The Walking Man

They sent us home early today. I know I've been feeling envious of my sister and my perception of her ability to do whatever she wants on any given day, but it was SUPER disruptive because I had so much work to do. It wasn't anyone's fault or anything, but I ran three hours' worth of group and had a lot of unfinished business. One pt's mom had called, sounding very concerned ---intermission---
Frank just came home. I should think of a nickname for him. I think I'm resentful that his job is creating these wacky hours for him. It means from 5pm and on I need to be really quiet. It's not like I was planning on vacuuming or anything, but I can't really go to bed at a reasonable hour, because I'll wake him up. Which means I go to bed when he does, at around 5, or I sleep on the couch until he gets up to go to work at 2am. I dunno it seems like a lose-lose. Impossible to totally compromise on. Anyway, in the middle of typing the word "concerned" he tried opening the front screen door which I had locked because I went to the bathroom. And it was 59 degrees in here when I got home so naturally it was warmer outside and I had the storm door open. Anyway, I sat down to finish my sentence and my train of thought had been derailed by then. Let me switch tracks.
I don't think I told you about my wardrobe malfunction yesterday. First of all, in my defense, there are two key points to remember here: 1. it's very difficult to remember from year to year which sweater dress is too short to wear lace tights versus leggings. unfortunately, the difference is crucial. 2. I only ran into the wardrobe malfunction because I've been good at going to the gym early every morning before work. So anyway, if you're good at pairing written explanation with visual imagery, you can imagine that the issue was that I overestimated the length of a sweater dress and paired it with lace tights instead of solid leggings. This I did not recognize until I was standing in the shower stall at the gym at 8:20ish am, when work starts at 8:30. Fabulous. I     was     so     embarrassed.
And of course one of the gym ppl whose opinion I care about (because he's a trainer) pulled up in his Mercedes just as I was leaving with my pissy-face on because I was so upset with myself. I called Dinelle who really is a voice of reason when it counts, and rushed over to Walmart as it was the closest and guaranteed to be open. I embarrassingly had to bend down to sift through the leggings and found a pair and put them on in the parking lot. classy. $5.88 later, my ass was properly covered. Then the issue was that the dress was still too short for my comfort. But Dinelle, Tina and Jamie said it looked fine. So I had to be satisfied with it. That was also the day we realized we had a flea infestation at work so it's a good thing I was in layers because I had to get undressed in my driveway. Ga-ross.
Today was nonstop. got to work and clocked in at 8:40. Put lunch away, refilled water bottle, grabbed a spoon for my yogurt, gathered my paperwork, morning meeting at 8:45. Lasted until about 9:15ish. My officemate, Jackie, called out due to finding a flea on her, so naturally I was paranoid about sitting in my office. So I stood, grabbed my yogurt, discussed plans for the 11:30 group with Erica, jotted down what I had to do today, grabbed my group things including my water and a tissue, and then marched off to group. I was in group from 9:35-11:10, it was great, then I went back to my office, checked in with Erica who decided to co-facilitate the 11:30 group with me instead of sit in on an eval (zzz), listened to my voicemail msgs, called the two ppl who had no-showed to make sure they knew to call the main number tomorrow to make sure we're open, wrote a letter and photocopied it on letterhead for one pt, printed notes, and it was back to group with my water and coat, and we had group outside from 11:30 to 12:25. It was GREAT! So encouraging. ::sigh::. I had an eval that didn't get done because I really wanted to just leave and let Viking fumigate or bomb or whatever it was that they needed to do. Dinelle helped me move stuff on the floor so they could vacuum, I emailed a couple of people, and by 12:45ish I had vacated the premises. It moves so quickly. The day. It is only now 5pm but it goes so quickly because we're so busy. I'm not sure what people think of when they imagine what it's like in group psychotherapy, but it can get very tense, very awkward, very loud or very quiet, very focused or very very very tangential and flighty. I'm glad I'm taken by it. I think it makes the whole process of being a social work-y-therapist enjoyable. I hope others can find the same kind of all-encompassing activity.
Back to the walking man. I don't know if that's the name of the song or if it's just what James Taylor repeats a lot but there's a song where James Taylor repeats "walking man" and there's a man who lives on 571 along my commute road, and in the mornings a little after 7 as well as at dusk he walks along the road near his house and waves to every single car that goes by. It's very difficult to imagine this behavior in a nutshell and not give the man a name and a life that it appears he is leading. What would his intentions be with waving to all the cars? I wonder how many people wave back. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't, but I always smile. I think his name is Dave.

I might post later if I'm lonely. If not, tomorrow is another day. And I will be bringing an alternate dress to wear in case the one I have picked out is too short.