Worth a mini-crash, I suppose

Good evening. How, you may ask, did my first day of cutbacks at work go?

1. Believe it or not, I was a little late. Just about ten minutes, but that's substantial now that I'm working four hour days. I did some laundry this morning, woke up at 7am (no lounging for me!) and the first attempt to dry didn't work. I must have gotten a bad dryer. That kind of led to feeling rushed all day.
   
2. I felt like I was having to cram seven hours into four, and with it being Board Monday, that's busy.
   
3. I was asked to change the sign listing my new hours so that there is no contact number for a 'back up' in case someone needing help with the copier, etc. I expect people will be frustrated, because I've never seen any great faith-inspiring ability to plan ahead in users. Indeed, people tend to breeze in and out and not really pay attention to the fine print the copier gives them as a guide. I couldn't find a polite way to say 'shit out of luck' after hours, but oh, well.
   
4. One of my co-workers nearly tripped when she realised a man was peeing in one of the small bathrooms in one of the offices with the door ajar and not just running water. Maybe he didn't realise the outer door was open. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. This time. But jeesh, people, were you raised in caves? Or is it a guy thing? (I still have brain glitches when I'm watching TV in my living room and one of the boys outside decides to take a leak against the wall. I guess I'm jealous--it's not so easy with girls. But my mom would not have let a boy get away with that, either. And they say I was raised by wolves.
   
5. We got a system-wide memo that was supposed to make us feel better about buckling our belts and meeting the economic situation head on but left me feeling like a cancelled magazine. Or a roll of toilet paper to be used to the last sheet. Honest those were the analogies. People had to be laid off for the good of the greater mission. I do understand that, really. But, coming on the official first day of my lay-off, it hurt. But maybe I'm just taking things personally today. I know a lot of the stress I felt was self-induced, because I felt rushed. Although we were busier in general, the pressure I felt was mostly my own attempt to get everything done with less time. I'm not sure that's so much the important thing. It's always a challenge to manage everything in a timely fashion when you're a solo librarian. But a solo librarian on nearly half the hours, well, I can really only prioritise and concentrate on core services, I think. So hopefully tomorrow will get better. I think, too, with this first day past, I won't necessarily have everything remind me of the cutbacks like it did today.
   
6. On the plus side, I got a lot of things done. The shortage of hours definitely force me to focus on what is most important/not as important. I think I'm going to cut back on some of my list participation, for example. I forwarded some interesting posts to my home e-mail address and chucked a lot.
   
7. Two good things: I won a free Diet Coke (screwtop game) and well, was off work by 2:30 pm.
   
8. After work things improved significantly. I got a reminder that my work, although important, is not the end-all-and-be-all of my existence. Dwana, her husband Eric, her friend Heather (yes, the one with the new baby) and I headed over to the gym to work out. This was my first time with workout buddies. It was their first time working out at Gold's, since Dwana and Heather both had medical issues keeping them out of the gym earlier in the summer. I did my regular cardio workout, and was surprised that, after not going last week at all, I didn't have to start over and in fact felt like I could up the incline/speed on the treadmill. The new shoes with their rocking air cushion really helped. I also did some weight machines, since I had the other, more experienced partners along to show me how. There was one that you press your feet and your body moves backwards, rather than your feet forward. I really liked that. It was good for the lower back. I did 20 on 55 lbs, 10 on 55 with my feet out slightly to get the inner thighs, and 10 on 75 lbs (because I didn't really feel like I was having much resistance on 55 lbs. Remember, I walk a lot, so even though I was just starting out, I have pretty strong legs and always did. In high school, I could leg press 190 lbs, more than my weight at the time. There was another with a bar that you pulled straight down. I did that for about 10 with just 15 lbs. Much less strong in my arms. Now that my schedule's more flexible, I may try going more often.
   
9. Heather had to leave early, but Dwana, Eric, and I hung out a little together afterwards. I got a smoothie sans honey and turbinado sugar (Isn't there enough in the fruit alone? Why make it sweeter? The diabetic decided not to overdo it. It had orange juice, banana, and strawberries and was very nummy. I let Dwana try, since it didn't have any death-inspiring yoghurt inside.
   
10. Then we went to Captain D's for fish and chips. It was very good. Very filling. Dwana checked on a little frail old lady who seemed confused in the bathroom, bless her heart.
    
11. We drove by the apartment Aaron's considering since it was on the way to my place and were fairly impressed. They're what I guess you'd call garden apartments, all one floor, like a duplex but more than that, but not a lot, with stonework. It's over on the other side of Richmond in Idle Hour. Looked great to me.
    
12. I was very glad to have Dwana with me when I came back, because I couldn't find my key and she has an extra. I'm pretty sure it's somewhere in my bag. I confess that once I got inside, I went to the bathroom and then pretty much went to bed for a long nap with some kitty and doggie time. Now I'm up, have eaten a snack to get me through the night blood sugar-wise, and kind of feel like it was a good day. I accomplished a lot. It turned out to be a good day after all. I'm so glad it's over, though.
    

Tomorrow's planned adventure (dum, dum-dum): The Unemployment Office. I'll be sure to report, if I don't get some surprise like 'oh, you're not eligible'. Then I'll just gibber quietly.

PS Benefit #569 to exercise: It makes my skin look a lot better. I guess it increases circulation, for one--a radiant glow. But my face is less oily tonight, and that's the case every time I work out. You'd think it would be oilier. Also, my skin's firmer. You don't really seem to exercise your face whilst exercising the rest of you, but I guess you do. Still, it's a nice plus.

Take care. :) Aw...I have two cats grooming each other on top of the computer and a doggie that wants to go out. 'Night for now.