on a "stay-vaction".

Time is more fluid.

We consider things we want to do rather than things we *have* to do.

We ask ourselves what would today look like if there was no one to tell us what liked and didn't like, what we wanted and didn't want, where we should be or shouldn't be.

Or when.

We watch the news only as long as the morning coffee lasts.

No alarm clocks. No schedules.

We might go grocery shopping at 11pm tonight or 4am tomorrow. 

Who says we have to wait for lunch at noon if we're hungry at 10:30?

If I nap at 5pm, I'll never be able to fall asleep at 10, but so what? Why do I need to be asleep by 10? I don't have anything I need to get up for in the morning. I can just stay in bed until I'm done sleeping.

Who knows? Who cares?

This is new, and it is a pleasant experience.