It is the first day of 2009, a year I never thought would get here. So much has changed in the last 365 days; I can only imagine what will come in the next 364.
2008 brought…
The beginning of my Super-Senior year at Simpson, a milestone I would have thought I could avoid, but when you add majors and minors every other day, it is truly hard to avoid.
The house shape (yes Jess it’s a pentagon) I entered 2008 with my best-friend leaving me for all of the allure of Europe and me stuck in the snow of Iowa, but I became unbelievably close with the other three corners of that house (EmK, Tasha and Jess) and wouldn’t have it any other way.
The reunion of everything that is Emily and Meridith, I never have more fun and randomness than when I’m with her, and after four months apart, we made up for it with the remaining eight months.
A semester in which I actually passed a science class. I had been running on a bit of a slump and had a few rough semesters in Carver, but Fall semester brought about a return to good grades, and so much less stress.
Another mid-life crisis… it’s official I have absolutely no idea what I want to be when I grow up, the only problem is, I am officially four months from growing up. I have decided that I will be taking suggestions from anyone who has any, then I will put them in a hat on May 16th and whatever I draw out, I will pursue.
More “littles” and sisterhood. I am becoming more and more of the sorority girl that I used to avoid; I honestly don’t remember where I was before I joined, or who I was that first year. I collected two more littles in 2008 and get more slack for it than I should, but the sorority consumes my life and I’ve become pretty proud of being that girl.
The discovery of 14-hour days. Working two jobs and going to school has become my life. This summer I worked one full time job (for no pay), one part-time job and went to school. I’m not sure that I actually ever saw the sun, except when driving from one place to another.
A new hobby. I am officially a knitter, although I’m not sure any self-respecting knitter would claim me. I am not able to make anything except for scarves and unfortunately everyone I know already has one, so I will continue to stock up at my house, just in case there is a national shortage and orphans from across the country have very chilly necks.
A new passion. The unpaid internship that I had this summer has turned into a job that I love. The organization is amazing and the kids that we serve mean the world to me. They are truly amazing individuals. It makes the Saturday morning drinking while riding a big wheel totally worth it, and I’ve dragged Emily into it, and she’s doing amazing things there, I think I can leave them in good hands.
The return of the daddy’s girl. This year was a year that I was soo proud of my dad. He gets these crazy ideas in his head and goes for them (obviously a recessive gene I didn’t get). He decided at 52 years old he wanted to do a triathlon. Pretty cool, but even cooler was his reasoning. He has a very good friend that was diagnosed with ALS over a year ago, and my dad wanted to do the triathlon for and with him. He practiced for just a few months, swimming in dirty ponds, riding his bike to the moon and running until he couldn’t run anymore. He pulled his friend in a kayak for the beginning of the race and then did a pass off for him to be pulled behind a bicycle. My dad completed the whole triathlon, and I’ve never been more proud of him.
My sister the doctor. Morgan officially has her doctorate, which I am also very proud of, but she has set the bar very high. While I’m sure no one really considers me to be the failure of the Sayler girls, I’m not sure my high school diploma and bachelors degrees in Biology and Applied Philosophy will look as impressive on paper.
“L-Man Presents.” That house shape has the greatest room in the entire sorority house, and we had to celebrate by inviting everyone over. The Rave that started as a joke turned out to be a great success, with the end of the year Nerd-themed bash being a truly amazing time.
An obsession with Heroes. The TV show took over my life for most of the fall semester, Emily and I watched two seasons on DVD and are now counting down the days until next fall when we can finally watch the season that is currently on, damn you NBC.
Another step towards making a complete ass of myself. This year brought about another homecoming skit (award-winning, no fruit baskets necessary), a show choir-esque performance at All-College Sing (probably never to be repeated, a girl has to accept her weaknesses) and a full-fledged Lip Sync routine (A very rousing performance of “Ain't No Mountain High Enough” if I do say so myself). Oh the things I do for Emily…
A life-changing trip to Namibia. May term 2008 was amazing, the impact that three weeks can have on one life is unbelievable. Despite the near-death experience and the loss of my journal, the trip was perfect and planted a seed in me that will hopefully help me change the world.
There were both highs and lows in 2008, but they were exciting all the same. Even more excitement is to come in 2009, what will happen? Nobody knows.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
My Summer Vacation
As Summer is dwindling down, and school is about to start, I've been thinking about that essay you used to write every year of elementary school after summer vacation, the "What I did over my summer vacation" essay, and well...this is pretty much it.
I started my summer looking for an internship with a non-profit organization, I didn't have any specifics, I just needed a little experience somewhere. I looked online for an organization that works with children (my only requirement) and I stumbled across something wonderful: The Heart Connection Children's Cancer Programs.
The Heart Connection's primary goal is to enhance the quality of life for children and families touched by childhood cancer by providing programs for recreation, education and family support. My work this summer has been primarily working with the two summer camps that The Heart Connection puts on every summer at absolutely no cost to our families. The second week of June I worked as a director's assistant for The Heart Connection's Oncology Camp; we had 138 campers from ages 5-18 who are cancer survivors (we consider them survivors at diagnosis) from every corner of the state. The kids are at varying places in the cancer battle: recently diagnosed, currently on treatment or some are years out of treatment with lasting effects or none at all. It is the most important week of the year for these kids, they live for camp. Camp is one week a year that they get to feel "normal," they are no longer the sick kid, or the kid with cancer, they are just a kid at camp. Because Iowa is such a rural area, most of our kids are the only kid in their town with cancer and chances are, at diagnosis, they have never met another kid with cancer, so camp gives them a week to be with kids who can actually say, "I know how you feel," or "I've been there." For the newly diagnosed child, it is a place to see that others make it through this tough time, because all of the other kids at camp have, it gives them hope that they too can beat cancer, and they are united with every kid there, they are something amazing. On one of the last nights around the campfire, a child who was at camp for the first time, talked about how camp was one of the first times he had gone swimming since he was diagnosed. He had been afraid of what others would say about the scars that covered his abdomen. Without missing a beat, another boy said, "I don't call them scars, I call them battle wounds, and only heroes come home with battle wounds." It summed up the week for me; these kids are heroes. They have been through more than I could possibly imagine, they have been poked and prodded, had infusions and transplants, been through surgeries and chemo, they have lost their hair, and for some even lost limbs. I would honestly say that camp changed my life this year, I have never been so inspired by anyone, and every single kid at camp inspired me every day.
Next week, I will be heading back to camp for The Heart Connection's Sibling Camp. This is a week for the siblings of the kids with cancer to have a week of fun; we currently have over 170 siblings coming. Childhood cancer is not fought solely by the child with cancer, but by entire families. The brothers and sisters often feel excluded, ignored, responsible etc. When you are fighting for your child's life, often times the other children get pushed to the side. This week is a time for these kids to spend time with other siblings who know what they are going through, it is a forum for them to talk about their feelings. They get a week where all of the attention is on them, and they don't have to worry about all of the responsibilities of having a brother or sister that is sick, they just get to have fun. I am so excited to go.
This summer I have also been an important part in setting up a support group for cancer survivors ages 14-30 from across the state of Iowa, an age demographic that is often forgotten. We have also started a support group for parents of children going through treatment, a time for them to exchange information and compare notes, of sorts. I also go to Blank Children's Hospital to spend time with the kids who are waiting on test results and treatment, giving them an outlet to talk to, a fresh face, someone other than doctors and nurses and their parents. If you would like to get a true feel for the amazing place that I work, you should check out a youtube video that was made about our organization. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UyXxlwXSo0
I
I started my summer looking for an internship with a non-profit organization, I didn't have any specifics, I just needed a little experience somewhere. I looked online for an organization that works with children (my only requirement) and I stumbled across something wonderful: The Heart Connection Children's Cancer Programs.
The Heart Connection's primary goal is to enhance the quality of life for children and families touched by childhood cancer by providing programs for recreation, education and family support. My work this summer has been primarily working with the two summer camps that The Heart Connection puts on every summer at absolutely no cost to our families. The second week of June I worked as a director's assistant for The Heart Connection's Oncology Camp; we had 138 campers from ages 5-18 who are cancer survivors (we consider them survivors at diagnosis) from every corner of the state. The kids are at varying places in the cancer battle: recently diagnosed, currently on treatment or some are years out of treatment with lasting effects or none at all. It is the most important week of the year for these kids, they live for camp. Camp is one week a year that they get to feel "normal," they are no longer the sick kid, or the kid with cancer, they are just a kid at camp. Because Iowa is such a rural area, most of our kids are the only kid in their town with cancer and chances are, at diagnosis, they have never met another kid with cancer, so camp gives them a week to be with kids who can actually say, "I know how you feel," or "I've been there." For the newly diagnosed child, it is a place to see that others make it through this tough time, because all of the other kids at camp have, it gives them hope that they too can beat cancer, and they are united with every kid there, they are something amazing. On one of the last nights around the campfire, a child who was at camp for the first time, talked about how camp was one of the first times he had gone swimming since he was diagnosed. He had been afraid of what others would say about the scars that covered his abdomen. Without missing a beat, another boy said, "I don't call them scars, I call them battle wounds, and only heroes come home with battle wounds." It summed up the week for me; these kids are heroes. They have been through more than I could possibly imagine, they have been poked and prodded, had infusions and transplants, been through surgeries and chemo, they have lost their hair, and for some even lost limbs. I would honestly say that camp changed my life this year, I have never been so inspired by anyone, and every single kid at camp inspired me every day.
Next week, I will be heading back to camp for The Heart Connection's Sibling Camp. This is a week for the siblings of the kids with cancer to have a week of fun; we currently have over 170 siblings coming. Childhood cancer is not fought solely by the child with cancer, but by entire families. The brothers and sisters often feel excluded, ignored, responsible etc. When you are fighting for your child's life, often times the other children get pushed to the side. This week is a time for these kids to spend time with other siblings who know what they are going through, it is a forum for them to talk about their feelings. They get a week where all of the attention is on them, and they don't have to worry about all of the responsibilities of having a brother or sister that is sick, they just get to have fun. I am so excited to go.
This summer I have also been an important part in setting up a support group for cancer survivors ages 14-30 from across the state of Iowa, an age demographic that is often forgotten. We have also started a support group for parents of children going through treatment, a time for them to exchange information and compare notes, of sorts. I also go to Blank Children's Hospital to spend time with the kids who are waiting on test results and treatment, giving them an outlet to talk to, a fresh face, someone other than doctors and nurses and their parents. If you would like to get a true feel for the amazing place that I work, you should check out a youtube video that was made about our organization. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UyXxlwXSo0
I
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Another Semester Down...
So… it has been entirely too long since the last time that I have blogged. I have (up until this point) been entirely consumed by this annoying nag that they call College. So I am going to insert as much randomness as I am allowed in one blog to update everyone as to the awesomeness that is the amazing life of me, here goes…
(1) Finals: There is no greater moment in a college student’s life than the dreaded finals week. Last semester, in an attempt to never graduate college ever, I added a second major and a minor. At the time it sounded like a really good idea, I had an amazing professor that convinced me that my calling was to follow in her footsteps. Needless to say, I fell for it. So this was my first (and last) semester being a Biology/Philosophy double major, Women’s Studies minor. The transition between biology and philosophy was not the easiest for me… while the transition between learning information I despise and things that interest me was hard, the most challenging thing for me has been writing papers. I have said every semester since I came to college, that I would much rather write papers than take tests, I just knew that it would be so much easier for me, turns out… I was completely wrong. My finals for this semester consisted of one small test (non-cumulative, just me and the cadavers) and 50 pages worth of papers. Before this year I had never written a paper longer than three pages, this semester I wrote two 15 page papers and a 20 page research paper. If you have never written a 20 page paper, I suggest you give it a try, its worse than I ever could have imagined. This week’s evenings have consisted of the following: write a paragraph while fighting off the pains of ADD and sleep, Tasha and I giggling over things that aren’t funny, write a paragraph, 40 minutes of me distracting her, write a paragraph, 30 minutes of her distracting me, write a paragraph, me staring out the window for 30 minutes, eat a home-baked good, and repeat. Turns out a 20 page paper, at that pace, takes 14 years to write. Next semester’s goal: START EARLY.
(2) Summer Internship: So I have stumbled upon my dream job (despite the lack of pay) I am working this summer for an amazing non-profit organization called The Heart Connection. The Heart Connection provides services that enhance the quality of life for children with cancer by providing programs for recreation, education and family support. The organization sponsors two week-long summer camps for children with cancer and their siblings, with the goal of helping them briefly escape cancer’s effects. They also have support groups for both the children and families, outings to events, hospital-based programs and weekend retreats for children and their families. I am so excited to get started and jump right in, the office houses 5 full time employees, 2 part time employees and me, it is a small office, and I will be able to experience every aspect of the organization. I will be starting on May 19th and am looking forward to all the experiences that I will have this summer.
(3) Going on an adventure: So it is officially less than one week until I am leaving the country. Next week at this time I will be exploring the amazing country of Namibia. Namibia is on the southwest coast of Africa, and I will be there for 2 and ½ weeks. I am going for a may term class on the global impact of AIDS. It is a really interesting class because our primary goal is to experience the people of Namibia. I will spend most of my time listening to stories that the people of Namibia have to share with me. While there, we will experience AIDS clinics, orphanages and speaking with medical personnel. We will also be staying with Namibian families in order to submerse ourselves in their culture. The best part about the trip is that we will be learning things that I could never experience in a classroom on campus. I can’t wait to go, but I definitely need to start packing. I have no idea what I need to bring, so if you have any suggestions feel free to let me know. Also, I will most likely have very little communication with home, so we’ll see if I can finally break that darn facebook addiction.
(4) Bienvenido a estados unidos: So my entire reason for starting a blog was to keep my friends who are studying internationally in the know about my life. I haven’t been very good at keeping up to date with my blog, but I am full of stories to tell them when they return. Four months without your other half is a long time, and I am so excited to have them back. I wish that I could be at the airport to pick you up, but I will be out of the country also. Can’t wait to see you, I’ve missed you bunches.
(1) Finals: There is no greater moment in a college student’s life than the dreaded finals week. Last semester, in an attempt to never graduate college ever, I added a second major and a minor. At the time it sounded like a really good idea, I had an amazing professor that convinced me that my calling was to follow in her footsteps. Needless to say, I fell for it. So this was my first (and last) semester being a Biology/Philosophy double major, Women’s Studies minor. The transition between biology and philosophy was not the easiest for me… while the transition between learning information I despise and things that interest me was hard, the most challenging thing for me has been writing papers. I have said every semester since I came to college, that I would much rather write papers than take tests, I just knew that it would be so much easier for me, turns out… I was completely wrong. My finals for this semester consisted of one small test (non-cumulative, just me and the cadavers) and 50 pages worth of papers. Before this year I had never written a paper longer than three pages, this semester I wrote two 15 page papers and a 20 page research paper. If you have never written a 20 page paper, I suggest you give it a try, its worse than I ever could have imagined. This week’s evenings have consisted of the following: write a paragraph while fighting off the pains of ADD and sleep, Tasha and I giggling over things that aren’t funny, write a paragraph, 40 minutes of me distracting her, write a paragraph, 30 minutes of her distracting me, write a paragraph, me staring out the window for 30 minutes, eat a home-baked good, and repeat. Turns out a 20 page paper, at that pace, takes 14 years to write. Next semester’s goal: START EARLY.
(2) Summer Internship: So I have stumbled upon my dream job (despite the lack of pay) I am working this summer for an amazing non-profit organization called The Heart Connection. The Heart Connection provides services that enhance the quality of life for children with cancer by providing programs for recreation, education and family support. The organization sponsors two week-long summer camps for children with cancer and their siblings, with the goal of helping them briefly escape cancer’s effects. They also have support groups for both the children and families, outings to events, hospital-based programs and weekend retreats for children and their families. I am so excited to get started and jump right in, the office houses 5 full time employees, 2 part time employees and me, it is a small office, and I will be able to experience every aspect of the organization. I will be starting on May 19th and am looking forward to all the experiences that I will have this summer.
(3) Going on an adventure: So it is officially less than one week until I am leaving the country. Next week at this time I will be exploring the amazing country of Namibia. Namibia is on the southwest coast of Africa, and I will be there for 2 and ½ weeks. I am going for a may term class on the global impact of AIDS. It is a really interesting class because our primary goal is to experience the people of Namibia. I will spend most of my time listening to stories that the people of Namibia have to share with me. While there, we will experience AIDS clinics, orphanages and speaking with medical personnel. We will also be staying with Namibian families in order to submerse ourselves in their culture. The best part about the trip is that we will be learning things that I could never experience in a classroom on campus. I can’t wait to go, but I definitely need to start packing. I have no idea what I need to bring, so if you have any suggestions feel free to let me know. Also, I will most likely have very little communication with home, so we’ll see if I can finally break that darn facebook addiction.
(4) Bienvenido a estados unidos: So my entire reason for starting a blog was to keep my friends who are studying internationally in the know about my life. I haven’t been very good at keeping up to date with my blog, but I am full of stories to tell them when they return. Four months without your other half is a long time, and I am so excited to have them back. I wish that I could be at the airport to pick you up, but I will be out of the country also. Can’t wait to see you, I’ve missed you bunches.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Aunt Poodle... you are the cheese to my macaroni
There are some days where you wake up and you know that today is going to be a day that changes my life, today was one of those days. My first classes weren't monumental, but I could feel the tides a turning. When I returned to Pi Phi for the very coveted 2nd lunch I was dismayed to find that there was no Macaroni to go with my cottage cheese. I was very sad that Karma didn't make enough Mac n' cheese. When SJ arrived she also complained that Karma didn't make enough food for us. Aunt Poodle caught wind that there was dismay in the air and arrived in the kitchen (wearing the red cape). She decided that she needed to make mac n' cheese for us despite protest from everyone involved. We watched from the dining room as she whipped out a mixing bowl (yes a metal mixing bowl) filled it with water and put it on the gas stove. She boiled the water and added noodles and the butter. We watched with disbelief, I have never seen anyone cook pasta in a bowl before especially with butter. After getting the water to boil with the noodles and the butter in the bowl she disappeared for 15 minutes in search of a strainer. We just laughed then everyone bailed on me and left me at the table. While in search for the bermuda triangle/a clean strainer MD added more butter and milk hoping to rectify the disaster that was the mac n' cheese. Aunt Poodle then returned to the Big kitchen, we laughed and giggled as the other girls insisted that she would mess it up, but no I stood up for her because she repeatedly looked at the box, and for sure she can read, right?? Wrong. When she finally called us in to sample her creation, I almost died. It was a macaroni n' cheese swamp, unlike anything I had ever seen. JL questioned her skills as a cook and she insisted that the box said not to strain. Actually it says, and I quote "Drain. Do not rinse." I know I'm no Rachel Ray, but I have that one down. I choked some down because I felt bad, but it was essentially noodles floating in yellow water. Today was going to be alife changing day, and it was. I realized today that there are people who need those extra directions on that blue box, and not all Americans are apt to make America's favorite snack, and I have therefore started a new foundation and will be collectng donations, it is the Meridith Sayler Foundation for Fake Aunts that Don't Read Good. Call me with your Credit Card numbers.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Haiku for Me, Haiku for You
So I have had numerous complaints that I have not been very good at keeping up with my blog, I want to formally apologize, it is certainly not because I have been too busy, but rather I have been too boring. So in honor of the four people that actually read my special blog I have written you each a special Haiku… Enjoy!
Allie B.
“Clothing optional”
Left me here to go to Spain
Come back soon, would ya?
Jessica Rae
Miss Jess, cool red hair
Playing her guitar at night
Math lover and friend.
Emily K.
Missed you in England
My favorite drinking buddy
So, really, bar now???
Morgan Leigh
Super big sister
Pharmacist extraordinaire
Go, Rock Chalk JayHawk.
I know that I am super-lame and you are probably all embarrassed to call me your friend/sister right now. But if you had a 7 page philosophy paper staring you in the face, you would be writing Haikus about your friends too. I promise I will write when something actually interesting happens in my life.
Allie B.
“Clothing optional”
Left me here to go to Spain
Come back soon, would ya?
Jessica Rae
Miss Jess, cool red hair
Playing her guitar at night
Math lover and friend.
Emily K.
Missed you in England
My favorite drinking buddy
So, really, bar now???
Morgan Leigh
Super big sister
Pharmacist extraordinaire
Go, Rock Chalk JayHawk.
I know that I am super-lame and you are probably all embarrassed to call me your friend/sister right now. But if you had a 7 page philosophy paper staring you in the face, you would be writing Haikus about your friends too. I promise I will write when something actually interesting happens in my life.
Monday, January 28, 2008
From the mouth's of babes…
I have a pen pal at a local elementary school that is 8 years old and has the same attention span that I do… 3 and ½ seconds. This is the letter that I received with the my special comments at the bottom.
Dear Meridith,
I love your letter Meridith. at the zoo in Des Moines they have a really cool goat area. I do not like peas thay taste dab. do you like peas? I like to swim do you like swimming? Meridith I got two A’s one B and one C on my report card. What did you get on your report card? Oh my Indian project I got a A.
Sincerely,
Your PenPal
So where do I begin? An amazing work of American writing, straight from the mouth of America’s youth. Lets start at the beginning, “Dear Meridith, I love your letter.” starts out good, I am amazing and dear and write amazing letters, so good call PenPal, good call. Then we start to get a little hairy. “at the zoo…” first of all, capitalize the first letter, but I’ll let it slide, you’re 8, whatever. But question: where was the transition between me being a good letter writer and the “cool goat area.” Maybe I have a misunderstanding of the world, but I have never met a goat area that I consider to be “cool.” Next problem: transition between goats and peas. I was never very good at my ITBS, but I’m pretty sure that I don’t know the relationship between goats and peas. Really?? I just don’t get it hun, I don’t get it. Then comes the really obvious transition between disgusting vegetables and being able to swim. Do you like swimming? Is there anyone who dislikes swimming? You can’t dislike swimming like you can dislike something like basketball because swimming is a life skill. Swimming may someday keep me from death, an amazing chest pass can not save my life. Of course I like swimming; but I’d probably like it a little better if I could wear a snow suit into the pool, self confidence not my strong suit. Here is where the conversation gets personal… grades. Thanks babe, as if my mom doesn’t make me feel bad enough about my poor grades, she must have called you in order to bring up the sensitive subject. The moral question is do I tell her the truth in my return letter and give her hope that someday she too can be a failure at life, or do I lie to her and try to get her to set her goals above the capacity that she is able to achieve. I do not know, any advice would be appreciated, just leave me a comment. Good news though, she aced that Indian project, because I know for one, I was very worried.
The best part of the entire letter though, was what was included in the back. A puzzle. I pulled it out only to find that it has 12,000 pieces. It is literally a lined piece of paper cut into 12,000 pieces, yeah, like that should be easy to put together. Maybe I’ll get that put together sometime when I have 14 free hours and lots of hair that I can pull out. Yeah good one pen pal, then there came the kicker. “thar is one puzzle piece that does not go with the puzzle.” Of course she threw that in there as if the 12,000 piece puzzle would have been too easy for me we are going to throw in an extra piece that doesn’t fit. Nice. I will work that one in, sometime after Hell freezes over. Love ya girl, but you are somewhat hard to follow. That may be why we get along so well.
Dear Meridith,
I love your letter Meridith. at the zoo in Des Moines they have a really cool goat area. I do not like peas thay taste dab. do you like peas? I like to swim do you like swimming? Meridith I got two A’s one B and one C on my report card. What did you get on your report card? Oh my Indian project I got a A.
Sincerely,
Your PenPal
So where do I begin? An amazing work of American writing, straight from the mouth of America’s youth. Lets start at the beginning, “Dear Meridith, I love your letter.” starts out good, I am amazing and dear and write amazing letters, so good call PenPal, good call. Then we start to get a little hairy. “at the zoo…” first of all, capitalize the first letter, but I’ll let it slide, you’re 8, whatever. But question: where was the transition between me being a good letter writer and the “cool goat area.” Maybe I have a misunderstanding of the world, but I have never met a goat area that I consider to be “cool.” Next problem: transition between goats and peas. I was never very good at my ITBS, but I’m pretty sure that I don’t know the relationship between goats and peas. Really?? I just don’t get it hun, I don’t get it. Then comes the really obvious transition between disgusting vegetables and being able to swim. Do you like swimming? Is there anyone who dislikes swimming? You can’t dislike swimming like you can dislike something like basketball because swimming is a life skill. Swimming may someday keep me from death, an amazing chest pass can not save my life. Of course I like swimming; but I’d probably like it a little better if I could wear a snow suit into the pool, self confidence not my strong suit. Here is where the conversation gets personal… grades. Thanks babe, as if my mom doesn’t make me feel bad enough about my poor grades, she must have called you in order to bring up the sensitive subject. The moral question is do I tell her the truth in my return letter and give her hope that someday she too can be a failure at life, or do I lie to her and try to get her to set her goals above the capacity that she is able to achieve. I do not know, any advice would be appreciated, just leave me a comment. Good news though, she aced that Indian project, because I know for one, I was very worried.
The best part of the entire letter though, was what was included in the back. A puzzle. I pulled it out only to find that it has 12,000 pieces. It is literally a lined piece of paper cut into 12,000 pieces, yeah, like that should be easy to put together. Maybe I’ll get that put together sometime when I have 14 free hours and lots of hair that I can pull out. Yeah good one pen pal, then there came the kicker. “thar is one puzzle piece that does not go with the puzzle.” Of course she threw that in there as if the 12,000 piece puzzle would have been too easy for me we are going to throw in an extra piece that doesn’t fit. Nice. I will work that one in, sometime after Hell freezes over. Love ya girl, but you are somewhat hard to follow. That may be why we get along so well.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
So turns out, life is really, really hard for me…
Today I had to work at the pharmacy, and it was slow so we were trying to get some house-keeping-esque things accomplished. My dad/boss told me that I should take care of the dishes. This is the ultimate insult because nothing is worse than having to wash 2 whole dishes while being paid for it. Awful. In the pharmacy at the back there is a teeny-tiny sink next to the fax machine and the answering machine, power cords etc. The first step in dishes is trying to get the water to a temperature that could kill some germs. Problem 1: our water heater is about 6.45 miles away from the sink so it takes about 10 minutes to get warm water, so I turn the water on and continue with my other tasks. I’m helping customers, answering phones and the drive-up, being a good little employee. While I’m talking to an old lady at the counter I hear a swooshing sound, but choose to ignore it, and continue helping others. Then I hear it again, what the hell? I go to investigate. There is an f-ing typhoon spilling over the counter from the sink. Evidently something has plugged up the sink and 10 minutes worth of water is spilling over. I start cussing like a crazy person, “shit, shit, shit” is all of the words that I could muster up. There is an inch of water on the counter that the $1500 answering system is now floating on, along with three power cords and a fax machine. Shit, shit, shit. I take off in a run only to be greeted by the man-made swamp that I have created in the back of the store. Literally standing water, flowing over my shoes, I should have brought a suit and some floaties. I went and got the girl that I was working with because I was too embarrassed to admit to my dad that I’m an idiot. She and I alternate holding the enormous machinery up while trying to absorb the great lakes from the back of the store. The entire time she is freaking out because she doesn’t want to be electrocuted. Suck it up girlfriend, we're drowning here. My dad walks over and I am holding the fax machine up and she has a pile a half story high of drenched paper towels. His response, “I thought you two were smarter than that.” Evidently not. God, life is hard.
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