Monday Night Ramblings!

'Tis Monday!

Happy New Year!

And I am back at work. No, I ain't whining about it. Although I could've used another week off. That would have been just fine and dandy with me.

I refuse to hate Mondays. This is a day the Lord has made. I WILL rejoice and I WILL be glad in it, doggonit.

(That's what I say every morning, especially on Mondays).

I have been off since the December 23rd. Let's just say I didn't plan on getting much done today. And today was just a day to get my mind straight. I suppose. There was no way I was doing anything crucial in the lab today. I think I decided that last night while journalling.

My boss sent myself and a coworker a document today to look over before he sends it to our director. I don't know why he's so nervous about it. I've spent some time editing and going back and forth with him about it. I want to send an email in all caps that says....

"I DON'T WANT TO READ THIS ANYMORE."

I decided to incorporate my new Quote of the Year in this case instead...

"It's not what happens to me that matters, it's my response to what happens to me that matters."

I know this is a little situation, but hey, might as well work on what I worked on much of last year: respond without anger, indignation, or agitation. I spent much time thinking about this last year. It works 99% of the time. And that's good enough  for me.

So Iwent over to my coworker, who sits cubicles up, and who I co-wrote this piece of regulation with, and I said...

"Hey brutha! You get that [email]!? This what we gonna do. How 'bout you read this, and I glance over it, and be done with it. I'm not spending more than 5 minutes on it."

(He blinks hard and grins whenever I call him "brutha"... I think this is because he is Chinese, and he is not my brother).

"It looks fine, whatever," he said. "It's alright."

*crickets*

"Did you even open the email, brutha?"

"It's fine," he said.

Hmmm... I don't know if he looked at it or not. I went back to my cubicle.

So I did the right thing. I read through it (albeit quickly), and I even asked my coworker a technical question.  And I did that in 10 minutes flat.

And I felt good about it!

I am glad I didn't respond with a crazy email. And I have a very nice (and VERY fine) supervisor. I don't want to upset him at all. No way, man.

Anyway, I received some Christmas gifts in the mail early Saturday morning. I decided to buy myself some things I like or need.

I bought a couple of satin pillow cases and some ink pens.

 I have been wanting some satin pillow cases.  And those pens are now my official favorite. I was getting some training at our sister fed agency down the road from my current job, and they gave me one of these pens to write with.

Let's just say I took the pen. I wouldn't call it stealing. When I go back, I will return the pen. That is all.

I have been needing some knives. I only have 3 or 4 knives right now. It's funny how those disappear. Same thing with spoons and forks. I have to buy new ones every once and awhile.

But I was looking for a specific brand of knife, a brand I'd been using for years. I bought them at Wal-mart years ago, but I could never find them again. I decided to look around on Amazon (which for some reason is always my last thought), and I saw what I wanted.

This knife set has been in my Amazon cart since October. I decided to buy it. It was only $50. They had some that were upwards of $200. I am not a professional chef, hence I ain't paying that much for a set of knives. No indeed.

There was this piece here, though.

I didn't know WHAT this was for. (Now how am I suppose to cut anything with this? I thought.) It turns out that it is a knife sharpener. That let's you know I am not a knife connoisseur.  Good to learn something new, though!

I love chopping fruits and veggies, so it's been a joy these past couple of days to grab a knife without having to search for one or clean one.

I've enjoyed all these gifts to myself. I may do that again next Christmas. I usually do it for my birthday (and I still have my coin jar, so that will definitely be done). But it was nice to do something for myself this Christmas... on purpose.

That's it for me. Got to make sure I stay in the swing of blogging. I know this is "out of style" now, but it is my personal therapy. Thank goodness for that.

It is COLD in the ATL. It was warm last week. Now it needs it to be either/or, because I am confused.

And what's with all the flooding? What the world is going on with the climate?

I am sure it's the same way in your neck of the woods.

So everyone...

Stay warm...

Stay dry...

Stay safe...

On purpose.