Thursday, February 24, 2011

Getting What You Deserve

It's unfortunate the above phrase always has negative connotations, because it can mean positive things are finally coming your way, too. I've felt this more and more since I followed my heart and quit the easy path that was laid out for me.

For example: apartment living. For some reason unbeknownst to me, I have terrible luck with neighbors. Every apartment I've lived in has had some of the worst neighbors imaginable. Weekly parties at midnight on Wednesdays, crackhead med students who never sleep, musicians and their "band," Harley-Davidson owners, barking dogs, cats in heat, flocks of parrots nesting in the palm tree outside my bedroom window!

I consider myself a rational, reasonably good neighbor. I don't have pets, and we don't throw lots of parties. If we do have a party, we always invite the neighbors, and make sure it moves inside (with the windows shut) after 10 pm, regardless of the day of the week. If someone else is having a party, I don't expect them to be quiet before 10 pm, and even later on the weekend is fine. If I have an issue with you, I always talk with you first before involving others (landlords, police, etc). I don't even walk heavy! So why do the stars always align that I have terrible, discourteous neighbors?

I'll tell you why: so we could earn the awesome place we live in now. Our cute little house a block from the beach, with the cutest elderly owners you can imagine.

I'm seeing the same thing with my job, because last night was my first time at our new bakery, and I LOVE IT. I've been scheduled to start at this bakery from when I was hired six months ago, since it's about ten minutes from my house and none of the other bakers live near me. It was the last of three new bakeries we opened, and I have been patiently laboring away in one of our others stores until we opened. Apparently all my hard work at the other stores has paid off, because this store is awesome. Everything I could want in a bakery.

I like getting what I deserve.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Stressers vs. Neck Pain

So far Life is doing a heck of a job trying to give me more stressers to make up for the ones I'm aliviating. It's like I have to keep a quota. But I've finally found doctors in my area for those all-important yearly and twice-yearly exams; you know, the dentist and such that you KNOW you should go see, but just have to gear yourself up to actually make the appointment. Also found out I'm going to get to start working next week in our new bakery, opening up just down the street, instead of having to drive an hour to the current one. Plus I got a little research done for our upcoming trip to Paris.

And just as things are falling into place? The oven stops working during the bake and I can't reach my boss. Thank God everything was baked except for the bagels, but still.

I'm also starting to notice a trend. I tried to do some meditation like my healer-friend instructed: my boss calls to tell me something wasn't done the night before and I'll have to take care of it tonight. I actually started this blog post as part of my dicipline and stress-relief: my boss calls to tell me why he missed all my calls last night when the equipment was failing.

He's a great man, don't get me wrong. I really like working for him. And he did just give me a $1 an hour raise, along with the extra $1 I will be getting for becoming a trainer, all after only six months working with him. But my goodness, is it a test or what?

Thanks to my husband for tasty libations and dinner when I get home - otherwise in my frustration I would probably have resigned myself to neon Kraft mac-and-cheese.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

I could never keep a diary, either

Why does it seem so hard to keep posting on this damn blog? I think it stems from a combination of laziness and realism: do I really expect to be the next Julie and Julia? Nope. So why bother?



Recently a friend of mine who is a Reki healer was working on some neck pain I've had for the last two months. He suggested, aside from the usual stretches, massage, hydration, etc. that I do something to de-stress myself. Something to collect my thoughts and focus my mind, both before and after my work day. For those of you that know me personally, you know I very rarely am "off;" meaning I'm always busy, always thinking, always planning. I have to read a book before I go to bed to control my mind and make it focus just on one thing in order to fall asleep. Meditation has never been something I could do. Sitting still and not thinking for an extended period of time? Are you kidding??

But maybe a blog is a way to organize my thoughts, a la stream-of-consciousness writing. Sometimes I feel like I don't have a lot going on in my life, because I like to hear what other people are up to. But then I think: I'm going to Paris in two months, I've already become a trainer at my job though I've been there less than six months, I live in one of the best climates in the western hemisphere and consequently visit Disneyland on a regular basis, and have a less-than-average job title. So maybe there is a lot going on. Maybe my pain is stress-related, as well as job-related. Either way, attempting to keep this blog going isn't going to hurt anyone, right?

So here we go. Round three. Let's see how long it will last this time.