Balance

Ok, so I have been sick the last three days with the worst cold I have ever had! Fever. Chills. Ginormous headache - ok so i know that is not a word, but it was a biggen!! Body aches. Coughing. Sneezing - at one time, 15 in a bloody row. I had to actually catch my breath after that. I remained in my house for three days straight and barely moved my behind off the couch. Yeah, I know, poor me! NOT. I know I'm not the only one in the world to get sick so I'm not looking for a pity party, especially since I feel 80% better today. But no, this is just leading into today, my first day of work this week. My Monday.

I hate Mondays. Most people do. Mondays are always the busiest day for me at work and getting up after a good weekend is not fun, no matter how you stack the deck. So this week I got to skip Monday, kind of. Nuff said on Mondays =P

I got up on time today, well almost, got ready and took my normal drive into work. The drive today was nice though. The roads were clear from the ice storms we had had a few days previously, but the bare trees were still covered in the ice. There was a fog that was low but not so low to hinder your driving and it was just a sight that made me smile and actually enjoy the trip in. I realized that I don't pay much attention in either driving into work or driving home in the beauty that surrounds me every day. I'm usually trying to avoid the ones that can't drive. You know the ones: those that are looking at maps, putting on make-up, fighting with the kids in the back, cell phone users (texting included), those that drive with dogs on their laps (seriously - come ON), and those that just do not know how to use their mirrors and just change lanes at will. So, I suppose you can see why its difficult to take in the scenery. However, today I made a mental note to try and notice these kinds of things more. No, not the idiots on the road, but the natural beauty that surrounds us that is all to often missed.

Another thing that struck me today was an encounter with a co-worker that is also a very good friend of mine. Sometimes its hard to balance work with friends at work, especially those that you actually socialize with in the outside world. This particular friend/peer of mine is also a step up on the ladder from where I am, but fairly new in the position, so she trusts my knowledge and comes to me with questions. She is an amazing team player and one hell of a motivational woman. She is our teams biggest cheerleader and will be the first to say something nice about you or what a fantastic job you've done, and very rarely says anything bad about anyone. However, she cuts herself down so much it pains me. There are days, like today, I just want to ring her neck and shake her and say "V, lets look at the big picture here. You are not a screw up. You KNOW your job. You have got to ignore all the boobs that don't appreciate you and your hard work." She takes everything so personally, even if its not meant towards her. Our saying is that we have too many Chief's on our team and not enough Indians, which is true. We have so many people that think they know everything and them some, those that think their shit don't stink, and what they do is better than everyone else. God forbid if they make a mistake. So anyway, today she made a mistake. It wasn't a big mistake and it was able to be corrected, we just had to locate where it originated and go from there. The poor thing was almost in tears because she thought she let me down (I was the one she was trying to help since I had been out sick) and nothing I could say or do would change her mind. We went round and round for over an hour, not fighting, but discussing the matter at hand. In the end (after a much needed lunch break) we figured it out, set it all straight, and I got a hug out of the deal.

Today's happenings just made me realize that you CAN balance work and friendship. Work will always be work and you can always leave that behind, hopefully at 5 p.m. every day, and your friends will always be friends that you carry everywhere you go, and never leave them behind, even if work puts a few hiccups in it.