The After Burn

Hieronymus Bosch - The Garden of Earthly Delights detail

I emerged from crazy ass dreams into my, once more, toasty warm bedroom. I’m still absolutely thrilled to microscopic bits about having the heat back on. Lights, Internet and a coffee maker that works are the cherries, chocolate sprinkles and whipped cream on top.

The dreams were all about being forgetful and so, unready/unprepared for big things.

In the first one, I was flying to Israel (why there? Dunno but, ya know, why not?) and, already in my peasant class seat, I realized my big-ass purse was MIA. I’d forgotten it back in JFK’s pre-boarding lounge.

PANIC!

In the second, I was back at the printing company where I ‘d been the Training Manager. When I walked into the office, Rhoda Receptionist let me know that folks were filing into the classroom for the morning session.

WHAT? I have a class to teach this morning?! Which one?!

It was New Employee Orientation: Day One. NO biggie, I could mostly wing it BUT there was a ton of paperwork for the Newbies to fill out. I didn’t know how many fresh faces to expect or what locations and departments they hailed from. AND I was due to split at 11, an hour early, to catch a flight out to…somewhere. Could I cover everything in two hours versus the usual three?

NOT a self portrait

I was frantically hunting through the department’s ancient computer for notes on what I was supposed to review – do I discuss sexual harassment in this section? How about listening skills and other effective communication habits?

The computer's file system wasn't giving up any clues. It couldn’t be described as even vaguely organized. Unless of course I was a chaos demon…which, best I could tell, I wasn't.

Rhoda told me to go in, start, she’d bring me all the paperwork the students needed to fill out and any class notes she could find as soon as she located them.

OK then – this was gonna be New Employee Improv. What should these folks take away from a first official class?

1. That they’re welcome – we, as a company, are happy they’ve joined us
2. There are plenty of interesting opportunities to explore here at Print Heaven

I was driving the extempore bus, being the Ethel Merman of print company coaches and Rhoda still hadn’t materialized with the papers or notes.

PANIC!

BUT then Coco came to my rescue – she allowed that it was breakfast time and I should drag my lazy ass outta that frenzied bed.

K. No prob and thank you for the save from Agitata Dreamscape Hell!

What’s all this about? A few days of ultra severe weather, impassable roads without electricity or heat kinda threw me off my game. In fact, though everything was, more or less, back to normal yesterday, I was worn way the fuck out – just exhausted. Concentration and focus were not to be had.

What’d I do? What any sane but rattled book addict would – I went to my local booksellers and, after picking out a coupla interesting paperbacks, I sat down at their café for a cuppa and cookie.

Now then, what’d I miss, what balls have dropped while I was focused on endurance and keeping my spirits above the high waters? I think I’m ready to jump back into reality today. As ready as I ever am that is.