A Post Not Worthy of a Title

GRACIOUS!

Do you know what happens to a body when one arrives at school before the sun's up and then finally heads home only after the sun's down? It's disorienting. I just casually checked the time and... MIDNIGHT. 

I don't like having to wake up when the sky outside still looks the dead of night. Everything is so dark and still, but no - you actually just slept through your last snooze alarm. So if I'm going to make tomorrow morning any easier on myself, I'd better keep this short. 

Welp... 'Night!

Hate is a strong word, but I really, really, really don't like you...

This evening's post marks the return of The Coworker...

So much for the high road, eh Lauren??

But maybe you never liked High Road Lauren in the first place. Maybe she's like anyone else and needs to commiserate about some of the difficult things she's dealt with recently. Maybe, because this is her blog, you'll just have to humor her.

Sparing you the details, let me just say the past couple months at work have been high stress. More-so than usual because our department is smaller than it was last year. We're in the middle of our busiest season, tripping over our own feet as we try to stay ahead of the next inevitable mess. Pretty exciting stuff for the scented candle industry, right?? But this year most of our frustration centers around one person. Let me back up...

Our accounting department was overhauled in May. That meant jobs were shuffled around in our office and The Coworker moved from my department to accounts receivable. It was a good change; one we were all satisfied with, including The Coworker. But as our busy season approached, cooperation between departments deteriorated. That is, one person's willingness to cooperate with the rest of us deteriorated. A lot. Which didn't make anyone's job any easier. 

Those in my department tried shrugging things off, mostly because our time is so limited. But soon we were passed shrugging and things got tense. So tense that a couple days ago I received a nasty response to an email I'd sent The Coworker regarding one of our accounts. We went back and forth a few times (because actual confrontation sucks) until finally she sent a diatribe that began with the following sentence: Let's get something straight... The rest of the email soured from there.

I work with lovely people, including those in our upper management. My supervisor is one of the most easy-going people I know. She gets along with EVERYBODY, but even she has reached her limit. We want to help each other out, but constantly making unnecessary accommodations for one person doesn't make sense. So I replied once more to The Coworker - a cordial apology for any misunderstanding that had taken place - and copied my supervisor on the email at her request. Now it's just a matter of sorting things out, because we're all pretty miserable with the current state of things. 

Not At Sea

I recently had an epiphany that I was reminded of once again today: There are certain battles I don't need to fight. There are certain things I don't have to sacrifice so much of my energy for. I jeopardize my overall sense of peace far too often by becoming overwhelmed and distracted by the cankering influences of negativity or fear. Instead, I will concentrate on what I am able to change and stop giving my power away. I can't avoid every tempest, but I can stop putting out to sea while the storm is gathering.

Not Milestones

Here's a list of recent milestones that aren't really significant so I guess they're not really milestones...

This week I decided to part ways with Salt Lake County Rec Center and join up with Planet Fitness. The membership won't cost me quite as much and I like that they're open 24 hours a day on weekdays. Yesterday's evening jaunt began at 11:00 and ended close to midnight. Still, I don't think I'll make late night workouts a habit. It's just nice having options. 

I've studied the scriptures and read at least one article or story from the Ensign everyday this week. Just flexing some spiritual muscle after our most recent (and most excellent) General Conference. Though it's probably become a little muddied since, I'm trying not to lose that post-Conference glow. We'll keep it together... Kinda... And exercise patience with the whole process.

I embarked on the thrilling task of cleaning out my email accounts. Someone showed me how to unsubscribe from the many companies that have added me to their mailing lists over the years and buried me in useless information. No more sales announcements from Oshkosh B'Gosh. No more newsletters from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. No more coupons for tasty new sandwiches at Arby's. No more.

Last week I attended Frightmares at Lagoon for the first time ever. Lots of spooky stuff, but not too spooky. I even in went into one of their scariest attractions - a zombie detention facility where the "zombies" had taken over and were hunting for brains (of course). I was startled a few times, but it wasn't that bad once you realized the zombies screaming in your face and chasing you down dark corridors were really just skinny teenagers in heavy makeup. If I want to be scared witless, I'll just stand in line for the Wicked ride. UPDATE: No lie... As I typed this paragraph, The Cranberries' Zombie started playing on my iTunes.

I made a potato salad for a work potluck and it was a hit. Potato salads are tricky. In all my years of potlucks, picnics, and barbecues, I haven't come across a recipe that's quite as tasty as my aunt Annette's. Who knows? Maybe this potato salad will achieve the same notoriety as my supervisor's highly revered and oft-requested spinach, cheese, and jalapeño dip.