Saturdays are for... work

I spent all day and part of the night at the office, but I got a lot done. I did go to Roys for lunch and then just stopped at the office instead of coming back home. I stayed there until time for dinner when I met Sondra at Skaets. Then I went back to the office and worked until about 10:30 tonight.

It was a good thing I was at the office because I had a call this afternoon that was a gentleman who was having a mental health crisis. I would have gotten the call, anyway, because I had the phone transferred to my cell phone, as I usually do when I'm not in the office, including nights and weekends. I'm not always available, but if I am, I answer the phone and help people if I can. This gentleman was calling from a neighboring town - so it was good I was at the office where I have access to materials that covered that area because I don't know all that off the top of my head. I'm not a clinician, so I never offer anything resembling counseling, but I can tell people where to get help. Often people just have no idea what to do. If I hadn't answered, this guy's next call was going to be to the police to see if they would lock him up.

One thing I've learned since having this job is that the fact I wake up in the morning perceiving the world the same way I did the day before is a blessing never to be taken for granted. People suffer. I mean, they suffer. And it's not because they want to suffer - their brains just don't see the world the same way you and I do. People with psychizophrenia, which this guy had been diagnosed with, suffer. There is no other way to put it. As you lay your head down tonight, say a prayer of thanksgiving you've gone through the day without having to constantly struggle to determine what is reality. While you're at it, say a prayer of entreatment that you'll be so lucky to have another day like that tomorrow.

I also got a ton of little piddly errands done today on the way to and from lunch and dinner - mail sent, overdue library books returned (I kind of rent books from there, albeit cheaply), bills paid, etc. How can there always be errands? When I was a kid and people on TV shows would be talking about errands I couldn't imagine what they had to do. They were always talking about dry cleaning and I thought... well... geez... I just won't have dry cleaning done. I don't. But it still seems like I've always got a list of things that need to be done that keep getting written onto the next day's list.

Needless to say, I didn't work on the Christmas tree. It's probably safe until sometime in February because I've got a lot of things on the schedule in the next three weeks.

But, tonight I was feeling very festive, so it's a good thing it was still there to be enjoyed. I've been wrapping presents for next year. Yes, that's right, some 2008 Christmas presents are purchased and wrapped. I just couldn't wait to experiment with the wrapping paper theme for this year. I know it's a little silly, but it makes me happy and I'm a big proponet of finding happiness in anyway you can - from the simplest of things to huge things. I am so thankful I'm healthy and have the energy for such things.

Well, time for me to get some rest. I need to have another productive day tomorrow, too. And, it is 2:39 a.m. Frankly, it's time for anyone who doesn't work nights to get some rest.