Tequila remedy
Posted on July 11, 2008 - Filed Under self reflect
My level of busy-ness is like a roller coaster. One moment I am coasting and the next I am screaming down a curved and steep path, feeling every gyration, though I think that it will be easier with my eyes shut and I a death grip on the safety bars. At the end of one of those days (the screaming ones) I feel like I have a hangover and found that it is now taking me almost 2 days to recuperate. I am not sure if it is the Adrenal Fatigue (dumb question, it likely is) or just that I am being sensitive. Ultimately I loath feeling run down and unfocused.
Yesterday was a back-to-back teaching day.I am warning you now that if this topic is of no interest – skip it. I am going to report the screaming ride of terror, blow by blow, more for the anticipated sentiment of it all when I can “look back and laugh.”
- 1:06am – Lately, if Gary has had more than one beer, or hasn’t had exercise in 48 hours, he wiggles all night long while he sleeps, which is pretty much the same as having a three year old nudging your bed every 5 minutes for a glass of water. As you can imagine, I got little sleep.
- 6:02am – The dog, since Justin is out of town for the summer, has resorted to bonking the baby gate at the top of the stairs to our bedroom to get my attention 20 minutes before my alarm is set to go off.
- 6:05am – I get out of bed too early. A pass by the bathroom mirror terrifies me. I look like a street bumpkin who had been sleeping in a box full of bubble-wrap, my hair in every direction and my eyes poofed out. I proceed down the stairs (grumpily following the dog who is pleased that he got me up to play before the sun made an appearance).
- 6:21am – The flippin phone rings – and like a good little people pleaser, I answered the flippin phone!
- 6:21:06am – A new client on the other end asks, “what time is your office open?”
HUH? I spend a precious half hour as he decides what names he needs on his email addresses and provides all kinds of indecisive information about possible employees he wants to add later. - 6:22am – While this conversation is going on, the dog sits at my feet wagging his tail and snorting each time I look away. He is good at getting attention. Occasionally I toss a toy out the office door to get him out from under my feet.
- 6:46am – After we hang up I attempt to return upstairs to take a shower and the phone rings again! (No, I didn’t answer it, he can leave a message!) My hesitation at the midpoint of the stairs causes the dog to do circles then roll on to his back, his tail whapping against the floor boards. Subliminally he is saying, “Oooo, you know you want to rub ma’h belly!” I snort and head upstairs
- 6:47am – I shower, dress, and head back downstairs to make myself a lunch, snacks, coffee, iced tea, breakfast, and pack my bag for work.
- 7:12am – I quickly check email to find that another client is already up and having challenges with her book…again. I pout for a moment, the dog isn’t impressed. I quickly scramble some eggs, and eat while checking the rest of my email.
- 7:35am – I am packing the car. The dog, hearing the clack of my bag bolts to the door excitedly. I have to get him, the bag, lunchbox, tea, coffee, jacket, keys, and remaining breakfast in the car. We are off to Pito’s – cause Thursday is Puppy-sitting day for Pito.
- 7:37am – As I drive towards Pito’s the dog gets more excited, jumping from one knee to the other, trying to lick my face, and barking at any squirrels he sees along the drive. I keep holding down his rump so that we can arrive safely at Pitos.
- 7:42am – We arrive, the dog shaking in anticipation. If the dog had fingers big enough he would be out of the car already. He bonks the window with his nose, stares at the floor, bonks me on the cheek, bonks the window; “Get the door open already!”
- 7:43am – Gizmo makes me skip the doorbell and walk inside. I dump and run!
- 7:45am – Uneventful 48 minute drive to work. I arrive early enough to get set up. Students are sitting in the classroom already.
- 9:01am – I am staring at a sea of faces as others drift in. I rev the engine and get on a roll.
- 9:25am – between now and the end of this class I have gotten 3 calls on my cell phone – all of them clients – and I have no clue what the deal is because I can not answer on teaching days.
- 12:19pm – I am wrapping things up with the students, discussing the first half hour of “About Schmidt” – they are wiggling to get out. This crazy lady is the ONLY teacher on campus to keeps us busy on the first day of classes!
- 12:29pm – class dismisses. I pee, return to the room, close the door, and in starved eagerness, begin pulling out my lunch. The door opens and while I am chewing students begins asking me questions about the class we are having at 1:00pm. I ask them to wait while I chomp down as much as possible.
- 12:35pm – As I eat I check in on email, finding several desperate emails from the client this morning. I try to quickly troubleshoot, and breathe at the same time. Most the emails start with: “I know you are really busy today but when you find the time can you fix this now?”
- 12:48pm – My secret fear, as a teacher, is that a piece of food will be between my teeth while I am lecturing, and worse, a Komakazi carrot will hurl itself from my mouth, mid-sentence to pulverize some poor soul who was brave enough to sit in the front row after I have eaten lunch. I run off to check my teeth.
- 1:00pm – The show must go on – again. I can tell I am tired. The energy of this class is good though and I think they will be the fun class.
- 2:45pm – I keep confusing the time since last term my second class was from 6pm-10pm. Additionally I have been indoors since early this morning and the lights are dim so students can see the overhead. I accidentally tell them to come back from the 15 minute break at 4:45pm.
- 3:30pm – My phone has rung 4 times. I predict who it is to find another client with emergencies.
- 4:30pm – we are wrapping things up. First row of students are still alive. I pack it up and start heading out. My head is foggy at this point and I am ready for a nap. Instead I get sucked into a conversation with the department chair resulting in losing 45 minutes that could be spent eating something more than a few pieces of chicken, squishy plum, and some carrots.
- 5:08pm – I see a Taco Hell and get a taco! After scarfing it down I finally return the call to client who has called several times.
- 5:23pm – I realize I didn’t bring a phone number with me to let our client know I am on the way to get his check. I arrive there to find I have found a free wireless zone of some poor soul who doesn’t keep things secure. I get the number only to get no answer (even though we agreed I would be there at 6pm). I call 3 times over the next half hour. The last call I say, “if I don’t hear back I will leave.” I get a call back, “Be there in 5 mintues!”
- 6:32pm – Client arrives, tells me to wait while he converses for 10 minutes with someone on phone.
- 6:43pm – I have to justify the way we do business. I get a check.
- 7:02pm – I run around his place taking pictures.
- 7:12pm – I start home. I call the client who has been desperate for my time and agree to drop by after I get home, walk the dog, and breathe a moment.
- 7:48pm – I get to Pito’s to pick up pup.
- 8:04pm – I get home and kiss hubby.
- 8:07pm – I take two shots of Tequila and head to client up the hill.
- 8:14pm – By the time I hit the doorbell I am warm and toasty. I get a huge hug of gratitude and apologize for the tequila. Her sense of humor always helps so we navigate me to the problem child (computer).
- 9:18pm – It takes those two shots of tequila (and i don’t drink) to get through the last hour to finalize her book. She said it was fun seeing me tipsy and obviously relaxed. I think I know what that looks like from the one time Monica and I…. (pic from several years ago… i didn’t do it… it wasn’t me!)
- 9:22pm – I get home. Proceed to fuss with all the stuff I couldn’t get done yesterday, or today, or likely tomorrow. My hubby shrugs, snorts, shakes his head, stares at me one last moment, and takes to watching M.A.S.H. upstairs without me.
- 10:08pm – I figure the ride has slowed down, the bars are raising up, I can pluck my fingers from the safety rails and open my eyes long enough to climb the stairs and drop dead on the pillow. Poor guy, can’t make whoopie with a dead damsel.
There you have it. A summer day of work in 2008. Gotta mark it in case I decide to look back upon all this blogging and expect to be amused.