Apparently, things I am doing to improve my stress situation and not let things get to me as much is working. I didn’t realize it because I haven’t really checked in on things and haven’t been pressured that much. However, I got to test the situation on Monday.
It was a long day already. I was up early to drive 25 minutes to drop my car off at the shop. I got the loaner, went back home and took a snooze. Woke up, ate, did my normal things, showered and headed off to work for an early staff meeting.
En route, my boss calls and tells me he’s sick and won’t be coming in. Even worse is that it was supposed to be just me and him and no part-timer. So I had to get a part-timer to come in and thankfully, got one.
In the past if I got this news at 2:30 p.m., basically telling me I’m working a solo and all, I would have freaked out. Paniced, stress level goes up etc.
Instead, I basically said “whatever.” I got the section out before deadline and moved on. Now given, it wasn’t a big day by any means, but still making deadline was good and nothing was too bad last night.
Not that I want people calling in sick on me all the time, but still…
Add to the fact that if someone is really sick, stay away. I don’t want to catch it.
Several months ago, I added an entry telling a story of how I was driving to work and some old redneck flipped me off as I passed him.
Well, about three weeks or so ago, it happened again. With the same person.
I came out of Delhi and was behind some slow traffic. We came to the first passing zone and I passed one car and slid in behind another. The car looked awful familiar to me, then it hit me. I couldn’t help but smile.
I don’t know if I said this the first time, but you can tell that this guy is a redneck and thinks the world is his. When I pulled in between him and the car I passed, I was still a good four or five car lengths behind him. But man did he take off. Just gunned it. He went from doing maybe 55 to 70 or so. Then, after going through another passing zone, he slowed back down.
Now, with my whole new outlook, I’m also becoming a better driver. I don’t get annoyed, I stay a distance back — but I still pass cars when the speed is not satisfactory. Especially when I’m going to work.
So we hit the next passing zone, I pick it up and pass. And sure enough, he flips me off again.
I couldn’t believe it.
This time, I just laughed and waved as his finger stayed in the window. I have to assume he flips off any person that passes him because he doesn’t like getting passed. And for sure he’s an ornry old ass, so it is pretty funny. He probably goes home and bitches to his wife for three hours any day he gets passed.
For the last month or two, every once in a while, the endine light in my car would come on. I had it in the shop and they couldn’t figure it out. It happened in some other cars and Volkswagen was trying to figure out what the heck the problem was.
Finally, they figured it out.
So I dropped my car off yesterday and the process they have to do is nine hours long. They give me a loaner and I’m on my way.
What a difference having a Volkswagen is.
My last several cars were from a local dealer. They treated me well, but when I got a loaner from them, it was like a 1985 Olds something or other and not everything worked. Also, when something was going on, they explained it to me quickly and shrugged it off.
When I went in yesterday, the service guy explained the whole problem to me (I still didn’t get it all, but it’s nice they explain what they are doing and such). He also told me how they do what was going to be done — which was really interesting. Apparently, part of the front can be taken off the car, making it easier to get to where they have to go. Same with the doors when they need to do that. That’s pretty sweet.
Then, he gives me the loaner.
It’s a 2005 Jetta with fewer than 5,000 miles on it. Given it’s not as jam-packed as my car, but still — for a loaner? Holy smokes! Pretty sweet. Hopefully I can get my car back today, but if not, I’ll have it tomorrow! It will be nice to have it back.
Well, we’re coming up on the postseason for winter sports, so some traveling is going to have to happen. With having the wrestling beat, I don’t have to always travel a ton, but I will have to for sectionals and states. The one thing I am always worrying about is having to travel this time of year in crap weather.
For the most part last year, I was OK. But one trip was awful.
We cover schools basically in one section. One of our schools, however, is in another section. So I was sent to Syracuse to cover (in the span of two days) volleyball, wrestling and basketball.
The ride up was OK. A little spotty with some snow, but nothing major. I covered that and then headed to wrestling. Things didn’t seem bad and the roads were fine from Syracuse to Oswego. When I left the wrestling, it was snowing. And the roads (including the Interstate highways) were awful. I also found out later that my tires were pretty bad, too. Ugh!
I ended up going the wro ng way at first from Oswego (where the weather wasn’t bad and neither were the roads) and got to the Interstate (where the roads all of a sudden sucked) and all the way into Syracuse. I finally got to my hotel and couldn’t believe the weather. I walked to a Denny’s to get dinner and called it a night.
Sunday, I went and covered a basketball game. As is normal in Central New York, you blink and the weather changes. It was sunny and nice out. And the ride home after the game was totally fine. I couldn’t believe the difference of the day.
So I’m hoping the weather holds for me on weekends I have to travel, which will include Long Island for states in wrestling.
Finally, a quick note on the blogs and gallery on here. I know not many people use them and that’s fine. I’ve really started using them myself a lot more, which is good because they are being used. I’ve also found that putting all those photos in the gallery is sweet cause I can start deleting all those photos off my main web site.
If you’ve looked at the forums lately, you know I’m adding a portal to my website. That will eventually be the second page people see when they come to my website. I’m going to make it so my galleries are viewable by guests and likely the same with the blogs.
If you have no objection to your galleries being views by guests, let me know as I might make another gallery that is open to guests and one that’s not.
There also might be some people who will be registering (family, friends), who will be registering just for the galleries and blogs. That’s the beauty of the portal — you register for it and you’re registered for everything!
Back to what I was originally saying, however.
I’ve really figured after using the blog as much as I have been recently, I really enjoy blogging. It’s a good way to throw out some thoughts and such or whatever is on your mind. I’ve found it to be quite enjoyable to do. That said, while it’s cool that not everyone utilizes the blogs a ton, I always wonder if more than a couple people read it!
But, I guess as long as I enjoy writing, it’s all that matters. It really is a bit theraputic to be able to just throw random thoughts out there. I never realized that until I did it on a regular basis. Although sometimes, it’s hard to find something to write about!
That’s it for now. More later!
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