I Can Change a Light Bulb

I was driving home from work today, pondering what in the world I might ramble on about here and having no decent ideas. I’d decided on telling you how snarky I’ve been feeling since I was sick and that it was pointed out to me. In the nicest way and by someone I can laugh about it with. Ever since I started this job I’ve been attempting to behave myself and not blurt out what I’m thinking at all inappropriate moments. This has given the impression that I’m nice. Well I am but there’s generally a healthy dose of sarcasm mixed in. Monday morning I went to work feeling absolutely horrendous and some of that sarcasm was showing for a change. Today, though I felt better, I still didn’t have the energy to be perky.

What do I mean by this? One of my duties is to sashay off to the post office as needed. I like that and have no problem taking personal mail when I’m going anyway. Today I had nothing official to take so I had the nerve to say no to someone who wanted me to mail Easter cards. Hmm, last I checked the organization that employs me doesn’t do Easter cards but maybe I missed that in my handbook. I’ll have to double check. On the upside, it annoyed the individual enough to keep her from hanging out downstairs which meant I didn’t have to stifle the impulse to tell her to use her inside voice. Yes, she’s a bit boisterous the majority of the time.

Another moment that pushed me today was when I attempted to enter one of the secure areas. There’s a buzzer that is utilized to alert the staff at the desk that someone is waiting to be admitted. Today however, the staff member inside had the intercom activated which meant the buzzer didn’t buzz. When she finally decided to acknowledge me rapping on the chamber door she actually tried to pretend she hadn’t just been involved in a lengthy personal conversation. Kind of pointless since I’d heard every word over the intercom.

The third thing that heightened my snarkiness was a blown light bulb. Now I admit I’m female. I also admit I’m not the most mechanically inclined individual in the world. I am, contrary to what one of the maintenance guys thinks, perfectly capable of changing a light bulb. I am also clever enough to pull the string on the light fixture itself just in case the last person turned it off that way instead of by using the wall switch. In all fairness to the man in question he is generally very helpful and rarely treats me like an incompetent female. So why then did he immediately pull the string and rechange the light bulb after I’d stated that I had already done both? In the end it required a whole new light socket, something I am not at all interested in wanting to do myself though I’m positive I could should I ever choose to.

Anyway, I came home feeling a tad grumpy. Then I checked my email and found a message from an old friend with whom I haven’t spoken in about six months. We’ve both tried but keep missing each other in person. Her email was just what I needed to erase the annoyances of my day. She told me of her misadventures that occurred throughout her recent vacation. Reading it I could practically hear her voice and was chuckling along with her. She ending by mentioning that her daughter visited from the third world country she is currently saving by way of Vienna which means I have Milka chocolate waiting for me the next time we see each other. Yep, it really is the little things that make all the difference.