One on a Sticky Note

I clicked apply, saw the ridiculous spinning wheel, and proclaimed with a quick wave of my hand, "And folks, this is where I simply walk away for a few moments and practice my patience."  I did just that too - walked between two of the tables as we all shared a laugh.  When I turned around to make my way back to the front, the wheel was gone and the report was loaded.   

A few minutes later when everyone was back to working through the work on their own, a lovely first grade teacher handed me a sticky note which read, "Patience is the ability to idle your engine when you feel like stripping your gears."  It was written in perfect first grade teacher handwriting and I thought to myself, okay I get it - here is yet another reminder.  I smiled at her and we nodded in our heads in a mutual understanding.    

 

Patience.  It isn't easy and it's especially not easy for this girl.  

It's like Momma Debi has said to me time and time again.  

"We can all have patience.  But real patience is not just waiting, but waiting graciously."  

The universe gave me a sign today - quite literally one on a sticky note.  

I'll take my hint.  

Plural Pineapple

A few weeks ago in Fargo, I wrote this. 

I wore high heels for the first time today in 5.5 months, three cheers for being normal.   

The internet didn't work this morning in my training.  The system I train for is only on the internet.  So in other words, it was awesome.  Insert extreme sarcasm here.  I sent folks on a seven minute break and came up with Plan B because the show must go on.  

Today, my outfit was a purple dress with a gold scarf.  I enjoyed it much and then I thought to myself, "Self, these are your high school colors.  If you were still sixteen and high school, you would laugh at this as a mom outfit trying to be school spirit-ish."  Then I moved on.  

My coworker invited me over for lunch today because I was in her town and fed me lettuce, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, pineapple, and grapes.  In other words, heaven.  I find it funny that the plural of pineapple is pineapple.  I would like to say pineapples but it just isn't correct, so I don't.

I love the days and nights I work in the same town that my little sister lives.  I think I will bribe Em to always live there so I have someone to have patio rooftop pizza with and someone to braid my hair and teach me how to put on blush in the evenings after the work day is done.  It's so much better than sitting in a hotel room by yourself.  So much better.  Love that little nugget this much, arms open wide. 

The above picture is the evidence that yes, we went to Rhombus Guys twice in one week.  Once to sit on the patio and once to sit in a booth and color - both to eat their delicious Cuban pizza.

Portland Now, But Yellowstone Then

When I wished and wanted for a life of non-routine, I didn't realize quite all what that would include.  I just remember feeling trapped, driving to the same building every single day on the same road after doing the same exact thing the day before.  I remember thinking there had to be something different for me.   

Friday night, I sat on an airplane and wanted to be at home instead.  I had already been staying in hotels all week for meetings, two presentations, and one conference.  Kiel had joined me and we were set to take off for Portland because it had been planned as a "vacation" weekend to start our work trips that collided in Oregon this week.  However, I wasn't feeling vacation Friday night.  I wanted anything but an airplane.  And my attitude showcased those sentiments.  

If someone would have offered me the choice of drive to same building every single day on the same road, I would have jumped.  

Because let me tell you this - it isn't all fun, this travel working.  With its long days which often extend into night, it isn't all fun at all.  Nothing is.  That's the beauty of life, the ups and downs.  And normal sane Amy who has gotten enough sleep and who doesn't have to pack three different suitcases to coordinate two entire weeks of travel knows that and keeps good perspective on that.  But extremely tired Amy wants home with clothes out of a drawer and food out of a fridge.

Saturday morning, we woke up in Portland after finally arriving at 2:00 am.  I drank coffee out of a real mug, had the right amount of sleep in my bones, and felt human again.  I felt like I was getting a relaxing Saturday morning, even if it was in yet another hotel breakfast area.  

My attitude was on point, I apologized for my night before antics, and I was ready for a "vacation" weekend.  

I'm not really sure what the point of all this is.  Maybe it's to say that nothing is ever perfect and everything has its ups and downs.  Routine work life or nontraditional travel work life, it all just depends on what is right for life at the time.  It all just depends on what we are willing to give and take on and for.      

I just did laundry at a hotel in Portland and that was a down, but tonight we are driving to the coast to grab dinner and that is an up.   

Also, in case you are wondering...hotel laundry is precisely like college laundry.  The dryer doesn't dry completely with one cycle even though it blows so hot the clothes come out a size smaller.

On a Sunday in mid-September, we day tripped to Yellowstone to hike by the waterfall.  I don't think I'll ever tire of this kind of beauty.  I better not, because that would mean I am not taking the time to soak it up.  It also would mean Kiel has stopped schlepping the big camera on trails; I should note the selfies are not from the big camera, although I'm sure you can tell.