Off the grid

Friday was a horrible day, I had no time to myself and had to eat my lunch while working.  Plus I got in early and started running from the moment I got there.  I was never so anxious for a weekend to start.  Everyone had the fear that the sky was falling because there was snow in the forecast for the evening and again on Saturday.  I got an e-mail from my therapist informing me that my appointment was cancelled due to the weather.  Really, I mean it’s only weather the world doesn’t stop because of it.  In any event she probably did the right thing not knowing how bad things were going to be.  I would have trampled down there if she hadn’t cancelled. 

Once I got home I had supper and then was quick to start on taxes.  Things turned around I am getting a serious refund from the Federal Government.  The state that I work in now owes me money, instead of the other way around.  I still have to pay the same amount in to the state I live in.  So I am happy that I was able to take the deductions for the property tax as well as the mortgage interest.  The bad part is since it’s an amended return you MUST file it by mail.  You can’t submit it any other way.  Which means that the additional money I am due will be delayed in coming but hopefully my initial refund will process through shortly.  I hope I got it all right, I was so confused by the time I was done, but it was all packaged and ready to mail.  Postage wasn’t cheap since there were multiple pieces of paper and since it’s legal in nature you can’t double side it, everything is single side only which is kind of a waste of paper if you ask me.  I love duplexing it saves time and money. 

By the time I was done my upper back muscles were killing me, which I attribute mostly to stress of the week.  I decided to take a muscle relaxer and then call it a night.  That turned into calling it a Saturday as well.  I went off the grid and turned my computer, cell phone and home phone off.  I didn’t want to be bothered.  I didn’t leave the house and slept the bulk of the day away.  I watched some TV, ate some junk food and watched a couple movies.  I was up at 3am watching TV because I couldn’t sleep.  By 5am I was crawling back in bed and my bed buddy had me up by 7:30a which I thought was a bit early but if your used to eating at 6:15a I suppose your really hungry.  So I gave in and got up.  No surprise that this morning when I powered everything on that I had a ton of messages waiting for me.  The only really important one was from my brother, who said that our mom wanted to know why I didn’t take her out to eat on Valentine’s Day.  I haven’t bothered to respond because I think that is a childish question to ask and it really doesn’t deserve a response.  I’m 43 years old and my mommy stopped being my valentine a long time ago.  I was on-call that week, so even I didn’t go out to eat.  Plus all of the restaurants in the area are always packed, I wouldn’t have gone out even if I could have. 

Once I got going I was okay.  I had most everything done by 10:30a.  That includes dishes, vacuuming, taking the trash out and trimming everyone's claws.  What a work out.  I was gasping for breath.  The claw trimming was what took it out of me.  Ruth is good for 6 more weeks and I am happy about that.  I am sure she will be as well.  Most everyone but the bears put up some form of a fight.  I don’t understand why, but no one really likes getting their claws trimmed.  The only one I really struggle with is Ruth and since I had the house shutdown, with all of the doors closed no one could go anywhere and they were all fair game. 

Then I sat to rest and felt drowsy.  I was going to lay down but I heard my cell phone ring.  I thought it was my usual friend calling but it was a different friend.  The one who got a bad review.  Well earlier this week he got his action plan and it’s really a bona fide witch hunt.  He’s been there for something like 17 years and never had a bad review.  Now all of a sudden he gets a different boss and he gets the worst review of his life and he is labeled as a shitty employee.  He said that the action plan was geared towards firing someone, but he still had a job.  Then he told me that he is going to resign.  I encouraged him to hang on, take their money and look for work.  However, he has been pushed well past his breaking point and he needs to separate himself.  I understand but I am scared for him.  The job is starting to affect his marriage, his health and it’s just not worth fighting anymore because it seems like no matter what he does his boss finds fault with it.  It’s pretty clear to me that they want him gone and he gets the same vibe.  Why stay and make yourself miserable when you can end it and start fresh some place else.  The bigger problem is that he is up there in age, so while he has mad skills I think that it will be a little more difficult for him to find work because of his age.  Granted employers aren’t supposed to discriminate based upon age, but it still happens.  Just like the police aren’t supposed to profile but they do.  I honestly thought he would get fired rather than resign.  My hope is that when he turns in his resignation it will set off some bells as he will be the 4th or 5th person to leave.  The problems isn’t all of these people are crappy employees, the problem is they all worked for the same person who has no real management qualification.  Plus it sounds like this person has some mental issues.  I don’t get it but I hope that everything works out well for him.  Plus that he gets time to decompress before he jumps back into the working world, presuming that he is allowed to resign.  He thinks they will let him work his 2 weeks because other people have gotten the same opportunity when they resigned.  I told him that I wouldn’t expect that, I would expect to be walked out and to be paid for 2 weeks for sitting at home.  He has elevated access and could easily cripple the company if he wanted to.  Now he’s not that type of person but since the company already thinks poorly of him they are probably more inclined to make the separation immediate rather than let him work his 2 weeks. 

Well tomorrow I go back to my ball of stress, otherwise known as work.  In talking with my friend I see how fortunate I really am.  He has and is facing some of the things that I have dealt with already.  It makes me very thankful that I am working for an employer who appreciates me and I feel the appreciation most of the time.  I mean if I call in or take a day off, going back more than 1 person will tell me that they missed me.  I pray that I don’t screw this up.  After all there is a lot riding on my job.  I am only working 4 days this week.  I’ve taken Friday off so that I can watch House of Cards.  I have already made an appointment for my car and I might have a therapy appointment to go to, but outside of that my day is otherwise open.  So I look forward to watching the show and seeing what Frank Underwood and company will do this season. 

Right now I feel okay for the most part but it feels like things are fuzzy and I am operating in a haze.  I suppose that is just the sluggishness of yesterday making its way out of my body.  I sure hope that passes quickly.  Supper is Meat Lovers Lasagna.  I am breaking tradition and not having pizza.  It’s made by Stouffers so I know it’s going to be good.  I had breakfast out today, lunch was a snack cake and a soda. 

I know a lot of you will be watching The Oscars with NPH and while I am still in love with him I really don’t like award shows.  They babble on too much and that gets on my nerves pretty quickly.  I am however looking forward to watching Looking tonight on HBO.  Shameless has taken a 1 week hiatus, I suppose due to the Oscars. 

That’s all I’ve got for now.  Hopefully this week things will be a little calmer.  I know there will be stressors this week, but hopefully they will be few.  I hope your staying warm, in good health and enjoyed your weekend.  I shall talk with you peeps later.  Be well!