I think my icon says it all.

[apple_pathways]

It's difficult keeping things under control at work, when I'm not there everyday. Wednesday has become this big black hole of suck that I spend the rest of the week making up for. Phone messages get lost, kids don't get work done, stuff gets misplaced. Bah!

(I am now putting this crazy work rant

I knew today was gonna suck just a little bit when I misplaced my keys about 10 minutes before we opened. (I need them to unlock the front door.) I had to ask my boss to borrow hers, and she was OMG!STRESSED (as she is about 50% of the time), and extremely put out about it. I finally found my keys in the bottom drawer of my desk, where I keep extra garbage bags, cough drops, pencil erasers, hand lotion, etc. I don't even remember going in there for anything, but whatever.

And then the schedule was screwed up (WEDNESDAY OF SUCK, I BLAME YOU!) and there were too many kids there at one time. As long as I have enough chairs (which isn't always the case...) it's usually fine, but it stresses out my boss and throws everything off balance. I'll have everything going well, everyone working quietly and waiting their turn, and then: a parent wants to change their kid's schedule, or I have to sign for a delivery, or the phone rings and then everything comes crashing down.

And speaking of the phone, this crazy woman called three times today. She told me (during our first conversation) in a very snippy voice: "I've left SEVERAL messages, and no one has gotten back to me!"

"This was over the holiday weekend?" I asked.

"Yes!"

Go figure.

And of course, she wanted to know all about the program, and ask a million questions, and then ask the same questions again, and "HOLD ON A MINUTE, let me get a pen, I want to write this down..." which I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR! (To be fair, she doesn't know I don't have time for it. She doesn't know that, while we're chatting, I have six students working who, now that they've noticed I'm on the phone, NEED ME RIGHT NOW. I have most of my students pretty well-trained, and all I have to do is point and glare to set them back on task, but there's one or two who are immune to the Point and Glare who will rapidly fall to distracting anyone around them if I'm not availabe to verbally threaten them.) That's always the hardest part of my job: cutting people off and explaining that while I don't actually have time to talk to them, I will take their name and number and someone will call them back later. Finding the right moment to do this is an art form I haven't mastered.

Then there's this woman who we played phone tag with all last week, who wanted to send her two girls in for an assessment, but just never got her act together. On Thursday she told me she was sending them right over with their babysitter, and I got so far as getting her credit card number from her, and then they just never showed up. Only to show up today, during one of my busiest time blocks. FOR JOY. As my boss said, this is the flakiest person we've ever dealt with who still managed to show up at some point.

Ok, now that's done! Time for a meme!

Let's call it: The Countdown Meme! (ooh, catchy!)

Day One: Ten things you want to do with your life.
Day Two: Nine things about yourself.
Day Three: Eight ways to win your heart.
Day Four: Seven things that cross your mind a lot.
Day Five: Six important "life lessons" you hold true.
Day Six: Five people who mean a lot (in no order whatsoever).
Day Seven: Four things you want in a romantic partner.
Day Eight: Three of your favorite possessions.
Day Nine: Two images that describe your life or yourself right now.
Day Ten: One confession.



Day One: 10 Things You Want To Do With Your Life

1. Get my Master's degree in Counseling.
   
2. I'd like to have my own counseling practice (is that what you even call it?).
   
3. I'd like to earn enough money that I could volunteer about 10 hours of my week providing counseling to people who can't afford it.
   
4. Have something published: a poem, a short story, an essay, whatever. Legit published; paid and everything!
   
5. Conduct and publish my own research. I don't want to be an academic (I'd never make it!), but I would like to contribute to my field.
   
6. Write a novel. I would LOVE to have it published, but I could live if it wasn't.
   
7. TRAVEL. Everywhere and anywhere. I've been all over the U.S., and I do love it, but it's such a big world and there's so many places I'd like to go.
   
8. Own my own house. In that house, I want a library with red leather furniture and a sliding ladder. In the backyard I want plenty of space for gardens.
   
9. I'd like to be involved in a long-term committed relationship, legally-binding or otherwise. I would like to get married, but if I met someone who had reasons against it, I don't find it absolutely necessary.
   
10. Have kids. (Kid?) I don't know how many (or how few), but I would like to be a mom.
    

There is more I want to do in my life, but that's ten and that'll do for now!


So, flist, how ya been?

Comments

[stick-poker.livejournal.com]

A proper library sounds like an excellent idea.

[apple-pathways.livejournal.com]

My wishes and dreams have changed and evolved a lot over the years, but that one always remains the same! I could do without a bedroom--I'll sleep with the books!