Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Check, Check, & Check

Today was a vacation day. Half of yesterday (okay, two and a half hours of yesterday) was also vacation time.

You know me by now. Time off, usually involves lists of stuff to get done. And I got STUFFS DONE!

Yesterday I managed to finish my Christmas shopping. If I’m honest, it’s not that big of an accomplishment. I had five gifts to purchase. (I am the living, breathing, embodiment of Scrooge). I combined two gifts into one “couple’s gift”.I spent as much on it as I would have two individual gifts. Which should be okay, right?

I went to three stores find the third gift. You probably don’t know HOW MUCH I hate shopping. It’s right up there with MATH, GRAMMAR & PUNCTUATION, and being patient with assholes. I expect an, “Medal of Honor”, or something, for the effort put forth. Of course, I won’t get it. Because I won’t tell the recipient of my “super human effort”. “Normal” people don’t seem to think going to 3 stores to do Christmas shopping is that big of a deal. (Oh! And I managed to avoid going to a mall! Go me!) The last two gifts were purchased on Amazon, when I finally got home. I didn't even spend anytime trying to figure out what to get. I just sent them e-gift certificates.

I also took my car for its emissions test. A BIG accomplishment, as it was due in September. And if I didn’t get it done by February there’d be a $250.00 fine. It’s not that I worried it wouldn’t pass. It just seems there’s never a convenient time to drop it off. Although now that I car pool, it should be much easier to complete these car-care duties.

Also on the "Procrastination List" since September has been glasses. For the last year I’ve thought maybe the tiny-type was getting tinier. Then this summer while I was on the road, I noticed it took me longer to read road signs. Or maybe I should say, I needed to be “closer” to read them. So after my the emissions test, I cruised by an eye glass place.

I’ve never had my vision tested as an adult. I had no idea what I was thinking … but in my mind, since all these eye-glass places have doctors there at the store, I assumed it was like … getting your oil changed.

You know. You roll in. Place your name on the list. You read a book while you wait your turn; have a light flashed in your eyes, peer at numbers/letters, hope they don’t ask you to tell right from left – and then walk out with an arrival date for sexy glasses.

WRONG-O!

First you have to see if they accept your stingy vision plan. Then they tell you it will be CHEEPER to pay the non-insurance priced exam than use the vision plan.

You know me. “Ms. Patience.” “Fine, fine,” I tell the young girl who’s trying to help me out. “You need me to fill out some forms? Let’s get on with this.”

“Oh no. You can fill the forms out at home.”

Inside my head resides a business manager. He’s the one who’s really maks the “To-Do” lists. I'm the one who turns them into "Procrastination Lists". He lectures me frequently about my shortcomings. When he heard this announcement from the “Visionary” he pulled up short. “No one let’s you fill out insurance forms AFTER an appointment,” he informed me.

“Shush. Maybe she thinks we’re in a hurry. Give me a second. I’ll straighten this out,” I tell him.

Waving at the other people in the room I said, “Oh, I’ll just fill them out while I wait behind all these other people in line ahead of me for their eye exam.”

I give her credit. She did not roll her eyes. Nor did she start talking to me in Forest Gump language. She did, however, say, “You weren’t kidding when you said you didn’t know how this works, were you?”

“No, I wasn’t kidding.”

“You have to make an appointment, before you can have an exam.”

“Fine, got any openings today?”

Now she started the Gump talk. “Dear? You. Cannot. Make. “The Appointment” For. The. Same. Day. Especially at four o’clock in the afternoon, Sweetie.”

I’d kind of figured I was pushing it hoping for a slot before they closed at six. “That’s fine. I’ll take one for tomorrow.”

“Ma’am? It’s almost the end of the year.”

Like THAT meant something to me! The “Brain Business Manager” started tapping his appointment book. “See! I told you. You can’t get an appointment that quickly. Especially not at the end of the year when everyone is trying to use up their insurance/health care money!”

Pointing at his calendar I reminded him I had all day Thursday off. “Not gonna work,” he predicted.

“Stop worrying, I also have the morning after Christmas off! I am, ‘In-like-Flynn’, I told him.

Apparently he’d been looking over the “Visionary’s” schedule as we had this conversation because the Visionary (obviously NOT a very good one, I might add) said, “We have nothing available before Christmas.”

“Okay, schedule me the morning after Christmas,” I said with confidence.

“We have a three-thirty appointment.”

“ No, no. I have to work that afternoon. I said ‘morning’.”

“No morning appointments. How about Thursday?”

Even though I work on Thursday, I gave in and scheduled an appointment for Thursday afternoon. Somehow I think this is only the beginning of the story.

Now for Today.

I wanted to be writing by six-thirty this morning while I was still "fresh". I was up by five forty-five and sitting at my computer by 6:30. But somewhere along the line I got "side-tracked". Instead I wrote from eight this morning 'till eleven thrity. At noon I met a friend from writing class, we picked up our portfolios, and had lunch. After lunch, I toured the YMCA, filled out a membership application, set up an "orientation" appointment for tomorrow, and went to the YWCA to look at the swimming facilities. I also ran a few other errands.

For some reason, when I got home, I thought I'd do some more work on the story. But I just found myself moaning about everything. I think I might be tired.

So I wrote this instead.

Now I'm going to go eat dinner - and read for the rest of the evening.

I wish 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' was on. I'd totally watch TV tonight if it was.

Oh well.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Your "office manager" must be related to mine! He makes all these darn lists that he knows there's no way in heck I'm gonna get it all done !!! An there it sits on that nasty little piece of paper, staring at me all day/week !!! I'm surprised she didn't laugh out loud in your face !!! Talk about a patient receptionist !!!!!!!! Whooeee, girl, you lucked out and didn't even know enough to appreciate it !

Let's see - math, grammar & punctuation, huh - *o* - are you learning anything this time around?
Oh, and what did you say about being patient with a------- ? Not too, I dare say ! *O*

I would say going to just 3 stores was a real piece of luck - and not going to a mall - a miracle !

Glasses - today or tomorrow ? Let me introduce you to the "real world". If you need and get glasses, expect this to go ON until 2008, if that helps your insurance any, lucky you !!!! Better check out that insurance closely - $300-500 worth !!!!!

I have to give you an atta-boy for getting started on those time-consuming appts. awaiting you !!!

When are you hoping to go to the YMCA when you start - morning, noon, or after work ?

Really fun reading your blog today !! *o*