Tuesday Afternoon
It's appropriate that that post title came to me in a flash. For the last three days, I've had Moody Blues songs stuck in my head. Nothing against the Moody Blues, but their music can be as damp and heavy as this chilly November weather, and I don't want my night on butter yellow cotton to turn into Nights in White Satin immediately upon awakening!
With that song in my head, I trudged outside this morning and took down a bit of electric fence to allow the horses and cows into the south pasture and fresh grass. I stepped over another dead, half-eaten chicken to get there. Damnit! I'm hoping to have a FEW chickens left! Still, it's nice to see my animals enjoying fresh, untrampled grass.
I was almost finished getting ready, the boys had left, and I sat down in front of Good Morning America. Alicia Keys came on as part of their 'fall concert series'. Usually, those morning show music performances are just awful--bad talent, lackluster crowd--I mean, it's a morning TV show! Not exactly the place to kick out the jams.
But Alicia Keys elevated herself above the setting. I actually got a little choked up! She is just really, really good. She can sing, play, write, she's absolutely a joy to look at, and she radiates joy as well! I'm pretty convinced that the number of dancers on stage is in inverse proportion to the talent of the lead singer, and we see a LOT of dancers on stage these days. But Ms. Keys, all she needs is a piano and a microphone. It is refreshing to see a successful musician who packs a powerful wallop of pure talent.
It doesn't mean I'm going to buy her albums--her music is not really my style. But I'm impressed and will definitely check out her foundation that helps kids with HIV in Africa. Even her charity is good.
What else. I had a big heart-to-heart with the two interns who work in the tourism office. In many places, they would have been fired ages ago. One is too ramped up--she panics about things, can't work through a to-do list, and she misses work and has not perfected the art of calling and letting people know that. The other has an astonishing lack of basic office skills. My big plans for her running a project have quickly broken down until my new big goal is teaching her how to properly fold and send a business letter. We're not even close to the place where she can actually draft a business letter for me.
My job experience--even the crappy one I had under my last awful boss at the Hill--is really helping me be a decent boss. I've done about every shit detail there is to do. I've been there. I've been unqualified for things, had to go through the humiliation of hearing that, have thought about things I've done and said while doing a job and winced. I have a lot of sympathy for the people I'm in charge of now, and I'm trying to all of us better. I've learned that a friendly, curious, want-to-get-better attitude is probably the #1 attribute that I want in an employee and a co-worker. Skills can be taught--but someone with that sort of attitude picks them up a lot faster. So these gals have caused quite a bit of stress, but putting them out of a job is a serious thing and, if they're willing--REALLY willing--I'm game for helping them. And it's nice to find myself in a position where I can. I'm pretty happy with the way I'm turning out.
And that brings me to the final thing I want to write about today--stress. I'm doing much better! I've been exercising about 4-5 days a week and the difference in my energy and outlook is remarkable even after just a few weeks! We're still poor, but we're getting by. Kevin works all the time and it really helps his mental outlook when I live with that. When he starts moving on his huge to-do list, he does much better. Stevie is still stressed out. How do you know you're stressed? When the smallest of things puts you over the edge. Stevie is still there, but I can only help him if I continue to work on me (I'm still there--sometimes). It will come together.
I hope you're doing well, whoever you are. Have a wonderful day, dear reader!
With that song in my head, I trudged outside this morning and took down a bit of electric fence to allow the horses and cows into the south pasture and fresh grass. I stepped over another dead, half-eaten chicken to get there. Damnit! I'm hoping to have a FEW chickens left! Still, it's nice to see my animals enjoying fresh, untrampled grass.
I was almost finished getting ready, the boys had left, and I sat down in front of Good Morning America. Alicia Keys came on as part of their 'fall concert series'. Usually, those morning show music performances are just awful--bad talent, lackluster crowd--I mean, it's a morning TV show! Not exactly the place to kick out the jams.
But Alicia Keys elevated herself above the setting. I actually got a little choked up! She is just really, really good. She can sing, play, write, she's absolutely a joy to look at, and she radiates joy as well! I'm pretty convinced that the number of dancers on stage is in inverse proportion to the talent of the lead singer, and we see a LOT of dancers on stage these days. But Ms. Keys, all she needs is a piano and a microphone. It is refreshing to see a successful musician who packs a powerful wallop of pure talent.
It doesn't mean I'm going to buy her albums--her music is not really my style. But I'm impressed and will definitely check out her foundation that helps kids with HIV in Africa. Even her charity is good.
What else. I had a big heart-to-heart with the two interns who work in the tourism office. In many places, they would have been fired ages ago. One is too ramped up--she panics about things, can't work through a to-do list, and she misses work and has not perfected the art of calling and letting people know that. The other has an astonishing lack of basic office skills. My big plans for her running a project have quickly broken down until my new big goal is teaching her how to properly fold and send a business letter. We're not even close to the place where she can actually draft a business letter for me.
My job experience--even the crappy one I had under my last awful boss at the Hill--is really helping me be a decent boss. I've done about every shit detail there is to do. I've been there. I've been unqualified for things, had to go through the humiliation of hearing that, have thought about things I've done and said while doing a job and winced. I have a lot of sympathy for the people I'm in charge of now, and I'm trying to all of us better. I've learned that a friendly, curious, want-to-get-better attitude is probably the #1 attribute that I want in an employee and a co-worker. Skills can be taught--but someone with that sort of attitude picks them up a lot faster. So these gals have caused quite a bit of stress, but putting them out of a job is a serious thing and, if they're willing--REALLY willing--I'm game for helping them. And it's nice to find myself in a position where I can. I'm pretty happy with the way I'm turning out.
And that brings me to the final thing I want to write about today--stress. I'm doing much better! I've been exercising about 4-5 days a week and the difference in my energy and outlook is remarkable even after just a few weeks! We're still poor, but we're getting by. Kevin works all the time and it really helps his mental outlook when I live with that. When he starts moving on his huge to-do list, he does much better. Stevie is still stressed out. How do you know you're stressed? When the smallest of things puts you over the edge. Stevie is still there, but I can only help him if I continue to work on me (I'm still there--sometimes). It will come together.
I hope you're doing well, whoever you are. Have a wonderful day, dear reader!
posted by lulu | 10:23 AM
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