Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

I never thought this day would come, I really didn’t. Sure, we’ve had our ups and downs, but I always thought that, in the end, you and I could work out our differences and make each other happy. I probably blamed you for things when I should have taken responsibility for my part of it. After all, it takes two to tango, doesn’t it? But this has to stop, and I have to look at the way things are, and not just the way I’d like them to be.

Recently, you’ve only been hurting me, and as much as I tried to find ways to fix it, nothing did the trick. Nothing would cure me of that feeling in the pit of my stomach every time we were together.

So goodbye, ice cream. Clearly, we can’t play nicely anymore. Lactose intolerance is here to stay, and you’re just not worth the pain …

Did I Really Just Hear That?

So, yesterday I was working on something that I had wanted to have completed on Friday, and didn’t quite get finished. I hate being late and usually am very good about meeting my deadlines, but this just didn’t happen. I finished it before I left yesterday, but shortly after lunch, the person managing the document came in to check on me. I said “I’m really sorry I didn’t get this completed Friday like I had wanted to, I’m just trying to get the most accurate numbers for this stuff, it will be done in an hour or two.” She said “That’s okay…” and I said “well, I did say I’d get it to you Friday, so I’m sorry about that.” Then she said “well, what goes around, comes around.”

Um…what??

Because, if she’d wanted, I could have just not cared and given her something totally half-assed on Friday. Darn me and my insistence on trying to do my job well. Granted, I have been far too distracted for my own good lately, and therefore not as productive as I’d like to be, but is that really necessary? Do adults really speak that way to each other?

The fact that most other people don’t have their sections done yet, either, and the fact that this is far from the only thing I’m working on are not particularly relevant, but still contributed to my feeling of “wha-da-fa?”

I get into bad moods and get snippy just as easily as any other normal person, but I really do try not to take it out on other people, or apologize if I do. This is not to say that internalizing rage is healthy, but when I feel a snotty comment on the tip of my tongue, I do my best to swallow it because I can recognize that it doesn’t get me anywhere to be nasty, and I’ll usually regret it.

Although, I suppose if what goes around, comes around, then someone is likely to get crapped on by a pigeon.

In Case You Forgot...

…that today is September 11^th, there are several things that will remind you, if you live in the DC area (I would imagine that there are similar signs around New York today). The first major sign was the police officers armed with assault rifles, clad in bulletproof vests, at the Metro station this morning. Not something I see every day, as I make my way in from the 'burbs. They even had a dog with them, presumably to sniff out bombs or anything else that might indicate someone was up to no good. The dog didn’t, however, strike me as being tremendously vicious, as his handler was rubbing his belly, so he was rolling around on his back, wagging his tail, with his tongue lolling out to the side. He did, however, flip over and stand at attention when someone walked by, so I suppose all that training hasn’t been wasted.

Kind of reminds me of a time when my mom was in an airport, having just gotten off a long flight. She was waiting to get her bags, and noticed a dog sniffing around next to her. Being somewhat tired, and a generally friendly sort, she knelt down and was scritching the dog behind its ears when she heard a very stern voice say “Ma’am, please step away from the dog.”

Apparently, Customs folks don’t really like it when you try to make nice with their dogs…I can’t imagine why.

It’s slowly but surely getting cooler outside these days. I love the fall and the holiday season, and I’m excited to break out the snuggly sweaters and scarves and such. I’m not, however, looking forward to that day that will come in the middle of January where I’ll think “wow, this weather sucks”. For the time being, it’s the promise of something new!

And I am *way* behind on my Christmas shopping – especially as compared with last year! Granted, the exotic gift buying opportunities in Fayetteville aren’t what they are in Vietnam (although, I suppose that depends on which definition of “exotic” you’re using.), but I do like to have some things underway by this time. Yes, I am insane. If I’m fine with it, I don’t see why everyone else shouldn’t be…