Yeeowch

Apparently, I hurt my back working out yesterday – ironic, because I spent more of yesterday just sitting on my butt than any other day in recent memory. But my back is killing me right now. So very uncomfortable. I’ve always been fairly active, and am certainly no stranger to working out, but clearly my three-month lapse in gym time has taken its toll – what a rookie mistake! Oh, how I would just like to be back in my room, propping something up on pillows. (And given how much I know I’m going to be seeing of the inside of that room without even trying, well – that says something.) It’s that kind of “shooting up and down my spine, pulsating through my lower back, and traveling down the backs of my legs” kind of pain. I’m really excited about it. Clearly, I overdid it on the Pilates. And working out again this morning when my back was already sore wasn’t that smart, either.

I e-mailed TL about Gifty, and he said that he gave another female colleague, who was here when I was here and left a week after me, a ring when she left as well – so not likely that there’s much to worry about on that front. He also said that he used to bring fruit to the old team leader – but that he doesn’t with TL because he’s kind of laid down the law on that sort of thing. However, TL said that I should feel free to tell him that the only gift I would like from him is his hard work on the project, because it will benefit all of us. I don’t think I’ll be able to get that across on my own, to be honest, but after tomorrow, he’ll be gone for the holidays until after TL has returned, so that situation may also be resolved. (Oh, and he just brought me something for lunch. Now how on earth do you say “thanks for the yummy Middle Eastern bread and grilled fish, but no thanks” without being rude and wasting a perfectly good lunch, especially when you’re really hungry but don’t want to go to lunch alone because you’re tired, don’t speak Arabic, and are at the bottom of the “being stared at tolerance” bell curve? That’s right – you don’t.)

Have I mentioned enough times yet that I don’t like having to worry about these kinds of things? Because I don’t.

But I don’t want to get too repetitive, either. (Too late, I know.)

I’m listening to U2 now – and I’m feeling less irritated about the fact that most people didn’t stroll in until 10:30 or later this morning. Actually, I’m not, but there’s nothing to be done about it. TL knows about it, and I’ve told people that I’ve seen that they need to be here on time. But I think it says something about what people think of me – or at least the level of respect that I command around here. Hooray.