Travel jitters

I enjoy traveling. But I do not enjoy the lead up to travel. Planning, packing, cleaning so you don't come home to a nasty house, making it to the airport (driving is much easier). It's all just a lot. And my anxiety levels go through the roof. Once I get started, it's usually okay. 

My next trip is even more anxiety-inducing, because it's 1) a business trip and 2) it's international travel. And it has been a long time since I've traveled internationally (with the exception of Canada, which is delightful, but driving over the border isn't quite the same as flying in). So, there's the additional stress of making sure the work component is ready to go and trying to stay calm despite all the unknowns (I like to anticipate what will happen when I'm stressed). 

One thing I have learned is that, even if I don't know what all the ins and outs are, there are loads of people around who will answer any questions I have. That's why there are employees. It doesn't always take away the stress, but it helps.

Anyway, it will all work out, and now that I'm almost out the door, I'm feeling a little more calm. And I am excited to go, I just gotta get there. And not overthink things. And try to sleep before flying out. Fingers crossed.

Sad days

When the sink doesn't recognize you are a person and won't turn on.

When all your meetings could have been emails.

When you have a looming deadline and your team all went on vacation.

When you are so tired, stressed, overwhelmed, and who knows what else you just want to collapse.

When there's already too much to do and the list just keeps growing.

When you didn't get lunch...again.

When you just don't want to talk to people. 

When your biggest accomplishment was taking out the recycling.

Yeah. It's been one of those days.

Dear Universe

Dear Universe,

I am a HUGE fan of watermelon! It's amazing. Basically as soon as summer comes, I just want to eat watermelon non-stop.

My only suggestion--and it's a minor one--is to make it with fewer seeds inside. It's not that we earth people haven't tried, but no matter how seedless it's advertised as, the watermelon never is. I'm not saying we go straight-up no seeds. That might cause some growing problems. I assume. I'm just saying, fewer? Or maybe, more convenient to remove? 

But sloths? Don't change a thing. 

Yours,

An appreciative resident

My place in the world

I don't like being in charge. The top spot is definitely not my thing.

What I do like is being behind the scenes. I really like the times at work when I contribute to a big project--an important one--but no one knows. I actually used to refer to myself as a certain coworker's unofficial assistant. She gets so many big projects and it always makes me feel good to know that she knows she can reach out to me if she needs help, or my particular skills. And then I like to see the project when it's all done and know that, hey, I helped pull that off. But don't have to do any interviews or photo ops!

That's not to say I don't tell my friends and family about my contribution. It is exciting to be able to tell them that I helped with that video you are watching, or whatever. But, I don't need the world to know. I like to be behind the scenes, doing my bit, knowing that I've helped out. Sometimes, the stuff I work on goes global. And sometimes, it's only one individual who is helped (which is sometimes even better than global!). Doesn't matter to me. I just like it when my work helps out. 

The good news is my work is pretty much always useful. I know a lot of people don't know that archives are cool and useful and public and they should visit them. But the work, to me at least, has value. And I like doing the work. And don't need a fuss made about doing it. 

It's fine if you are different. Great even, because then you can do all the limelight stuff, and I can keep doing my thing! But I definitely don't love being in charge.