Oh...What A Week!

Weeks for me, as of late, have been busy. But I've been busy before with working, writing, doing shows, and attending conferences.

But this week was brutal!

So, here's a quick rundown of my week.

Monday: I worked my day job for ten hours, then finished up by working another four at my p/t job. I was caught up on all my work and because of upcoming events, I asked for--and was granted--a day off for Tuesday. I'm glad I did because when I got to my second job I found out I was scheduled to work an eight-hour shift on Friday and again on Saturday.

Complications.

Tuesday: Great day! I did some writing and in the evening my daughter and I attended a cast reunion of a show we did last Christmas. Great party, great time!

Wednesday: Not only did I work the ten and four hour shifts, I also had two internal job interviews. I haven't heard back on either of them. Just one interview can cause some stress. Doubling that can increase the stress exponentially. I was tired when I got home.

Thursday: Just the ten-hour shift, thank you very much. That night some of my kids and I attended a performance of Centerpoint Legacy Theatre's West Side Story. It was fantastic! On Thursday I had to write two blog posts, one for Thursday and one for Friday. 

Why? 

Friday: I worked my p/t gig until 6pm, after which I came home then loaded up the car and went on a scout camping excursion with my youngest. I had agreed to go camping the week before when I thought--according to the schedule I've worked for months--that if I worked a full shift Friday, I would have Saturday off. Nope. So, my son and I went camping and I needed to be at work the next morning at 9:30am. Luckily we camped only a mile from my house. That's why I had to write two blog posts Thursday. I just didn't have time to do it on Friday.

Saturday: I might have gotten four (maybe five with a stretch...) hours of sleep last night. I don't sleep well away from home usually. Add a somewhat breezy night and an inflatable mattress that leaked and needed re-inflating several times throughout the night and you've got a recipe for no sleep. But I did get up in time to break camp, head home for a shower and breakfast and make it to work on time. Right now the wife and kids are at a friends house filling the sky with fireworks. I was invited, but I just couldn't go. I needed to do absolutely nothing...except write this post, of course.

Even though the week as tough, I had some great times. Tuesday night's cast party was a lot of fun. Seeing West Side Story Thursday night was an amazing experience, and it's hard to beat roasting marshmallows over an open fire with your son and good friends. Those interviews might turn out something as well. Plus, I got a response from Ravi Patel on my blog post where he's the star of the documentary. Always cool to see celebrities check out your blog.

Good week. Hard week. Glad tomorrow's Sunday.

When Sick...What Do I Really Need?

Because we're human and not immortal, we get sick, and sometimes the timing is not optimal. Of course, there's never a good time to not feel well, but some times are worse than others.

For the past several days I've been "under the weather," which is an odd phrase considering weather is something that takes place in the air and the air is above us (unless there exists weather systems that operate from ground level to between three to eight feet that I don't know about...).

But I digress.

Last week I began a new part-time job. It's been fun, but also tiring conditioning my body to put in more work after my usual ten-hour shifts end. I'm sure it will be easier once I learn all the new things about the job and get used to the work. But throw an illness into the mix and all bets are off.

Yesterday I came to work (at my full-time job...) hoping I could get through the day. I slept a lot on Sunday, so much so, that my "not-sleeping-so-well" Sunday night might be offset. Maybe it did--all I know is yesterday things were tough. The building was even having one of its famous "temperature issues" where it adapts from winter to summer. To everyone else on the floor, it was uncomfortably warm. I wore a jacket.

Yesterday, after eight hours I decided to go home and get some sleep. I also decided to not set my alarm this morning to sleep in (both decisions were supervisor approved...). The difference this morning was amazing! I'm not 100%, but much better than yesterday or the day before. Maybe talking all the medications helps. Maybe the illness that I had is winding down. But I think the best thing I did to make myself feel better is to just get some rest.

Starting A Part-Time Gig...

It's interesting, but about the time I really got interested in reading and writing, I've spent less and less time in libraries. Had my new obsession occurred a decade or two earlier, I would have spent hours and hours among the physical books, magazines, and periodicals.

I guess the internet took away that joy, too.

But, funny how things happen. How, when you put in an application to work part-time at your local library and you give it time, you just might end up as one of those guys (or gals...) that wanders around the library with a cart full of books replacing the items we all at one time took out to either look at or leave the building with.

I thought having a part-time job would be so easy, especially after being in play after play for the past two years. It turns out, it's not, at least, not in the beginning. When we do plays we usually learn the music first. This involves all of us sitting around and listening to the music director play our parts. Then we sing.

This is my first week as a shelver and I didn't do a lot of sitting (and zero time singing...). In fact, I spent almost all my shifts on my feet. With plays, when it's not your scene being rehearsed, you sit and wait. When working part-time at the library, it's always your scene.

I hope these comments do not come off as complaints. I'm just expressing how my expectations differ from the realities of the new job. I've even had to take different busses to work--no big deal, just more planning.

But as I wheel my cart among the patrons and bookshelves, it's wonderful to see books I've read, and better yet, books written by people I know. Yes, it's a part-time gig, and I am among friends.

Falling Asleep...At Church

So, what does this picture have to do with falling asleep in church?

Good question.

When Sunday afternoon rolls around and I find myself with a couple hundred of my neighbors in a large building designed for worship, I inevitably begin to fall asleep. Maybe not every week, but most weeks. Today was like most weeks. 

As the speakers begin, my eyelids get a little heavy. Of course, I'm still listening to the talks and taking in as much as I can. But then, after a while, I realize that my eyes have been closed for more than a few moments and if anyone asked me what the last speaker said, I'd be hard pressed to give specific details. Sometimes I even catch myself softly snoring. Usually when that happens, my wife gives me a little nudge and I return to the world of the living.

I've had trouble staying awake in church for a while, but recently, it's been even more difficult. Working two jobs, especially when one of those jobs deals with walking around in 100+ degree temperatures during the warmest part of the day dressed as a turn-of-the-century snake oil salesman. That can take a lot out of you.

I should say at this point that the reason I nod off is NOT due to the quality of the speakers. They are usually excellent with important things to learn, so really, my inattention is definitely my loss. And every once in a while I end up staying awake for all of the meetings. Maybe I'll do that next week.

But what does the above picture have to do with falling asleep in church? It's usually the first thing I see when I wake up.