This will likely turn into a rant, so if you’re not in the mood for that, just click away and try back tomorrow.
😉
Today’s my brother’s birthday, btw. He lurks here and leaves snarky comments occasionally. Happy Birthday, Kev! In case you’ve forgotten, you’re still older than me. Ha!
(That used to seem like a good thing, didn’t it?)
I don’t know why it is, but most of the people I’ve really hit it off with through the years were born in June,like me,and are Geminis. I sometimes think it’s a wonder we can stand each other, but as they say: it takes one to know one.
One of my most favorite Geminis is Deb from work. We don’t work together in the same unit anymore, unfortunately, but have lunch once in a while and generally try to distract each other from boring paperwork for a few minutes each week. We used to go to lunch together every single day at the same place and eat the same thing, but that’s another story. We’d planned to have lunch last Friday for our birthdays, but she left me a message that morning to say that she had to cancel because she really had to get her nails and eyebrows done and that she was really sorry, but we’d have to reschedule. Priorities, you know. An hour or so later she left another message to say that she couldn’t get an appointment and if I wasn’t too pissed she’d like to go to lunch after all. Otherwise, she really needed to shop for a new bathing suit. Pfft! Great friend, huh?
(That all had nothing to do with the point of this post, sorry.)
So. We had lunch at her current every single day, eat the exact same thing place and it was lovely and we caught up with each other for the time being.
I walked out of the office kinda grumpy this afternoon and ran into Deb on her way out, too. She picked up on my mood pretty quickly and before we made it to the parking lot I was ranting at her about how I was tired of being yelled at by clients and landlords and pulled in a million directions at once. Tired, too, of screwing things up. Tired of having to ask someone how to do things. Tired of finding out, after, from someone different, that I’d been told to do it wrong. And made to feel foolish for it.
(Feeling foolish makes me grumpy, generally.)
Deb knows me. Knows my sore spots… and isn’t afraid to pester them, either. Know what she said?
“Don’t take yourself so seriously, Laura.”
Huh? Me?
She wandered off to her car and I thanked her for the reminder and then stood in the parking lot like a dope for a minute or two… sort of amazed that it was that obvious to her, that easy to read…
She’s absolutely right, though. I take myself way too seriously, usually. At work, especially. Foolish of me. I needed to hear that. Will probably need to hear it again, tomorrow.
Remind me, if she doesn’t, before I get too full of myself.
(I got flowers today, btw. Not sure what in the world I did to deserve that.)
You know, we all have days like that, and it’s OK. Happy belated Birthday!
Beautiful flowers! Maybe you deserved them for just being YOU! :c) I love how you can so honestly write about how human you are Laura.
That’s what friends are for–to tell us the obvious.
As for why you got flowers–the ones pictured at the beginnng of your post?–likely because you needed them to help pick you up!
A belated happy birthday. The flowers are very lovely, and no doubt well deserved. I hope they lifted your spirits. If not, bury your nose in them for a while, and they will.
What is the opposite of taking yourself seriously? I’ve been trying to get there myself. I find it much easier, now that I am retired. The secret is balancing all that seriousness with things that bring you joy. The work is remembering those joyous things even in the thick of serious efforts.
Lovely flowers.
I’m going to send this post to my daughter, another Gemini, who has been taking herself too seriously lately. Same woes at the office.
You, Laura, are a flower.
Thanks for the birthday wish.
You probably got flowers because you are awesome.
Geminis rock. Work sucks. Life is grand.
You don’t need a reason to get flowers.
Isn’t it great to have friends who recognize our moods and aren’t afraid to tell us the truth?
I’m also a June BD, but alas; rather than a cool sign like Gemini, I got stuck with Cancer!
You don’t need to “deserve” flowers, just enjoy them.
You should get flowers EVERY day for doing the wonderful job you do.
you’re funny when you rant!
cheered me right up!
Beautiful post 🙂
cedrorum: Thanks, yeah.
Jayne: Thanks. I like to poke fun at myself, yeah.
KGMom: I needed something and someone to point out the obvious, too.
Bobbie: They did, yes.
Robin Andrea: I’m learning, still, I guess.
😉
Mary: Hm. Thanks.
Kev: You have the right idea! Get any good presents?
FC: Right.
NCMountainWoman: Exactly – I love her for that alone. She doesn’t let me get away with much.
Lynne: 😉 You’re not supposed to laugh at me when I’m all ranty!
Sekhar: thanks.
Flowers received on an ordinary day are the best.
Lighten up, Laura. Seriously.
: )
seriously, you saw my nails and eyebrows. if you were really my friend you would understand. you are loved!!!!!
Susan: Right… I’m seriously working on that.
😉
Deb: Hey! They looked fine, but I understand of course. (Priorities)
Love you too.
Interesting rant.-As much as I have a sense of humour at work-I am notorious for taking the job itself too seriously.-It sure creates a lot of stress when things aren’t going right-So this was a good reminder for me too.