Ordinary Day

Dear Diary,

Well, summer's been hanging in there this year, hasn't it? I mean, tomorrow's the last day of September, yet I was still using my air conditioner last night.  But tonight is a different story. It's supposed to be in the mid-40's here.  Tonight offers the first real peek (or should I say shiver?) at what's to come.  Last year I didn't want to let summer go, but this year I'm ready for a change.  I love summer and not having to wear "real" shoes or layers of clothing, but I also have my limits and my summer-limit expired about two weeks ago.  I also love my sweaters and cooler weather and, with it, the return of some energy that the NJ humidity drains from me from June until about now each year.  Of course when the days are short, the lack of sunlight will have the same draining effect, but here in the middle, in the autumn, I'm happiest.  Oh, and I also get to trade my summer fave of Bombay Sapphire* Gin & Tonics for my winter fave of good ol' red wine.  It's nice to have you back, Vino.   

I'm growing accustomed to my new daily 116-mile round-trip commute.  Actually sort of enjoying it for the lack of traffic. I've "discovered" NPR and am currently on a Tori Amos kick with my CDs.  It's going to be a beautiful ride once the leaves begin changing.  And I'm probably spending less time in the car than I was going 70 miles round-trip to Piscataway (or, better, Pissthataway).  It's kind of thrilling, actually, driving into the state capitol each morning and seeing the gold dome on the Statehouse, then driving a few miles along the Delaware River.  I can overlook the fact that both a State Prison work farm and the State Psychiatric Hospital are within a mile of my workplace.  Yes, Pollyanna IS in the house tonight.  But even She can't overlook the fact that between September 1 and today, I have spent $310.97 on gasoline.  Ouch.  Can't wait to get the Prius.  Even though my Honda's been getting 27-28 mpg (90% highway, no a/c most of the time), the Prius is supposed to be twice as good. 

The job?  It's getting there. I'll never be used to getting up at 5:20 a-yem, but I am getting used to the new planet I landed on.  The faces and roles and responsibilities are a little more familiar, and a few things - like making a left when I leave my desk if I'm headed for the cafeteria - are becoming automatic.  With every additional speck of familiarity, there's an additional speck of comfort.  I'm building new relationships and making new friends.  And that's progress.  Still got a ways to go, but Monday there'll be someone brand new in my group.  Someone that I can help to find the cafeteria, or the supply cabinet, or the nearest printer.  Someone, anyway, who knows less than I do.  I can relate, and I'll be happy to help the newbie. 

A-ha, but I'm not all Miss Happy Pants today. I'm a little irked that someone seems to have stolen some words, or at least an idea, from me last week and posted them on her site without due credit.  It was my little Public Service Announcement about Gold Star Mother's Day last weekend.  I mean, really.  NO ONE ELSE seems ever to have heard of it or blogged about it. But I mentioned in a note to someone that I would be posting about it and - voila - she did the very same thing the same day. In a way I don't mind, because my point was to spread the word and that's what happened. And it's remotely possible that the person already knew of the date.  But I doubt it.  Grow up.

Back to being cheer-ee-oh, it's nearing the end of the baseball season and dare we hope that the Red Sox might repeat their spectacular-ness of last year?  I'm holding my breath.  Yes, that's right, here in the middle of Yankee country there's a Red Sox fan ducking and weaving and generally living life in the closet.  Actually, my son is also a Sox fan, and so is his father, so that make three of us.  Nanny nanny foo foo.   

That's about enough outta me tonight.  I'm too tied up with work and other stuff to post more than randomness most of the time lately.  I've seen the demise (or as the authors put it, "hiatus") of quite a few blogs lately, many citing "pressure" as their reason for taking a blog-break.  I don't want to fall into the philosophy that "what I write must be worth reading" because that's not why I started this. It's therapy.  I enjoy writing, and I enjoy looking back at my posts and remembering things and people and events and how I felt at the time.

And in the future, when I look back on today, I'll remember that it was just another pretty ordinary day, but I was happy. 

Love to you on this ordinary Thursday,

Pollyanna

*Just so's you know, Sparky and I performed a taste test recently, comparing Bombay Blue Sapphire to Tanqueray.  We couldn't decide on a winner.  Both were distinct, both were good. No gin won.  And "no gin won" sounds like a Chinese meal, doesn't it? Whatever.   

Comments

[scorpy]

But boy-oh-boy, I bet the testing of the taste was a good time!

Glad to hear you're in a good place, lady. Sorry about the idea-stealer, but if that's the worst thing that happens to you, blog-wise, and it only happens once, I'd consider you pretty lucky. See? I can be a Pollyanna, too!

["D"]

What a fun place to come and lurk - love your style... and I think I know those kids from applebees... they sat behind us at the movie theatre recently!