That's right. Apparently the name "Y2K" causes too much angst, and has been too hyped by the media, so we have our own little silly name for it. Also, all our work hasn't been enough to overshadow the doomsday foretellings of the reactionary/inflammatory local news.
So today we are scrambling to get all of our work done by 2 PM, so that we can then shut down all of our company's desktop PCs, fax machines, postage machines, photocopiers, refrigerators, microwaves, and of course the all-important coffee pots. Everything will then be unplugged from the wall. Our phone system will shut down at 4 PM, and when we roll out of here at 5, no one but my staff will be allowed back in the building until after 8 AM on January 4. This extra time is intended to allow us to order parts if (heaven forbid) something should be fried.
I"m also getting yelled at for a project I sent to the printer months ago that hasn't come back yet. Of course, the girl who is working on it is now on vacation, so I have been assigned someone named "Ed" who knows nothing about the project, and given a Monday deadline. That could be kind of tough, considering that I'm NOT IN THE OFFICE starting today at 5.
So work is frustrating me today.
I'm also irked with myself because I promised myself that yesterday night I would run forms full-scale at home, and I didn't. I made plans to, but then slept through the arranged time. It's incredibly frustrating. I've been practicing them every day at work, but I really don't have enough room here to extend properly, so it's a good mental practice, but it doesn't do much for the physical side of things. I really wanted to learn three new ones over holiday break, and so far I've only learned one.
That's not all that's bothering me. Last night I was a complete ninny, for no particular reason. Forest headed out at about 10 to help his cousin plow snow from his customers' sidewalks and driveways. It was windy and cold, so my hot cocoa and I settled down in the living room to read until bedtime. There was a creaking noise. Loud. I had no idea what it was, but it gave me goosebumps and creeped me out. I haven't been home alone late at night much recently, so I'm just not in practice. I told myself I was being a moron, and determinedly read on in my book. Then there was the creak again. Repeatedly. I got up, steeled myself, and walked around the house, looking to see that all the doors were closed. They were. I figured it must just be a tree outside scraping against another tree, and settled down to read again.
I, a grown woman perfectly capable of handling *any* situation, finally ended up forcing myself to walk calmly around and turn off all the lights, and go to bed. Happily, I couldn't hear the noise in my room, and read myself to sleep before too long.
Why is it that after all these years of growing and learning, I still have to mentally gird myself against creepy noises in the night?
Irritating.
I don't remember what time Forest came home, but I'm pretty sure I about suffocated him with my excessive clinging while he was trying to sleep. By way of apology I fixed him a pot of coffee this morning, that should be ready when he gets up. I hope I didn't disturb him too terribly much.
I'm also irritated with myself because I think Forest is going to make plans with his brother tonight and stay out ridiculously late (by his own admittance), and I haven't been able to work up some sort of excitement or interest in spending some time in another way. I've got new movies I haven't watched yet, I've got friends I could call, things I could do. But I've been living so much in the moment that I haven't planned ahead. Then again, I'm not sure what Forest's plans are, so I guess maybe that's why I haven't made plans. We've been kind of bad about this this week. We're so happy to get time together we haven't been spending it communicating. We talked about the schedule in the shower one day, but I think we left it at his wanting to know how I would feel about his being out a lot this week, and my not knowing how to answer, and then we got... umm... sidetracked. So we never answered the questions.
Okay. That's enough negativity for one day. I'm an optimist, damnit! I'm going to figure out a way to either kill my printer or get him to finish my job on time. Then I'm going to finish the list of silly nit-picky things my co-worker wants me to do, and then be cheerful and jolly while turning down all the company's equipment. After all, I love variety in my work, and this is definitely variety, right? I will go run my forms three times today in the ladies' locker room (the biggest room I have access to) and practice all my chun pubs on the dividing wall (a makeshift partner). I will run everything with extension tonight at home.
I won't worry about other plans, because what will be WILL BE, and I have plenty of things I could do if I have free time. I still can't get some of the images from Sleepy Hollow out of my head. I think I need to bury myself in a few more (much happier) films.
Ev'ry little thing is gonna be alright.
