Observations

After that big emotional unload, I gotta pull back into something smaller, shorter, more digestible. Less emotionally involving. Particularly given the trauma I have endured today, which involved:

• Finding out somehow in my new employee processing that my health care elections got processed before I'd completed all my selections. Which may prevent my kids and husband from having dental coverage, and other benefits until next enrollment period. What are the chances that I can get HR to fix that tomorrow?
• Working so late that they closed all entrances but one in my ENORMOUS campus at work, which can only be accessed by driving through a complex labyrinth and answering several riddles posed by a giant Sphinx with an Intel logo on it. Took my 30 minutes to find it.
• 3o minute delay meant any restaurant I wanted to eat at was already closed. Ate at Wendys. Again.

So rather than bitch and moan (any more than I have) too much more and risk having to sent formal invitations to the pity party, I'll just share some random observations from the last couple days:

• In line at Costco the other day when a woman in line just jumped head first down some guys throat for line cutting (and she was big . . . I'm guessing it had to hurt). I don't think he cut on purpose - just wasn't paying attention. Would it have hurt her to simply say "excuse me sir, I was in line next?"
• At the airport, the guy in my row in the middle seat took too long to get himself seated. Then proceeded to play with his iPhone until we were airborne. I don't believe it will crash the plane, but don't tick the flight attendants off on my watch. Please.
• At the luggage carousel, I got a spot very close to where the luggage comes out. But I stood back about 4 feet, figuring it gave people room to step in and step up if their luggage came off. I did NOT specifically reserve the empty space for the rude woman who came and filled the space up, preventing anyone from jumping in to get their stuff. Oh, I'm sorry ma'am . . . did I accidentally pull my GIANT suitcase off and drop it on your toe? Funny how that happens in close quarters . . .
• On the other side, I rode the AirTram to the rental car counter and along the way, some nice man from Texas chatted with me. I'm sure he was trying to flirt, but it was nice to have a friendly person to talk with.
• I love my company some days. Rental car process took no more than 3 minutes. And the car was in the "Preferred" section.
• Misread my car contract. Thought they assigned me a bright yellow Eclipse. Was puzzled for about 5 seconds.
• This morning, a man held the door in the breakfast room open for a woman and her daughter, and continued to hold it open for me. I said "Thank you." He said "well at least you said something . . . " The woman ahead of me didn't acknowledge him at all. How hard is it to say "thanks?"
• Got a compliment from one of my direct reports - having a positive impact in less than a month feels good.
• Played a little on line poker. What are the odds, when its heads up, and you have a chip lead, but its really late, and the other guy says "wanna go all in all the time to just get it over and go to bed" and you are ahead pre-flop EVERY TIME, that you end up second?
• Why do they ship a privacy screen for a lap top (say 15 x 10 inches, flat) in a giant cardboard box with 6 cubic feet of air and tons of packing material?
• I now have a docking station for my lap top in the office. With a BAM. Big-ass monitor. Did I mention "big?"

That's all for now.

But I'm in California, I'm sure I'll have more puzzling observations soon.

Respectfully submitted,

The Wife