Mindful-fun-da-mentals

Explorations of mind, paths, and life

On Strike

Posted on February 17, 2013 - Filed Under 2013, daily life, frustration, Photography, work

It’s late, and I just got home from dancing at Zendah and started down the rabbit hole or reading the creative efforts of others online, wondering, LUSHIOUSLY, about the creaking creative tickle I have had the last two weeks. My camera has moved from her dusty spot on the floor near her camera bag, into the back seat of my car. She sits like a neglected puppy, smiling at me when I happen to glance back at the floor. She is begging me to pick her up and do something. Instead, I have grabbed my paint, or my dance shoes, and plotted a course of doing some-other-things. But, I am aware of her back there, waiting.

I have gone on a psychological strike, feeling tremendous resistance to giving, giving, giving – except where it isn’t asked for. At work, on Friday, I announced my position.

“I’m on strike!”
“What, really? (eyes wide, but skeptical) So can you ******* for me?”
“Nope, I’m sorry… strike.” (I smirk)
(Forlorn face – a pat on my shoulder) “I hope you change your mind on Monday.”
“I’ll think about it…”

 

I even left work 15 WHOLE minutes before my NORMAL overtime.

And let me just say, whether I like it or not, I put in an additional week each month in drive time alone… I answer calls, check email, discuss school issues on the drive, but NONE of that counts for the 9 hour work day (nine hours, because I am supposed to take a lunch, but secretly keep eating at my desk while I work, hoping that I can count 1 hour of drive time and leave an hour earlier.) So, 9 hours a week, plus 2 hours a day of driving, equals NO TIME to get things done during regular business hours…

And tomorrow is Presidents day. All my friends are talking up plans about what to do on their day off. I stare at my calendar – and work is written all over it. F**K! I am going on strike tomorrow! Except, someone has to feed Napoleon (the fish). He has been in the dark all weekend, and probably feeling quite starved. Maybe I will make him a picket sign and the two of us will announce our strike. Write a letter of demands. Ask people to honk if they support overworked single mom’s who give too much.

I think Napoleon would agree. He figures he might get more than blood-worms if I had a little more oomph in my paycheck for the teenagers impending college adventure. He might be right. We are making our signs tomorrow!

Comments

One Response to “On Strike”

  1. Ruby Soderberg on February 18th, 2013 6:49 pm

    I just love it! You are waking up to reality when it comes to humans. I applaud your decision to go on strike.