Yesterday

Actually, I wanted the title of this entry to be "Take This Job and Shove It . . . Farther Up". Yesterday was my last day as a full-time employee at that dumb job. I swear I wanted to take a vow of silence (like the kid in Little Miss Sunshine) and simply walk around with a notepad that said, "What the fuck is wrong with you?" My boss is an idiot. His boss is an idiot. Why did it take me so long to leave? I gave them three weeks notice—21 days!!!—and offered to train my replacement. It finally dawned on my boss yesterday that I would no longer be there full-time . . . and they'd yet to hire anyone . . . and I actually do a bunch of different, important tasks . . . and they were now going to be up a creek without the damn paddle. Then it occurred to one of the my co-workers that I cover his and others' asses on a daily basis, that I work in such a way that I made their lives easier and that I'd no longer be there full-time to do that. That was bad enough. I'd been reminding HR for weeks that the 24th was my last day. They said I'd get a final paycheck with my unused vacation on that day. I reminded them again in the morning. This time, they said I wouldn't get a full paycheck since I was coming back as a freelancer, but I'd still get a check for my unused vacation days. Mind you, it was 7:30 a.m. when I reminded them of the day. They said send a request to payroll for the check. Well, at 2:30, with no check in hand, I walked over to Payroll to inquire about my check. What check? No one submitted a request for a check. I followed the guy from Payroll over to HR, then he and I returned to Payroll with an HR person, the one who submitted the request. After much confusion, the Payroll guy determined that the request was put in the wrong slot outside the office. As a result, it was never seen and (wait for it) they couldn't cut me a check. (Now you can picture me going mute and holding up my handwritten note.) Tell me why it is that a well-known company which makes many millions of dollars per year can't cut a check on the spot 24/7? Why?

Thank goodness for the love of co-workers. One of my friends insisted on buying me lunch even though I declined. When I returned from my lunch time swim, there was a BLT sitting on my desk. That was 1:00 p.m. I didn't eat again until 1:00 a.m.!! See, Soul Grandmother #1 has not felt well of late. By the time I got home from work last night, I knew she should be in the ER. Much to my surprise, she agreed. After doing some necessary running around (i.e., fetching the little man from daycare and getting him to Soul Grandmother #2's house, among other things), Soul Brother #1 and I took my mom to the hospital. Three hours in the ER lobby. Two hours in the actual ER. No, it wasn't meningitis. I worried that it was because of the location of the excruciating pain. The good news is that it's arthritis. The bad news is that it's arthritis. Soul Grandmother #1 has three prosthetic limbs—two knees and a shoulder—as a result of arthritis. Those were limbs that could be replaced. They can't replace your spine. So while it's good to know she's not dying, I'm saddened by the idea that this problem will only worsen, thus compromising her quality of life. But she's a trooper and I will continue to live in the moment. It makes no sense to worry about the uncertainties of the future.

I think I finally got to bed at 2:00 a.m. That was a problem. I was supposed to be at the OC spot at 6:30. I'd even suggested that a couple of folks (including my boy Bean Counting Surfer) join me. But I'd been away from the computer all day. I couldn't make any calls from the ER. So I hadn't followed up with anyone. I decided that it was much too late to make phone calls. I need only worry about myself. I set the clock radio for 5:20, telling myself it was simply a formality. I thought I'd actually turn off the alarm while still asleep and then eventually head to the pool for a swim. Well, 5:20 rolled around and I got up. By 6:30, I was in the OC looking at what I thought was crap. I was hoping the friend who was meeting me there would agree with me on the conditions. He didn't. By 6:50, I was suiting up. There were definitely "Victory at Sea" conditions. I thought I'd merely paddle out and sit. I got out at about 8:45 having surfed my little butt off. I walked. I carved. I traded boards. I laughed. The bottom line is I felt better. I'm going to pay for all of this recent excitement tonight. I'm already fading. In fact, I'm surprised I'm still awake. No, I take that back. There was a three year period when I slept only four hours a night. I can still do it when necessary. At least I know I'll be able to get more sleep tonight.