Various meet Sundry

[scarlettina]

Lots to talk about this morning:

My last day at work and a brief meditation on endings and changes
I've already mentioned my last-day lunch, the last-day gift and the last-day magaritas (which were fun). But the last day at this job, a job that lasted only two months, ended with a moment of regret. I stood in the door of what was no longer my office, looking at the corner with the desk in it that was no longer my desk, and had a moment, just a moment, when I found myself a little choked up. Even if it was only two months, and not a great two months in terms of my comfort level with the work, it was two months gone, two months in which I actually got some really good work done and made a difference to the team I worked on.

I don't do endings well. I never have, just as I don't do goodbyes well. Separations, endings, major changes are hard for me. I get attached and invested quickly. I take things personally often when I really shouldn't. These are not rational choices; they are elemental behaviors. Therapy has helped me recognize them, but has managed only slightly to change them. Knowing, I guess, is half the battle because then I can take myself in hand. As for the rest, well, once I'm attached, I'm hard to shake off. Sometimes I hang on to friends—and jobs and homes—longer than I should. That's how it is. One day I will learn, perhaps. But in the meanwhile, the best I can do is acknowledge that endings and changes are challenging for me, own the feelings and move on. We do what we have to do.

The good thing, though, is that this ending comes with a new beginning at the other side. I dropped a note to my new manager and told her I was looking forward to starting the new gig when I get back from my trip. And as I wrote it, I knew it was true.

So today, I have the day off, about which I can only say, "YAY!"

Workshop
Went to workshop last night and had the new story critiqued. This week's lesson, finally penetrating, is that one does not have to act on every little bit of critique one hears. Despite years of attending workshops, somehow the lesson's only just now penetrated. Less is sometimes more and critique is merely someone else's opinion. Some things are right for a story; some things just aren't. Having learned the lesson, I was able to hear the positive feedback along with the negative and felt pretty good about it all when it was over.

It certainly helped to start the session off that BC brought a lovely lemon cake to celebrate the sale of my poem "Confection" to Talebones. Sugar and lemons sure do take the sting out! ::grin::

I dream of short hair
Last night, my one vivid dream was that I cut my hair really short, shorter than it's ever, ever been. So short, in fact, that my poor pale scalp was visible in some spots. In the dream I was much thinner than I am now (the only circumstance under which I'd cut my hair pixie-short, something I'd love to do someday). I stood looking at myself in the mirror trying to decide how I felt about it and thinking, "Wow, this is really short." I ran my hand over my head and then I woke up. When I checked my flist this morning, I discovered that cheesepuppet has cut her hair short-very-short. Hmmm... Coinkidink or psychic phenomenon? You be the judge!

So much to do today. Here's the list
To be updated later to guage my progress, in no particular order:
—Go to the gym
—Clean out sink
—Clean out litter box
—Revise and mail out new story
—Hit the dry cleaner to pick up comforter and jacket
—Do pre-trip laundry
—Hit the office to drop off my computer
—Buy a new pair of jeans and maybe shorts for trip
—Hit the grocery store for cat food and kitty litter
—Print out instructions for cat sitter
—Pack
—Go to KS' party
That last item must remain negotiable depending upon how much I get done today; hate to miss it, but I must be up far too early tomorrow morning to insist on being a party girl if I run out of time. It's only now that I'm admitting I may have overcommitted myself in this matter. ::sigh::

Woe
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has announced that she's retiring. I shudder at the thought of the repercussions of this decision. The coming years, I fear, will bring a colder, darker era. I respect her needs and wishes but I worry for the rest of us.

Meta tags for this morning
redaxe posted a link to some nifty new icons a friend of his made from screencaps of the film 1776 in honor of Independence Day. To quote Tony the Tiger, they're great!

mabfan posts wittily about today's foreign celebration, Canada Day, including some keen links on the subject.

So that's this morning's scoop.

Comments

[ghilledhu.livejournal.com]

Aiee! 1776 icons!

Pity I don't have a paid account...maybe I can swap one of my current icons out.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

mabfan posts wittily

Thank you!

This week's lesson, finally penetrating, is that one does not have to act on every little bit of critique one hears.

Ah. I learned that from John Ordover, many years ago. A valuable lesson indeed.

Bad Wolf

[kistha.livejournal.com]

Check my journal for your icons!

Loves

Re: Bad Wolf

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Thank you!