I've been kind of a stress monster lately due to a number of combing factors and it sort of all culminated in me hitting a car (non-moving and parked) while I was trying to park beside it in my humongous van. It was terrible because I didn't realized what I'd done and I somehow parked it in such a way that our two cars were crushed together and I COULD NOT get my car back out. To make things worse my office building is really these two buildings stuck together and there's no main intercom system or anything so I had to walk from office to office to find out who's car I hit and then explain that I couldn't actually get my car away from there car.
All things considered, it went really well after that. I went up to the magazine office, crying. Not just because I hit the car but because I was all ready just about to burst into tears because I've been working WAY too much. This weekend my schedule at the cafe suddenly gave me all these hours that I've never had before. So after working 1-5pm at my internship (which has been stressful anyway) I worked Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The shifts on Friday and Sunday were only like three hours (to cover the lunch rush), but I was closing the rest of the nights. And I was at the cafe until midnight on Monday because we were putting up Christmas decorations. (Which was pretty fun, but at midnight I was just about ready to murder absolutely everyone because I was so tired.)
To make things worse, the magazine has been stressful lately because we've been doing this thing where we compile all this statistical information about the area which suddenly means that I have to go rooting through the 2010 Census website which turns out to be surprisingly non-user friendly and it's been terrible. In a related note, I'm also ready to marry the local research person at the city chamber of commerce because he's the nicest most positive person on the planet and I've had extended phone conversations with him about how to find the demographic breakdown of the area. (Spoiler, it's mostly white.)
ANYWAY, back to me hitting the car. I went up to my office, crying, and one of the women from the graphic's department volunteered to go with me and help me. We walked around the building and fortunately the first office we came to had the owner of the car. The owner of the car was this extremely nice lady who wasn't mad at all and this other guy came out to help us extract the car. We ended up calling the police, just to report the accident, but that turned out to be surprisingly non horrible. The police guy was really nice and just took down our information and reported that we exchange insurance. Then the other guy got the car out and everything was fine.
The point of this long story that I really want to make is that I work with some absolutely wonderful people in my office. My assistant editor who I work with the most wasn't there, but everyone else was really nice and asked me all about what happened. Then they shared stories about the accidents they got in. The woman that helped me get in contact with the person I'd hit said that she was acting as "a replacement mother" and she was super sweet. Even the receptionist who left before I came back left me a post-it note that said, "Hang in there." The editor-in-chief who I don't usually work with even came out of the office to talk to me.
I feel so lucky to be working with this group of people. They're funny, they're hilarious irreverent and they talk about food and restaurants all the time. Seriously, they're all foodies. They also bring food into the office all the time, which I love.
The storm is passed now. I'm going to be finishing the thing for the magazine that's been causing me no end of heartache and then this weekend I'm going to my friend E's birthday party. But man oh man, it's been a long week.
I just wanted to share that with all of you because, you know, I love you and stuff. I hope you guys are doing well and not encountering horrible, stressful circumstances (which I'm sure the three of you are, all of you being in distinctly stressful situations). But if you are, hang in there.
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I'm sorry that things were stressful lately :( I'm so glad to hear that you have such a strong and kind support group to help you through such difficulties. But you need a break once in a while, okay? When you get time off, take some time to do some exploring. Perhaps take a trip over to Watertown and see Elizabeth or something? Working all of the time just can't be good for the soul.
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@Ada- It's funny you mention it, but I am actually visiting her this weekend. It's usually not anywhere near this stressful, just the particular project I've been working on for the magazine and the way my hours have been falling has been all funky. I will relax this weekend. I promise.
ReplyDeleteAnd you too! You should relax! I don't know what you're doing, but I am almost positive that enough of it is relaxing. :)
I'm sorry you were hit with a total shitstorm! Hitting a car would be scary. I would be be so terrified. I'm glad that you have such a lovely support system surrounding you at the internship. I've been figuring out, it's not necessarily what you're doing that matters as much if who you're with sucks.
ReplyDelete@ Ada: Your comment made me chuckle because you sometimes need to take that exact advice. As, really, we all do. So take some time to relax after you deal with your trying students.
@ Cerasi: It's not that I'm super stressed out right now, but I do have a shitload of stuff to do now that a lot of my time is eaten up by the internship. However, tonight I'm treating myself and going to a Diamond Party at a jewelry near where I work. There will be chocolate martinis, cosmos, and wine. Oh, and diamonds. I wish I could bring you all! A girl in the office was going to go with me but she bailed today (which is shit) but I'm gonna get me some free drinks and food anyway. Also, the diamonds are calling my name...
@Allya- A kiss on the hand may be quite sentimental, but- BITCH GIVE ME SOME DIAMONDS! At least, I'm pretty sure that's how that song goes.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's weird how a real job eats up so much time and mental space. You should take some you time and chocolate martinis, cosmos and wine sounds like a little slice of heaven.