Who would've thought I could get so dramatic? That's yet something else that might surprise some people...beneath this adorable, fluffy, composed, may I even suggest dignified, exterior is a fully-animated bundle of emotions that, every once in a while, breaks the surface. Such was the case yesterday, June 9, 2009.
EFY starts this week...meaning the counselors show up for training on Saturday. Somehow I got roped back into dealing with this mess. Please do not get me wrong, I love working with the youth, and in the last couple of years I have noticed how much I love to work with the YSAs who work as our counselors. Last year (one of the many times I vowed it would be my last summer), I truly loved serving and working side by side with our amazing staff. That being said, all the drama and stress that happens inbetween efy sessions and each summer sometimes is alomst more that I can bear. The simple act of interviewing an excellent candidate and moving them through to hiring seems takes it toll on me. As of yesterday, we still had nearly a dozen applicants in limbo, each having no idea if their application was in process, if they were working efy next week, or what they should be preparing. We couldn't even contact them to find their intentions in case they weren't cleared...so I was facing a worst-case scenario of having a session only half-staffed. The frustration boiled over once one was cleared and I called him only to find out Monday he booked a flight for Florida thinking he wasn't working...if only we would have told him a day earlier...
I called my partner, Nina, to vent. She is so good, but even still I was upset, anxious, and nervous. I had to leave work...just couldn't stand staring at my cubicle walls and emails I don't care about. Half way home, my light comes on saying I am low on oil...I just changed my oil nigh unto three weeks ago! Ugh...I needed some soothing influence, something that will calm my mind and my soul. Some Abide With Me Tis Eventide at the piano should do the trick. I sat down and once I started struggling through and butchering this beautiful hymn, I remembered, 'hey, harvey...you don't play the piano' which only made me feel even more miserable.
'Ah, it's a beautiful day. I should go out back and water my bushes,' I thought to myself. So out the back door I go, only to feel a draft downstairs. No, my fly wasn't down, it was broken! 'Oh jeez, how fracken long has that been like that???' I screamed to my empty house. I angrily changed my clothes because apparently it would look ridiculous for me to wear a button down dress shirt with the gym shorts I was then wearing and stomped out back. I pulled the hose from its little spindle, attached it to the faucet and turned on the water full-blast. It turns out after a year of faithful service, that dastardly hose decided today would be the day it would break, causing a huge leak right at the faucet and spraying me. Since it was in the mid-90's, one might think this would be enjoyable. However this just aggravated me even more until the soothing started with watering my bushes and trees and flowers. I stood there, somewhat wet, with the nozzle set on shower watching as life-giving water fed the thirsty soil. It then hit me that everything in my yard is still lush, blooming, and green. I began to take great pride knowing that I had weeded, planted, and kept everything alive. Yes, my yard was filled with living things...things like the ticked-off-for-no-reason bee that then landed on shoulder and then freakn stung me. AAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!! If that wasn't enough, I dropped the hose and began to run belting out exclamations of yips and yelps to an amused neighbor playing with his dog.
Why did I get out of bed on June 9, 2009?
June 10, 2009 proved much better. We were able to process the majority of the counselors; I actually checked my oil level, and my car is mistaken...it has plenty of oil; I was able to fix my zipper on my favorite pair of slacks; the hose simply required a snap back into place and it was once again properly sealed; and the sting wasn't anything too terrible. In fact, it's pretty much gone already.
Thus endeth the worst day ever.
