stress | Piss and Moan

Dreaded place

Tomorrow I start vacation until after the first of the new year. Only, in will feel very little like a vacation since my duties will be trying to keep the house from being destroyed and small children in line.

There will be screaming from them and their parent – during the whole day, and sometimes even at night.

There will be endless cleaning up after people.

There will be a constant watchful eye on everything that is done because one is never sure if it will lead to disaster.

Truthfully, home is a dreaded place.

I know I could cancel my vacation days and just work and take them at another time next year, but I have told too many people what is coming and now not taking them will cause problems.

So, for the two weeks I will look for opportunities to hide, in the house and by leaving the house.

Long Break

Posted on May 7 by backuphill

Photo by Serkan Gu00f6ktay on Pexels.com

It’s been a while since I have written anything. Almost two weeks. This post likely won’t be all that profound, so don’t get all excited. I am not sure when the next post will be after this, but there will be more. Just things to sort out.

Last week was one filled with bad news. Sudden, unexpected, tragic death in the family. Shock. Disbelief. All those sorts of words could be used. Probably lots more.

Vacation to Arizona had been planned for months. It was going to be a time of relaxing and family visiting. Earlier this week, we left for Arizona. Only the relaxing and family time has been upended with stress, grieving, and uncertainty. Family we were coming to see is now broken and trying to hold it together. There is much to do while here and there is no relief for the weary. To end it all with a Celebration of Life, well, let’s say this is the worst vacation ever.

I have been sick with the flu or a cold the last couple days. Trying to power through it wasn’t working, so today was a rest day. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Anyway, an explanation for the absence.

Hug your loved ones.

You never know when the last time is, indeed, the last time.

Buffer

Posted on March 4, 2021 by backuphill

I made a mistake. I think (at least I think I think) I knew better, but I ignored my better instincts that told me I should do something that I did not.

I should have left a buffer day between returning from vacation and going back to work.

This getting home late and then getting up early for work stuff is terrible.

Of course, now I am on the second day back at work but I can now see that yesterday was a terrible day. There was just too much to do on the personal side of things to get caught up on time to work on the work side of things too. That cause stress…probably self-imposed stress, but stress nonetheless.

I think it is smart to include that buffer day. A day to catch up on home stuff, ease back into the regular schedule, and mentally prepare for what is to come once back at work. I didn’t do the buffer day because I was trying to be frugal with the vacation days. Not that I have to be, that’s just the way I am.

Anyway, regular schedule is back in full swing and I am not fully adjusted. But, it is what it is.

Retirement looks better and better, 20 years from now…

The road seems so long.

Stacked up

Posted on September 9, 2020 by backuphill

The work is stacking up and there is no sight to get it all done. Not any time soon.

More and more things are being added but nothing is being taken away. There is no time to focus on anything, so projects that would help clients aren’t getting done. Instead, dealing with “immediate needs” is eating up all our time.

I am not sure how I will be able to dig myself out of the backlog of work. My projects have been pushed and pushed and pushed.

Anyone else find it hard to go to (in whatever form that looks like) work when they are constantly feeling behind?

Noon

Posted on July 17, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Noon, and all I wanna do is sit down.

Technically, I have been sitting all morning while I work.

But I mean like actually sit down and relax. Actually, you probably already know what I meant without me having to say it. I think we would all just like to sit down and put our feet up.

It’s July 17, 2020, and we are now officially more than halfway through the year.

That’s not real comforting to know that when it feels like we have been through three years in the last six months. Right?

The next six months is shaking out to be another 4 years worth of issues. How fun will that be?

Anyone else just…tired?

Tired physically, emotionally, and of anything and everything?

Over

Posted on July 10, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I’m over it.

I’m over that.

I’m over this.

I’m over the other thing.

I’m over done.

I’m over did.

I’m over do.

I’m over you.

I’m over me.

I’m over today.

I’m over tomorrow.

I’m over yesterday.

I’m over this day, week, month, year.

Morning flight

Posted on February 26, 2020 by backuphill

man walking on the road holding black luggage during sunset

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Travel day has arrived! To say that I am excited might be an understatement. Sun, baseball, buddies, beer, food,…yeah, it’s gonna be a blast.

Unfortunately, the start hasn’t been completely smooth.

I left the house one time and got the the airport exactly as anticipated. Grabbed the small suitcase, pulled up the handle for better handling while rolling, and headed to check in for my flight. I was checking the bag (it’s free) so I didn’t bother to check in early.

I got to the kiosk, checked in, and went to put the handle down on the suitcase and it won’t go down…like not move, at all….I pushed. I shoved. I pulled. I pounded. I tried finessing it. NOTHING. It isn’t moving. Great.

I am not unpacking this thing to see if I can get the bars for the handle to move from the inside. Oh, and I didn’t happen to bring my hacksaw with me so I can’t cut the dang thing off.

I asked the luggage people what I should do. They said, “We’ll still check it.” REALLY? Thank goodness!

Stress melted away.

Coffee is being consumed and I am waiting to board my flight. Let’s hope that is the only challenge faced during this trip.

The list

Posted on February 25, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels.com

I am leaving, on a jet plane…and I know when I’ll be back again, unfortunately. I seriously could enjoy the life of retirement and no plan or commitments every day. *sigh* Alas, I must settle for small breaks in the routine.

Anyway, I have a list.

A self-imposed list. It’s always self-imposed.

I wrote up all the things I need to do and would like to do before leaving, in less than 24 hours. It’s too long.

Some of the things are just reminders of small things I need to make sure get packed and other things are actually things I want to get done.

I know one of my blogger friends, Curt, wrote about his “to do list” not too long ago, and how a list before traveling is a love/hate-win/lose kind of exercise. I totally identified with it because I do it too, and have done it again!

How many of you are the same way? Suddenly seeing your physical or mental “to do list” grow so long before vacation that you can never get it all done if you had two weeks to do it? Why do we stress ourselves even a little before we vacation?

Tuckered

Posted on October 25, 2019 by backuphill

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

It’s Friday and I need it.

Anyone else feel like this week was extra long and extra trying? Me too.

Estimates are now coming in for the room replacement/repair and, boy, it ain’t pretty. They are about $5-8k more than I expected they would be. Now the challenge is having to find a way to pay for this thing.

Meanwhile, the rainy season continues and the hope that temporary bandaids on the roof are going to work for at least a month (as that is about how long, apparently, it takes to get a HELOC – even when the bank is the one that already owns your mortgage).

So, I will try to survive this day and hope that a couch and a beer will waiting at home will help let the week’s stress go.

How bad do you need this Friday and weekend?

Donut figure?

Posted on September 6, 2019 by backuphill

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Donut figure?

I decided to take donuts to the office this morning because it’s been a couple long weeks due to the start up of school and every day has been stressful. We seemingly have had more help tickets come through out system in the last two weeks than we have had in a long time.

Anyway, as it turns out, there is already an organization wide meetings this morning (not just our staff meeting which the donuts were for) and there is typically refreshments served at that meeting. So, the donuts will likely go mostly uneaten.

Wasted food. Wasted money. Dare I say, wasted gesture?

Maybe not.

I guess I have a lot of eating to do this morning…which may actually lead to a donut figure of my own.