I simply remember my favorite things (part one)

David


Chocolate

Fat babies

Reading in a candlelit bath




Singing!

Laughing



Playing in warm rain

The sound of a bell





Cuddling

The bike

The end of the air freshener era...

So I was just sitting here, gazing at the ceiling, thinking about what to write when it dawned on me, I didn't think this is what I would be doing when I grew up. No little kid ponders on that question and comes to the conclusion that they want to be a temp working for the state, making a small income, with no hope of advancement, a raise, or a permanent position. Huh.

But I don't hate my job like I used to, that is mostly thanks to good co-workers, a flexible schedule, blogger, and facebook.

So I went into the bathroom the other day and noticed that there was a new sign hanging on the wall. We already have two. One explaining we have to wait for the door to close completely to lock it, and one requesting we wipe the water off the counter in front of the sink, so we don't get our clothes wet. Well I was going to post a pic of the actual sign, but is shows up really blurry on here, you can go see it on facebook, if you'd like.

Anyway here is what it says:

Please do not use handheld air fresheners in any of the KPERS restrooms. We have several staff that are very sensitive or allergic to various brands and smells. We will continue to use the fresheners mounted on the wall and filled by a vendor.

Thank you,

Yolanda

Well, well, well. Once again we see a case of the minority winning. That drives me crazy! Just because there are a few people who are sensitive to anything, be it air freshener or politics-they throw a hissy fit and get their way. Meanwhile the rest of us sit back and reap the results a few whiny people.

Granted I never was a big fan of the hand held air fresheners in the bathrooms here. People would bring in very strong scents, then spray much more than the recommended amount. (Is there a recommended amount? I don't really know.) Anyway you could smell it clear out in the hallway. And the ladies that I work around would all have a fit. "Who uses that stuff, it's terrible, I can't even breathe..." And I think my supervisor would finally go in there and confiscate it. LOL. Someone would complain enough and next thing you know she goes in there with her huge purse and suddenly *gasp* the air freshener is missing.

So ends the air freshener era. We will now only smell vendor provided smells, and other, uhm, natural bathroom smells.

Moving

Boxes boxes everywhere,
But not a drop to drink.

Moving has to be the crappiest thing ever. I was excited. I like change. I really do. It's refreshing and you can redefine a little bit of your world.
But I'm ready to be done with this redefinition.
I love my new apartment. I really do. The floor plan is great and it seems so much roomier. We have a fireplace, and a starter log waiting at home. (How romantic...)
But also waiting at home are boxes. And boxes. And more boxes. And, yes, even more boxes. I hate boxes. They smell yucky, and they get in my way, and I can't find anything. And by anything I mean clean work slacks, and my shampoo!
I just want everything to be unpacked!
So here's what we're going to do. Start with one box and empty it. Then go to the next box. All the while putting everything in it's proper place. That's really all we can do isn't it?

Secrets...

Do you ever wish you were friends with a stranger so you'd have someone to tell all your secrets too?
I found a website (then I lost it) that had postcards that people anonymously sent with their secrets on them.
Here are some of mine:
I am irrationally obsessed with (blank).
I can't get into (blank) even though I want too.
I feel like (blank) is intimidated by me, which makes them feel bad about themselves.
I feel (blank) and (blank) a lot.

Revelation: I guess that's why we pray...

Rituals

Today I got to my parking garage at work right after my co-worker, the same one who always arrives just ahead of me. She parked in the same spot she always does, the forth spot from the right of the door. I parked where I always do, one spot to the left of the car directly across from the door. The number painted on the wall for my spot is 77, someone took a think magic marker and put another 7 at the end. 777-somehow comforting. She walked in first, sometimes I walk in first, this varies daily. But today she walked in first. She walked past the security guard, he said the same thing he always says to her, "good morning," then after her reply ("good morning") he says "have a nice day," to which she replies, "you too." He always tells me "good morning" too, which I say "hello" just to mix it up a bit. Then he usually makes some other comment like, "it must be busy upstairs, everyone's coming in early," or "sounds like you're getting a cold" or "chilly today." I usually am much to tired and cranky to carry on small talk so my earlier attempt to mix it up ends with my customary smile and nod.
My co-worker starts up the stairs, she always jogs up the first four or so, then slowly takes the rest. She gets to the first level and always goes through that door directly into the bathroom. I continue up the stairs to the second level. I use my key and open the door. J and M are always in J's office talking and laughing, and I always think, what is funny at 6:30 in the morning? I walk to my ghetto station and turn on my computer. I pull my cell phone out of my purse and turn it to vibrate. Then I stick my purse in the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet that sits under my desk. I grab the sippy cup I drink out of (yes sippy cup, with a bright green lid, a straw and a picture of a hula hooping giraffe wearing a scarf.) I fill it up with water from the Lindyspring jug, then I sit down at my computer. I enter my password and wait for it to start up. At 6:45 I call David to wake him up, then at 7 I call again to make sure he's out of bed.
The rest of my day at work varies, there are several different things I could do a day, data entry, scanning, pulling sheets, prepping batches, checking my email, writing and reading blogs, playing on facebook, talking to Y. At noon, I usually go visit my dear husband at his work, though a few days a week I work through lunch to make up for the long lunches I spend with him.
Around 3:07 I start to pack things up and turn things off. I walk out to my car and start the drive to my job #2. On the way there I sing as loudly as I can to the radio to wake myself up, I take the highway and risk my life daily trying to merge at that stupid on ramp. I park in the back and walk into my job #2. I always scan my time card just a few minutes after 3:30, though the clock in my car tells me I'm a few minutes early. There are no rituals at this job. Nothing is ever the same everyday. Different co-workers, different customers, different tasks.
I go home absolutely exhausted after working about 12 hours that day, and every week day and I collapse. My dear husband and I used to have an after work ritual, that was when we were going to work and coming home together. Now I leave before him and come home after him. Usually he's not home, much too antsy to be there alone, so I come home to an empty apartment. He is always right behind me though, missing me as much as I've missed him. My body seems to understand that since I'm home, I can finally relax, and I usually spend the next couple of hours doing as little as possible. Around 9:30 we get ready for bed to start the day over.
I like rituals. And I miss my afternoon ones. They help me feel normal, complete. So maybe that's why I've been feeling so unsettled lately. Or maybe it's because I'm so tired. Or maybe it's because I'm getting my period next week so my hormones are all outta whack. I don't know, but I don't think rituals have that much influence on what we feel. Would my morning be off if I didn't have small talk with the security guard every morning, or if my co-worker parked in a different spot, or if I filled up my cup before I turned on my computer? I don't know.
It's probably just the PMS.

You've been hit by a smooth criminal!

Last week I went out to my car in the lovely parking garage where I leave her during work. I was surprised and a little uneasy to find that someone had moved our Support Our Troops ribbon from the back of my car to the driver's side door. Now as I tend to jump to conclusions, that is exactly what I did. I thought someone else who parks here must be anti-war and is angry with me for displaying that message. Maybe this is a warning. Maybe the next time they see it, they'll steal it! Maybe they'll even try to steal our National Guard plates! This is too weird. But as I also tend to get over things quickly I proceeded to get in the back seat and take my 15 minute nap as planned.
After my nap I went inside and called David to tell him what happened. He suggested it was probably a lady from church that parks there too, being funny. Of course he was almost exactly right! (Should've just called him to start with.) I confronted my favorite coworker, (whose car just happened to be parked right next to mine) and asked her if she had move my Support Our Troops magnet. She tried to fake surprise, but I knew I had caught the culprit!
Then last Saturday night I was leaving Walmart with my dear husband and his brother when I realized the Support Our Troops magnet was once again on the driver's side door! This time there was a note under it. Hand written on the back of a Walgreen's receipt was a message: "You've been hit by a smooth criminal!" She had struck again!
Don't worry next time she'll be mine.

Lessons Learned...

Lessons I learned before 7 a.m...
1. Getting up before 6 a.m. sucks, no matter how much you like the song on your alarm clock...

2. 29th street between Gage and Burlingame right by Dillon's is completely closed now, even though they don't have any signs to warn you of that.

3. The detour adds an extra 4 minutes to my drive.

4. My work cardkey does not open doors until 6:56 a.m, no matter how many times you slide it.

Lessons I learned last night...
1. Some men do not understand how women's sizes work and think a 6 is "big"

2. We do not have a knife that cuts bread.

3. Even though the video "Stretch for Partners" claims to be for working out, it's actually a comedy.

4. And I'm married to the luckiest man in the world, because before he even realized he lost the key to his bike, someone put it in the slot under our mailbox!