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Small victories
Oct. 22nd, 2009 10:43 pmIt coulda been a recipe for disaster.
Me - having to be up and on the train by 7 this morning. There was a day-long series of meetings and presentations I had to sit through on campus, and though the first session didn't start until 9 I like to allow myself two hours to get down to Hyde Park, just in case I get delayed waiting for one of the buses at Jackson and Adams.
I took every precaution to ensure I'd be running on time. Took a shower Wednesday night rather than having to make time for one this morning. Set my alarm for 5, knowing my penchant for the snooze button. I had trouble getting to sleep, but I at least attempted to turn in early, so as to not be a zombie throughout my information-heavy day.
I still snoozed a little longer than I should have, and had to make up for it by getting dressed in a rush and skipping breakfast, but the commuter gods smiled on me for my trouble. The train ran smoothly and on time. I caught the number 2 bus rather than the 6, resulting in a shorter walk at the end of my journey. And I wound up arriving in Hyde Park just a little before 8, which meant plenty of time to grab a bagel and a hot chai at the campus bookstore before things got started.
The extra time also gave me the opportunity to browse the books, and even though I knew it was dangerous to tempt myself, I decided to check out the table featuring new paperbacks.
Wanna know what I found?
The latest from Dennis Lehane....FINALLY available in softcover. And and AAAAAND....an Irvine Welsh short story collection that I wasn't even aware had been released!!!!!!
It was such a pleasant surprise for such and early, gloomy morning. A warm, unexpected surge of pleasure when I was least expecting it.
So yeah, I bought 'em both. Didn't even think twice about it. And when I paid, I got another unexpected burst of happy. The woman who rang me up asked if I was faculty or staff. I said staff, and asked if she needed to see my ID.
"Don't worry about that, honey." she said. "I remember your face, so I know you work here."
Bear in mind that I patronize this bookstore MAYBE two or three times a year. And yet this lady, who deals with a population of thousands of students, staff and faculty day in and day out, somehow managed to recall little ole me, the girl who who's an afterthought to just about everyone she meets.
I mean, she could've been bullshitting, but I know I recall interacting with her in the past, because she's generally on duty when I go in. In any case, I appreciated the recognition.
And more than that, I appreciated the chance to feel like things are starting to look up again. Finding those books brought joy and excitement like I haven't felt since falling ill two weeks ago. And though there are other things I'd like to take happiness from that haven't yet materialized, at least I feel like the universe has relented and thrown me an interim bone.
As Andrea's grandma said during my 90210 marathon, you gotta take your blessings where you can find them.
Me - having to be up and on the train by 7 this morning. There was a day-long series of meetings and presentations I had to sit through on campus, and though the first session didn't start until 9 I like to allow myself two hours to get down to Hyde Park, just in case I get delayed waiting for one of the buses at Jackson and Adams.
I took every precaution to ensure I'd be running on time. Took a shower Wednesday night rather than having to make time for one this morning. Set my alarm for 5, knowing my penchant for the snooze button. I had trouble getting to sleep, but I at least attempted to turn in early, so as to not be a zombie throughout my information-heavy day.
I still snoozed a little longer than I should have, and had to make up for it by getting dressed in a rush and skipping breakfast, but the commuter gods smiled on me for my trouble. The train ran smoothly and on time. I caught the number 2 bus rather than the 6, resulting in a shorter walk at the end of my journey. And I wound up arriving in Hyde Park just a little before 8, which meant plenty of time to grab a bagel and a hot chai at the campus bookstore before things got started.
The extra time also gave me the opportunity to browse the books, and even though I knew it was dangerous to tempt myself, I decided to check out the table featuring new paperbacks.
Wanna know what I found?
The latest from Dennis Lehane....FINALLY available in softcover. And and AAAAAND....an Irvine Welsh short story collection that I wasn't even aware had been released!!!!!!
It was such a pleasant surprise for such and early, gloomy morning. A warm, unexpected surge of pleasure when I was least expecting it.
So yeah, I bought 'em both. Didn't even think twice about it. And when I paid, I got another unexpected burst of happy. The woman who rang me up asked if I was faculty or staff. I said staff, and asked if she needed to see my ID.
"Don't worry about that, honey." she said. "I remember your face, so I know you work here."
Bear in mind that I patronize this bookstore MAYBE two or three times a year. And yet this lady, who deals with a population of thousands of students, staff and faculty day in and day out, somehow managed to recall little ole me, the girl who who's an afterthought to just about everyone she meets.
I mean, she could've been bullshitting, but I know I recall interacting with her in the past, because she's generally on duty when I go in. In any case, I appreciated the recognition.
And more than that, I appreciated the chance to feel like things are starting to look up again. Finding those books brought joy and excitement like I haven't felt since falling ill two weeks ago. And though there are other things I'd like to take happiness from that haven't yet materialized, at least I feel like the universe has relented and thrown me an interim bone.
As Andrea's grandma said during my 90210 marathon, you gotta take your blessings where you can find them.
