The doctor told me my depth perception would be off

Today's Handy Tip:
Never wear prescription bifocal sunglasses when you're running in a place where depth perception is important. Like down a steep, rugged mountain trail impaled with roots and rocks. Bad idea. Unless, of course, you enjoy tripping, bouncing, rolling, and skidding down a portion of the trail like you were on ice. Except you're not. Also, if you think a good time isn't had until there's blood running down some part (or parts) of your body, then by all means, get yourself some bifocals. You'll love the surprises in distance they can throw at you. For the rest of you, I'd advise against it.

the Can(not) Do Attitude

I'm a white, middle-class female. Always have been. Always will be (God willing). I have no problem with that, but as such, I've never been on the short end of discrimination — that I know of. Until now.

I've always worked in jobs that were mostly occupied by women. Although I did try out for the fire dept. once when I was younger (and yes, I got farther in the testing than many — actually most — of the guys), but in the end, I was one of the hundreds of people that didn't get past the physical portion of the test. Nevertheless, it never occurred to me not to try for it just because I was a woman. Likewise, when I applied for my current technical job, it never occurred to me not to try for it because women were in the minority. I assumed I could do it just as well as anyone else, and fortunately my dept. heads agreed and hired me.

They're not the ones I've had trouble with. Everyone in my department is great. But we serve other departments in our job, and there have been a few men in other areas who treat me like a dumb blond. (Yes, I'm blond. No, I'm not dumb.) However, I am dumbfounded by this attitude, and not exactly sure how to handle it. The first time it happened, I just let it pass and kept doing my job. This time, though, it hit during pms week, and I got pissed off and asked to be removed from a project. I've never done that before. I normally step up to challenges, but this time, I'd had enough.

And now, I'm feeling bad about reacting this way. I'm letting myself down by not rising above this and pushing on to get the work done. I think the big problem lies in the fact that this would be an ongoing project. There was no end in sight. That means I would be working with this Amazingly Difficult person — a person that scrutinized my every move expecting the worst, and then ranted to all who would hear about any perceived misstep like I was going to single-handedly bring the entire company crashing to it's knees — until the end of time. Or so it would seem. Since I started on this project, I've hated getting up in the morning. I've putzed around the house and been late to work almost every day (I am not a "late" person.) I get stomachaches every time I walk through the office door and then I just try to lay low until I can go home. That's no way to live. I used to love my job.

I did the right thing. I think I've convinced myself of that now. Thanks for listening.

Have you ever been treated with discrimination? If so, how did you handle it?

I have no idea...

...what's come over me. I'm in a rabid spring cleaning kind of mood. I rented a Rug Doctor, moved all the furniture in the livingroom/diningroom, and deep-cleaned the carpet.

I'm not the "domestic" type. I'm the "Spend My Weekends Outside" type. But something's come over me. I'm all about the cleaning today. All about the Tossing Crap Out today.

That hand-carved cat that's been sitting in one corner of one room or another that I've kept all these years even though it sorta creeped me out because my sister brought it back for me from Bali? It's outta here. The stacks of saved magazines? Gone. The baskets of VHS tapes? Packin' 'em away! It's mad!

Before you know it, I'll be wading into my bedroom and dealing with the stacks o' crap that I have tucked into every nook and cranny up there. That really would be something!

ever feel like you're being watched?

zoo photo

Just Have To Say...

It's even better than the first one.
The story is great.

This guy has eyes that rival (maybe ever surpass) Johnny Depp's.



And sword fights are awesome.

Don't miss this movie.

friends

I've had a rough week. I don't know how I would've made it through without my friends. To be brutally honest, sometimes these people make me crazy - and I suppose I make them crazy at times, too. But this week, I really needed them.

One, in particular, has been such a huge encouragement lately, and I wonder why he takes the time to be so nice. But I'm so glad he does. He managed to lift a huge burden from my shoulders this week. He didn't take it away, but ... it's like...

Imagine if you had to move some furniture & you're trying to drag the sleeper-sofa out to the truck alone. You don't really want to bother anyone else to help you because they're all very busy with their own stuff, and you're suppose to know how to do this. You're suppose to do just fine by yourself.

Finally, after an intense struggle that almost did you in, you get it through the door. Now you need to get it down to the curb and into the bed of the truck. So close, and yet just so far. It seems to be an impossible, daunting task, and before you know it, you're in tears at the thought of taking the rest of this on alone. You're on the verge of giving up completely. You can't do it anymore, and you finally vent to a friend that you're the worst furniture-mover in the history of furniture-movers, and that you feel like a complete & utter failure. And then you feel pathetic and needy for venting in the first place.

That's where I was this week...and my friend rushed over & picked up one end of the sofa and helped me keep going. Proving to me, yet again, what an amazing man he is. I can't even put into words how healing that was and how much that meant to me. When life serves up the grit, there's nothing you need more at that moment than a little grace.