Кажется, дождь собирается...

Ok, I know I've been a bit grumbly lately.  A couple of my more recent posts have been, shall we say...less than positive, but indulge me in a little fit, and I promise I will whine no more.

For awhile.

In my post The Sky is Falling, I hinted that I could sense my world about to be turned into a cosmic snow globe.  On a fairly small scale, it happened.  First, my co-worker was gone, in a fairly last minute decision from what I knew, and that happened to be a week when I didn't feel well at all, and would really of liked to use some sick time.  I also had an appointment that week, which I had scheduled for several weeks, which would take me out of town for the morning, and said co-worker did not really want to cover that time, from what I understand, although, my supervisor okay-ed the time off in the first place.  (Can you see my frustration here?)  Then, the aforementioned co-worker came back on Friday and gave two weeks notice.  Now, this presented several issues.  The previous Friday, I had been hired as the new YFU (Youth for Understanding) coordinator for our campus, and the following Friday (after she gave notice) I was heading to Washington, DC for training as a coordinator, which meant I would be gone that Friday and the following Monday.

The second most immediate issue is the fact that her last day was going to be two weeks before the end of the semester: one of our busiest times.  This leaves us with only two staff most days, and no Thursday night person.  This also meant that it was going to be tougher for me to take off the Friday of dead week like I had been planning for a month or more already, possibly the last time we'd be able to take a family trip since my brother seems determined to move to Denver in June.  In kindness and respect to my remaining co-workers, I said that I would not take that Friday, the 27th off.  Then last week happened.

Last week was rough. I mean like sandpaper on your butt rough.

After working my normal schedule,  Monday 8am-9pm, Tuesday and Wednesday 8am-5pm, Thursday 8am-5 pm (I canceled class so I could pack), I got up at 3:30 am so I could make my 7 am flight to DC on Friday.  The line to security was long!  I was seated next to a teenage boy on the flight, but it was ok.  When I arrived, I walked from the Library of Congress to the Smithsonian Metro Station over a period of about three hours.  We sat in training all day Saturday and Sunday, and Monday morning until about noon.  Then it was lunch and off to the metro.  Another coordinator and I did make a stop at the International Spy Museum before heading to the airport.  That was interesting, but it involves a lot of reading, and there were so many children...I was going to smack someone!  I got to hang out with my new buddy Sandy at the airport for a little bit, then waited another hour for my flight (on which Governor Brandstad was also a passenger).  Got home at about 10 pm.  Tuesday, worked till 5, meeting till 6:30, supper and then it was late already.  Wednesday, worked 8am-9pm.  Thursday 8-5 and taught 6-9.  Friday, co-worker's last day.

I was so exhausted from lack of sleep, and everything had happened so fast, can you see why I was slightly overwhelmed and crabby?  Needless to say, about Tuesday, when I had serious jet-lag and really needed to go home and rest but couldn't because another library employee had already taken it off , I had just about reached my breaking point.  To make matters worse, mom and I had just been on the rocks since I came home and I pretty much felt like bursting into tears for two whole days.  So, I took back the statement that I would not take Friday of dead week off, especially in light of the fact the my supervisor has most of May already spoken for in vacation and that June is her last month before retiring. I decided I really needed to take this day while I could.

I felt like Pyatachok, the Russian version of Piglet in Vinni Pux.  It's all part of Vinni's plan.  He floats up to the beehive to steal the honey, and when things don't seem to be going right, he tells Pyatachok to run around under his umbrella saying "Кажется, дождь собирается..." which means something like "it appears that it's going to rain."  Yes, I felt exactly like Pyatachok, running around under my little umbrella waiting for the storm to hit.

Knowing that I  have Friday off, and having gotten past the anger and upset of the situation, I have decided to try to make the best of it. 

I do however feel much better after whining!