Well. Didn’t this week just about knock me over, after kicking me firmly in the arse. In four short days. And I even saw it coming! Well, sort of. I mean, I knew things were building up somewhat, because the waters had been placid for about too long. Not that I wasn’t busy; I was indeed Getting Things Done, but now Things Have Really Picked Up.
That’s sort of how my job goes: It’s pretty busy most of the time, but now and then it really kicks it up a notch. I tend to become quieter, shut my door (well, I did, when I had a door to shut) and take some timeouts to give myself pep talks and write lists. Generally speaking, the lists help me focus, but they also tend to freak me out and while I enjoy scratching off my accomplishments, there are days when I seem to work at 96 things full tilt, getting nowhere. I do not like those days. They are not Feel-Good days.
At these times, people tend to notice I’m no longer my happy and optimistic self. I do not laugh as much and I get a very stern look on my face. Possibly because I’m annoyed that working in communications is always so stressful. You know the saying, “A lack of preparation on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine”? Yeah, that’s true, except for people who work in communications. Especially if you need many, many approvals. Le Sigh.
Anyway, I’m there again. Boo hoo. I’m working on many things and feeling disorganized and not very successful, since everything is late. Lateness stresses me out (I know some of you are thinking, “But, Bay, you’re ALWAYS late!” You are not incorrect, my friends. I am often tardy and it drives me bonkers.). I end up feeling harried and more disorganized, which one might think was nearly impossible, but alas! It is not impossible. And then, there I am, kicking myself in the derrière whenever the Week has given me a reprieve between the deliverance of rear-end kickings.
Do you have times like this in your jobs? How do you cope/deal/accomplish things? Because I’d love to know.
On another, slightly less sorry-for-myself front, we just saw Mirror, Mirror. It was cute, but a little lacking in substance. I would’ve liked the direction to go either more glossy fairy tale, or more ironic. The sets were quite pretty (birch forest in winter and amazing castle on a cliff) and the focus was clearly on intricate and ornate costuming. I felt it had a very theatrical feel (that’s two feelings in one sentence: verb and noun. I’m impressed with all that feeling). The dwarves were pretty awesome (comic relief) and I enjoyed the repeated references to the people singing and dancing in the days of yore, and how “apparently people didn’t need to have jobs then”. It wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever seen, but I am looking forward to Snow White and the Huntsman this summer.
On another note, I think that I would make a pretty decent Snow White (in my humble opinion), if it weren’t for the fact that I’m kind of latté coloured. Such a shame. They never write (wrote?) fairy tales about tan/olive-y coloured princesses. Le Sigh encore.
Hey, but I’m going to take a ballet class tomorrow, which is awesome. One way to put a ruthless work-week behind you is to lose all dignity in front of many mirrors, whilst wearing pink tights. I can’t wait! (I’m actually serious: ballet class always feels like home)
This is me, aged 13. I still have this costume, which, just for the record, still fits.
I just realized it looks like I have four legs in the above photo. Rest assured, my friends, that this is an optical illusion. I have only two legs. There is, in fact, another dancer behind me. Those are her legs. Just in case you were confused.