The Barnyard and Beyond: October 2012

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Busy Season Grumbly's

Hi, my name is Johanna. And I'm cranky.

It's been a rough couple of weeks. Just at the exact moment where I thought I would be done for a while, work picks back up. And it's been making me a little cranky. I've lost a lot of that positive attitude that I had a couple of months ago when I was making TSA agents freak out because I was simply smiling at them. I'm trying to still smile, and be polite. But I can tell it's just not the same.

I am drained. Mentally, physically and emotionally. I. Am. Done.

Except, I have 3 more weeks of travel to go.

3 more weeks to go by choice. I'm at the point where I've reached my goal of how many days I want to deliver...but I'm having a hard time turning down the money when the opportunity is presented to me. And really...what's a couple of more days in Newark?

I honestly am grateful for the opportunity to work. I'm happy to be making money.

But at the same time, I really want a break. I want to be able to do more than laundry and mow the lawn when I'm at home.

I want to do more than collapse on my hotel bed after a day of work. Seriously...this performing monkey thing...not so easy. My legs are sore all the time, my back is killing me. And yes, I realize I'm complaining here. But I miss having the energy to run after a day of work. Or being able to get up early and run. But for right now, I'm spent.

It probably doesn't help that it's my birthday week...and I'm spending my birthday week in Newark. Not that my birthday week is easy for me anyway. But it just doesn't help when I'm in a place I hate. And yes, no matter how much I try...I still hate this place.

I've been thinking about writing a post of "busy season by the numbers" just to see where I've been, how many miles I've traveled, etc. Be on the lookout for that.

But for now...I am where I am. I'm doing what I'm doing. I'm trying to make it one step at a time. One day at a time. Sometimes, one minute at a time.

So, if you miss happy, perky, positive Johanna...1st, know that I do too. And 2nd, come back in November. Hopefully, she'll have returned by then.

Main Characters

The Parents: Often referred to in a singular term (ie, the mom and the dad). They're my awesome parents, who aren't just parents. They're actually my friends too. The dad is responsible for my sarcasm. No, really. He is. Upon first glace, he may seem like a quiet, serene, nice person. He isn't. The mom has the best laugh in the entire world, and that is often how I found her while shopping growing up. Because I couldn't find her over the racks of clothing. She comes up to the shoulder's of everyone else in the family.

Cedric: My number 1 bike. He's my race bike. And yes, my bike is a boy (historically, bikes have female names). But as I continue to say...why would I ride a boy?? I'm a girl.

Betty: My car. After not having owned a car for 3 and a half years while living in DC, once again owning a car is a little weird. But Betty is an awesome car. I have driven enough rental cars to know what I wanted, and Betty fits the bill perfectly.

Irving: My number 2 bike, and the most recent addition to the Hooks family. He's a "leisure bike." And after being used to riding Cedric for so long, and being able to go 18 miles an hour without a great deal of effort, Irving is taking some getting used to. But, I have learned that taking it a little slow can be nice every once in a while.