Did You Ever Have One Of Those Days.....

Where you walk into work and fall flat on your face? I did that today. Came flying through the door, stepped off the mat and went 'WHOMP', right down, face first. Luckily my knees & elbows took the brunt of most of it. (I don't know why I say luckily...I had a bad fall a few years ago where I stepped in a hole in the pavement and took out my knee...so reinjuring it maybe isn't so lucky). Good thing I'm tough...I basically shook it off, although my left hand's pretty sore and earlier I thought I might've even broken it. But I'm typing, so obviously not.

My co worker Sio was really trying to restrain her laughter - I could see that (gotta' love her). She knows that my life's been a bit of a shitbowl lately and she's so supportive and sweet. But we both burst into laughter as I approached the booth and skidded to a halt there. Fuck. "It's going to be one of those days".

How did I fall? Well I don't know...I think I tripped over that gentle breeze coming through the open door. It'll get you every time. Actually, truth be told, I think it's a combination of exhaustion and my mind being elsewhere. My brain isn't making the connection to my legs and walking has become an issue. Breathing's not far behind. (See Al, at least YOU trip over cords and wires. I trip over dust and sunshine)

So I got myself together and started my work day. It's really busy lately...huge jackpots mean people are coming out of the woodwork to lay down their dough. Seriously, I think some of them are putting out $39 million to try and win 38. I love it when it's busy...I fly and so does the time. I had to unload the register several times and barely had time to count the money...business is BOOMING. So at one point I had about 80 people in line, each one wanting to drop a couple of hundred bucks when my brand new terminal started acting up (again). Because of all the bullshit the Ontarions are pulling, the entire system's been revamped to eliminate the cheating. We welcomed the changes because we don't cheat and it makes things better. But, when they rigged up the new, "better", "faster", MUCH LOUDER system all hell broke loose. Friday every other transaction screwed up, resulting in a huge backlog and I called a tech in, who put in a new "Altura" terminal. But it cost us bigtime...downtime on Friday = mega loss of $$. By Monday it was fucking up again. So I called out another tech (he was so nice) and we joked about how these things never happen when the tech's actually there...it worked perfectly as he observed me in action. But he fiddled around a bit, scratched his head and said he had no clue what the problem was. I rebooted and that did the job, temporarily.

So today when I took my shift, Sio reported that the machine was working great. Yea. Until I arrived and came within a foot of it...something about me and my luck and things blowing up. It was a huge money day and the bloody thing started acting up again, like clockwork with my arrival. I had to turn away so much business as I fiddled (mostly swore) at the screen in front of me. I figured out a trick to get it to print the tickets that it had been charging us for but not producing (but each time it required a call to hotline to issue a credit for the unprinted one). Fuck it, I called the tech back in and he installed a new reader. This is the last in his trouble shooting attempts. After this, we just start shooting. Or at least that's my plan.

The new reader seems to have worked but I finished work an hour later than planned. I rushed to Tino's to grab the family feast for dinner and then into Safeway for a "few" things. When I'd finished the shopping I yakked outside with some people I knew, then headed towards the lot that I park in, all the while struggling with the way too many groceries I'd bought. I was just about to round the corner to the car when I realized I'd forgotten the food that I'd ordered and paid for at Tino's. So I had to go back. When I picked up the food I was REALLY overloaded with stuff - to the point that the girl at Tino's asked if I wanted help. I declined and started the trek back to the car. Said hi to my friend working at the beer and wine store, who laughed at me as I negotiated the sidewalk with 800 bags. Got to where my car should've been parked, only to remember that I'd already moved it over to the Safeway lot. I'm a sleep deprived idiot...have I told you that? I must've walked right past my own car to go the extra eight blocks. Surprised I didn't trip over it. So I had to head all the way back around the building, sheepishly past my friend again and explain to him that I'd lost my car (as well as my head). He laughed as I, once again, stumbled back along the sidewalk with 800 bags. Now cursing. I think buzzards were following me at that point, I don't know. I finally found the car.

Do I have alzheimers?

I went to the hospice and fell asleep in the chair there and quickly realized I needed to get home to bed. I pulled into our carport to hear rip roaring rocking sounds blasting from the condo. It sounded like Ozzfest. I thought "I hope that's not my place". It was my place. Ty and Angus having a jam session, amps up full. Usually I don't care but, tonight I do..."get the fuck out (please?)". We negogiated and they're playing some killing game that involves low volume machine guns and bombs. And them shouting as loud as fuck.

I'm pooped. I'm going to wrap myself in bubble wrap now, in preparation for tomorrow.