Just Stuff

Want some free advice? If you accidentally get any kind of plant juice on your hands, go wash them. Even if it's an innocuous little succulent growing in your office. Don't just look at the white stuff, think, "Hmmm" - and rub it away on your hands. Because even if you can't feel it on your hands anymore, if you proceed to rub your face - then you too will eventually wind up with a red, slightly puffy face that feels tingly and warm all day.

I'm such a doofus. It's not really picture-worthy or I'd show you. It just looks like I have a sunburn. I think it feels funnier than it looks. I'm just thankful it's not itchy and presume it will go away overnight. (I did wash my face, once I realized what was going on but it was either too late or I spread it around even more!)

I had a nice thing happen to me yesterday. Our company offered the employees an Employee Stock Ownership Program last year. We employees are supposed to have a committee represent us to management to improve the lines of communication. We could apply to be on the committee last year and people did. I did not. I felt like I'd served my time by being the go-to-girl for lots of stuff over my 10 years with the company. The ESOP Committee met several times but nothing ever seemed to get accomplished. They recently lost two members, so I, along with two other employees, were invited to join the committee. (Guess it takes 3 to replace the 2!) Seeing as how one of the original people lost was my mentor I've written about before, I had a feeling I'd be asked to replace her. No one else in accounting would really be interested, to the best of my knowledge.

I've been slowly coming out of my standoffishness lately, in terms of taking on a little more than my share at work. (A little, being the key words.) Without sounding too sanctimonious, I try to live my life as an example - for Simon, for Steve, my friends, my co-workers. I want to be the kind of person that is well-respected.

It actually took my counselor, during one of my spring tune-ups to inform me that life doesn't always work like that. That particular issue was that at that time, I felt I was doing more house-related activities than Steve was - so to fix that, I did more and more. Hoping to inspire him, don't you know? Debbie said, "Nice try, but it doesn't work like that." I was stunned. Now I see that so clearly, all around me. There are people at work, who you just know are flinging sweat from their forehead, "Whew, glad she's doing that, now I don't have to." Not just the ESOP committee thing, but anything.

The only exception might be Simon, being young and still moldable - who, over time, I believe seems to finally be "getting it" that hard work pays off. The boy has two jobs he loves (I wrote about this, right? Abercrombie Kids and cell phone accessory kiosk, both at the mall) - so much, he'd work there for free, he told me. He has been literally working every day, taking all the hours he can get, taking on other kids' shifts. I'm amazed and very proud. The reason is a little twisted in my un-fashion-diva middle-aged mind, but whatever works - he wants new clothes for school. He's going to buy some clothes, not many - like 4 things, but hold at least a shirt or two back, to wear when school starts in September. Alrighty, if that makes him happy. (Remember that 4 things at Abercrombie & Fitch can easily be over $100 without even trying!)

But ultimately he said he's going to triple his car payment to me. I'll believe it when I see it, but at least he finally said it. I'm just pleased as punch that he's busting a move all over August to earn as much money as he can. He won't get as many hours when school starts but close. He only works 5 hour shifts, though he's actually worked a few double shifts recently - so it should still be very doable. Senior year is kind of light academic-wise - was for me too. I took Creative Crafts, English and bunch of study halls, as I recall. There was probably more than that, but it's all I remember. (Like I can remember diddly, 31 years after high school!)

Let's see, what else? My glasses snapped in half last week but the new frames came in yesterday so I'm back in business. Because this year I had new lenses put in the old frames, my back-up glasses were so old, they were non-bifocal. Just fine for distance but couldn't see shit up close. At all. They were slightly bigger than my current glasses and when Simon saw them (I can't believe he even noticed, quite honestly), he "forbid" me from leaving the house in them. I tried to explain these weren't nothin' compared to those giant glasses from the 70s. Or whenever those things were in vogue. Speaking of that, if I see another picture of Paris Hilton in those gigantic sunglasses, I'm gonna hurl. Wait, if I see another picture of Paris Hilton period, I'm gonna hurl.