Clearly, the stress is getting to me, and today (at least right now), the ups and downs seem pretty funny. This morning I started out generally tired and not quite awake. Middle of the road, emotionally. I got to the part of my commute where I always need additional waking up, so I turned off my book and switched to music. Some song I really like (I don’t remember which one right now) came on just as the sun came out from behind the clouds. Combine that with the fact that I was on the GW Parkway (beautiful drive), and the sunlight was being filtered through all the trees, and all of a sudden, I was happy. It was a beautiful day, I was up in the early morning sunshine, and I was singing along to a song I like. Unfortunately, the next song was “Everything I Do” by Bryan Adams. I like it, and I can sing along to it, but instead I got all sappy and cried. In the car. On Constitution Avenue. Tears streaming down my face and everything. For no good reason.
(Just after I wrote that, Roxy puked on the floor, and I can’t identify what she threw up. Seriously, what was that?)
Anyway, I got over the tears easily enough and quickly moved on to annoyance. My class got moved to a new room starting this morning. The new room has a keypad, and the people in charge of the room won’t give me the code. No big deal as long as they’re around to let me in every day. The agreement (or so I thought) was to meet me at 7:45 to let me in so I could set up. I was there by 7:45. They did not show up until 8:40. Class is supposed to start at 8:30. So I spent almost an hour parked outside the door to that room, determined to be there when this person showed up, trying to reach anyone I can think of who might be able to get me in. Since they refuse to give me the code to the room, someone has to be there to open the door for the class every day this week at 8:30 (they refuse to come in any earlier, so my class will start late every day) and at 1pm so we can get in after lunch. You know, I’m still annoyed by that.
At lunchtime, I left the building. I ate my lunch on a bench in the shade in the plaza outside the building. Perfect weather, wonderfully pleasant, and I finished lunch feeling MUCH better. The good feelings continued during my drive home, with more perfect weather and a beautiful drive, and then I took the dogs on a walk. All is well. As long as I get to bed on time tonight.
I’m on my way, but first, watch this. I know it’s a little late (not last Saturday, the week before), but we just watched it tonight, and I think it’s hilarious. The guy is one of the SNL writers, and he’s adorable in this clip. Little boy adorable. Makes you wanna put him in your pocket and take him home.
Wombat
Thin Mints in the freezer is the only way to eat them! 🙂 Good points here–why is it so hard to buy them?
momma betty
Why was Roxy in the car with you going to work?
Zaphod Beetlebrox III
I’ve just recently discovered the joys of books on tape during bad commutes – I’ve been spending my morning listening to Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency written, and more importantly read, by Douglas Adams. Nothing prepares you for another pointless day of work tedium than to have the absurdity of the universe pointed out to you in a British accent before breakfast.
Zannah
Wombat – I love them that way, and since John thinks the combination of chocolate and mint is disgusting, I never have to fight him for them. It makes NO sense to me that you can’t buy them online. The money would still go to the Girl Scouts. What century do they think they’re in?
Mom, what? I said she puked after I wrote that paragraph, not while in the car with me. Although I wish I could bring her to work. I would love to work in an office that allowed dogs. I think Jess said the other day that someone brought a dog into her office for a while. That would make my day. Every day.
Zaphod – good call on Douglas Adams in the car. I’ll have to look for those. Part of the reason I liked listening to Jeffrey Archer’s “Prisoner of Birth” so much was because the actor reading it did all the different accents. I think Douglas Adams (reading his own books – totally awesome) would make my commute fly. Thanks for the idea! (My favorite part of the one you’re reading is the couple of pages full of puns built on Beatles songs. Cracks me up.)
Ford Prefect the -42nd
I now know my memory to also be much like the Queen Alexandra Birdwing Butterfly, “in that it was colorful, flitted prettily hither and thither, and was now, alas, almost completely extinct.”
=^_^=
spokeit
I can’t tell you how many times I’m in the car listening to a song just like that and suddenly I’m crying. I’m so glad your day got better, though!
And do I get to meet you this weekend at the DC meetup? I hope so 🙂
Zannah
Spokeit – I’ll be there. 🙂
SuzRocks
The whole crying bit sounds like me this weekend. Glad it turned around!
Zannah
You know, the song I was singing along to before the crying started may have been “Hey, Soul Sister”. Probably was.
Thanks, Suz. Don’t you hate it when there’s no real reason for it? Crying over something I totally get. Crying because of hormones or whatever is something I could do without.
Jessica
I don’t know why offices DON’T allow dogs. Or at least one dog. Is one dog really too much to ask? Or a cat – even easier in a sense because you don’t have to take them outside during the day. They just curl up in a corner somewhere (or possibly on the papers on your desk or your keyboard) and make you smile whenever you look at them.
A little bit of eeriness – when I read the part about a song coming on that you like, “Soul Sister” totally popped into my head (because it’s a cheerful song that I like, I assume because I don’t think we’ve discussed it at any time).
Jessica
In Betty’s defense, when I first read the part about Roxy, I thought the same thing. When I went back to find the part I’d missed about Roxy being in the car, I figured it out.
Jessica
Is it okay that I mostly just comment on the comments rather than content of the post itself?
Zannah
Of course it is!
I think “Soul Sister” has subliminal messages in it. Nothing harmful, just “play this song over and over” and “sing this song in your head ALL DAY LONG every day FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE”.
momma betty
Ford, that’s lovely…and that’s my memory, too. I mean the extinct part particularly.