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!

Flying

So this weekend I went on my first real business trip, to...Washington, DC. I was a little nervous, especially about the flight. Don't mistake me, I love to fly, it's just it can be unpleasant when you're fat.

The conference went well and I met some really neat people, my favorite of whom were sassy-mouthed Sandy, from Tennessee, Morten, from Denmark, and Ruy, from Brazil. We spent quite a bit of our evenings outside around the fire pit. It was pretty awesome!

Tired, but happy I'm on the plane to Des Moines now. I'm not ready for normal life tomorrow, but I have se great ideas for the upcoming year, and I look forward to seeing my friends again!

The Sky Is Falling!

Ok, perhaps that's a bit drastic.

Just a teeny bit.

It's been a rough week.  I haven't felt well but was unable to stay home, I've been annoyed with some people at my job, I am heading into some unknown territory with new job duties................  Now tonight I see the beginnings of some things which seem inevitable, things that will turn my whole world upside down, but leave me in the very same place, the one which I want desperately to get out of.

Frustration does not begin to cover it.

Ok, so maybe it's a little premature to spaz out.  And, tomorrow I will probably not find this disturbing inevitability so daunting, but right now, I'm just...

GAAAARRRR!!!

http://yalitsix.blogspot.com/2012/03/thursday-is-chicken-little-when-it.html

Be My Honeypie

I was listening to my favorite videos on youtube last night as I worked.  Several songs which I'd forgotten about came on.  This video came on and I think it's so sweet!  I want to be that little old couple holding hands after fifty years together. :)

Girls Girls Girls

As the semester spirals toward an end, the weather gets warm (and then cold again, and warm again...), and everyone at the college, students and teachers alike, turn into zombies, we decided there was (grande) need for a girls' weekend.

ROAD TRIP!

My mom, our mutual friend Ana and I are going down to Kansas City (Kansas City here we come).  We found a nice, but not too expensive hotel in Overland Park, and we are going to spend Saturday shopping and wandering around the Country Club Plaza.  BEST part, aside from getting away, is I get to see one of my besties (probably my bestest bestie) and have dinner at Fogo de Chao!  (Who doesn't need a small dose of hot Brazilian food and waiters, especially the waiters, every now and again???)

I.am.PSYCHED!

Meanwhile, as I am forced to wait...painfully, my Russian History and Culture class is having movie night tonight.  We are watching the film "Brat" (brother in Russian) and having Russian food.  (They get extra credit for bringing food which they made.)  So, while that will be awesome in its own right, I CAN'T WAIT FOR KC!!!!

Tomorrow can't come fast enough.

YIPPEEEEEE!

Curve Balls

Isn't it great?  Every once in awhile life will throw you a curve ball.  Sometimes they are fast, sometimes a little slower.  Sometimes they come from clear out in left field, sometimes a little closer to home.  Sometimes they knock you off your feet onto the hard, cold dirt, and sometimes they whiz past your ear and just kind of disorient you.  However they come, they are always a surprise; not always good, but not always bad either.  There are those that can leave you a little puzzled, but after a few days they fade from your mental whiteboard.  And then there are those which, for better or worse, really shake up your mind, like a mental snow globe, with all your thoughts swirling around you in a fake snow pellet blizzard.

The past two days have thrown me a number of curve balls.  Just when life seemed "normal", an out of the blue, intriguing in a backwards sort of way email, search results on the internet I kind of wish I hadn't seen, feeling abandoned at work, a(nother) failed attempt at a party/gathering, well, you get picture.  I half expect to see seam marks in the skin on my face from all the balls that have been hitting me.

Unpredictable.

Life's pitcher has an unbroken record.  He throws ball after ball, and right when you think that you have a leg up, WHAM! you're tagged out a leg before home plate.  It certainly keeps us players on our toes.

I guess we'll have to see how the game plays out.

You never know. . . .

Whirlwind

Wow!  Things have been kinda crazy since we got back from Spring Break!  Last week went TERRIBLY slow.  This week I've been runnin' my little hiney off!  Hard to believe we only six weeks left in the semester.

This past week or so we have found out that our little project of getting some new furniture and giving the library a face lift is going to be put on hold because a major renovation is being proposed for a section of the college.  As lovely as that is, I've put a lot of damn hours into research and design and asking when can we get furniture . . . so, while it will probably be much nicer and on a much grander scale, it is frustrating to feel like you've been led on for months and months.

Other work related news--the boss is retiring.  June 30 our supervisor retires.  Also, I may get another part-time position at the college, to add to my forty hours in the library, and seven hours as adjunct.

I'm ready for May 4th!  After that, things will quiet down a little.  I won't be teaching . . . my pay checks will be smaller :( , but things will be quieter.

Well, I'd better wrap this up.  In a few moments I will be off to act as President (I'm really only V.P.) at the Sister Cities board meeting.

Oh yeah, anyone got 1500 bucks to give away?