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Behind the Counter…

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It’s intriguing how the pandemic changed me. It’s hard, though, to figure out what is change because of the pandemic and what is because of retirement. But, that’s beyond today’s post.

I ventured into to not one, but two, retail stores this week – the kinds that are near and dear to my heart – a bookstore and REI. What else do we need in life?

I also had to go get some labs drawn.

I’m so glad I had these opportunities, not to shop but to meet at least two people that will stand out in my mind for a very long time.

They were the people “behind the counter”.

I wonder how much we think of these folks especially at this time of year. I ask myself, how would I handle all these different types of customers. You know, the ones that are always right, always in a hurry and have to be first. And boy, do they get upset if the store doesn’t have what they want – like it’s the clerk’s fault. I am positive I would be fired within the first week and most likely, the first day.

“You have to give a urine sample.”

The woman at the lab I wasn’t so sure of at first. Your number is called and you are called into the collection room into cubicles. Usually, like so many health care providers these days, they spend all their time looking at the computer. She did initially until she said: “You have to give a urine specimen”. I replied “That’s ok, at my age I can pee on demand!” Then I told her that wasn’t always the case because I could never provide a urine sample for drug tests because I couldn’t pee in front of someone. She started laughing and then began an animated confession about her recent dealings with hot flashes and we had a grand old time.

Now, after all these years I have absolutely no anxiety about blood draws but when I have to have human contact, I want it to be fun or nice anyway. That’s not asking too much, I don’t think.

I could tell she was having fun with it too, so we both came out happy. And I will remember her for a long time.

“Did you know this is a camera holder too?

REI employs many friendly people. But, this week, I met one of the best and you can bet, it will bring me back there (that’s the whole point isn’t it).

I bought a walking stick that was light weight – good to use getting back from my stress fracture. As she was ringing me up she said “did you know this has a camera holder?” and proceeded to take the top off and show me how it could be used to take a selfie. She was funny but you could tell she just wanted others to be as happy about things as she was. And it worked. Her attitude has to be the best in a sales person that I’ve ever seen.

These people are harassed all the time. What can you do to make their day a bit better. You know that what you give, you also receive so see how you can make a difference in the next week as the holiday hectic happenings are in full force. They are people just like you and they want to be treated with the respect and courtesy we “demand”.

How hard is that?

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Don’t Shoot the Messenger…or Yourself

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As I sit here waiting all friggin day until the city inspector gets to my appointment, I am thinking very hard about this.

I don’t like being captive because people can’t schedule things so that other people can live their lives too. “No, I can’t give you any closer time frame. It will be somewhere between 8 and 4”.

Bottom line “they” don’t care that other people have things to do.

So, I decided to examine my aggravation – nothing else to do, right?

First, can I be upset with the company that contacted me to set up the appointment. This is just a continuation (and hopefully the end) of my 2022 air conditioning fiasco so there is already kindling in the fire.

No, I can’t really be upset with them. They had to get a permit to put in the gas part of the system (as I understand it) and in order for the permit to be “cleared”, the installation has to be inspected by some city official. Essentially, they are just the messenger. It’s not their fault. After all, they are following the rules which had the other installers done the same, they would have discovered the two life-threatening code violations. One is so egregious I am still fuming. They didn’t hook up the furnace exhaust duct so that if I had turned on the heat, I would have most likely succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning. oh goodie.

So, scratch them off the list.

Can I be upset with the city for not having a more efficient scheduling system? Yes. Even if they can’t give specific appointments, I don’t see why they couldn’t at least do half day time frames instead of an entire day.

Add them to the list….but, can I be upset with the person who’s going to do the inspection? No, it’s not their rule.

Oh well….

Can I be upset that I have to stay home all day? I could, but it would be a false front. If I were still working, that would be a different story. but I’m not, so it’s no big deal for me to have to stay home today – especially since I’m still staying off my foot and can’t walk..and I’m working feverishly on my next release.

Is there something more beneficial with less energy expenditure that I can do? Sure, there are plenty of things including those I just listed.

Scorecard – If I wanted to write to the city government (how do you address that envelope – “dear city government”? – ha, I think not), I could do it. But it’s like worrying – either write the letter, mail it, and move on or just move on. What good does it do to be upset? That is always the question. The answer is usually pretty simple, too, if you take time to examine it…

Have a good day – I know I will!

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Worry…

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Maybe I’m just a slow learner but things are coming to me in old age that I have been trying to learn and understand for decades…lol

My mother always told me not to worry. My father, however, was an expert worry-wart. I inherited his “worry DNA”.

But, for some reason, much has become clear to me in the past month or so. Maybe it’s having to be off my foot and what that has symbolized.

I think I am learning NOT to worry. I am amazed so I don’t want to make any official press releases to that effect yet. Ha!

It really doesn’t do any good to worry. But, I think it’s a control thing. We feel that if we worry about something, we are exerting some sort of control over our fate and the “thing’s” outcome. Many of us, including myself, have hung on to that belief for so long. When control is taken away from us, we think it’s the most horrible fate in the world. But it’s actually freeing. Let me give you an example.

Anyone who has followed me for 4 years knows how much I have hated (which really means been extremely frightened of) the dentist. My dental state can testify to that. Of course, it shouldn’t be a surprise because until I got so sick in 2017, i didn’t think enough of myself and my body to take care of anything. The “invulnerability” syndrome of a person’s 20s persisted in me until 2016.

Anyway, I have had to have a lot of dental work as a result. Since before Vol State this year, I have had a problematic tooth that has consistently, but intermittently reminded me of its presence. So, last week i decided it might be time for something else to be done (it already had a filling, so “something else” equals a root canal.

I made the appointment for today. I wasn’t afraid to do that. First surprise.

I have not worried about it at all – no catastrophizing, no “what if”, no “it’s going to hurt so much”, nothing.

I showed up today and this guy whom I just adore anyway (Advanced Smile Care is the best) told me since the max pain was 1-2 i didn’t need the root canal right now. I could wait until it got worse.

When I left, i realized how much time out of my life would have been wasted had i spent that time worrying about this whole thing. What a freeing and relaxing feeling.

When you realize you don’t have the “power” you think you have (meaning you think you can control the outcome of pretty much anything, vice controlling the process or effort you put into it), you feel so much better and have time to just enjoy being alive.

Remember to use the mantra I do – “Everything always works out for me!”