Weathered the Storm

We're just fine, ReaderFriends.

Boyfriend of Amazingness was brought home last night, instead of being kept out of town through the storm.

Also, it turns out that, when power goes away, water doesn't go away with it when you live in a city. So I didn't need my emergency backup water pitcher that I had filled Just In Case.

The biggest issue is that my recycling bin tipped over in the wind, and it took out my garbage can on the way down. But we will rebuild.

Unfortunately... this means that there was work this morning.

But it was fun to read the gratuitous posts on my favorite social media website from friends and family all over the eastern seaboard as they reported survival of the storm.

It's a good day.

I Did It!

I did it, ReaderFriends!

I survived last week.

Against all odds (and my own suspicions...), I made it through the week, was able to enjoy my weekend, and then came out the other side unscathed.

You may remember that I was hearkening back to my pre-vacation stressmonkey self, with all that I needed to get done. But I finished it, and had a wonderful time for all the stress I had inflicted upon myself.

Turns out that the two cloaks I spent Wednesday putting together weren't needed at all, because it was summertime-warm in our little slice of outdoors...*1

Turns out that the costume pieces I wrangled from a wonderful, giving volunteer made the choreographer turn up her nose in disdain...*2

Turns out that wearing a tutu doesn't automatically mean that everyone at the Halloween party will be sober enough to understand that you're a Batman ballerina...*3

But it also turns out that Boyfriends of Amazingness are just happy to have you standing beside them at a Halloween party, a medieval tournament or a dance rehearsal. The stress doesn't really matter.

So today I will get through my workday, get my butt home and sit lazily on the couch with my snugglemonkey stuffy and last night's brownies. I will relish the sound of the rain pattering on the windowpane and the wind whistling through the neighborhood. I will stock up my candles and prepare to bravely handle lost power all by myself*4. And I will relax.

*1 Of course I got the first sunburn of the season on the last Saturday of October. Makes perfect sense.

*2 It's sorted now... but still. There's a principle here. Clear communication is a whole Thing to me.

*3 Costume Jealousy is totally worthwhile here.

*4 Boyfriend of Amazingness has been exiled to the next state south for the duration of the hurricane. It's really quite fantastic... Grumblesnark.

NOTE:

ReaderFriends, please be safe. If you live on the East Coast please exercize caution first and foremost. Stay calm, don't panic and face each stage of this adventure rationally. The storm will be over before you know it.
Important information:
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/10/29/how-to-properly-prepare-for-hurricane-sandy/

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57541983/are-you-prepared-for-hurricane-sandy-cdc-has-tips/

And... Check

Remember when I was a wild-eyed stressmonkey right before my summer vacation?

The past week has been more of that... but without the fun 'Going On Vacation' part to look forward to.

See... I'm volunteering my organizational skills as a Wrangler of Wardrobes for a local dance production set to premier its tenth anniversary Christmas show in the middle of December. My home is littered with costume pieces in various states of completion.

And Boyfriend of Amazingness is getting ready to compete this weekend in a medieval tournament wherein he actually has the potential to win the right to crown himself prince - and myself princess - of our fair Kingdom. So my home is also littered with Ye Olde Clothings that I've been rushing to complete so we can look presentable when we make our appearance before the current king and queen on Saturday.

And Halloween is coming up. I cannot be Batman without a little extra assistance in the clothing department.

But I've also got dance classes.

And dates with friends.

And somewhere in my schedule I'm supposed to find time to eat and sleep.

I was feeling pretty frantic.

So yesterday, I got sick.

Not a headcold, but more of a Worry-Yourself-Into-A-Tizzy.

I had been sick to my stomach for days...

And I wasn't sleeping...

And Boyfriend of Amazingness was thinking about having me tranquilized and put in a padded box.**1

So I took eight hours of sick time and got All The Things done.

• (2) Cloaks; created
• (1) Chemise; hemmed
• (3) Costume skirts; assembled
• (2 sets) Costume legs; assembled
• (1) Batman costume; completed
• (1) Boyfriend of Amazingness costume; completed
• Miscellaneous shopping; completed

And to top it off... I folded two loads of laundry before I left for work this morning.**2

So I'm feeling pretty jazzed about how much Ta-Da is reflecting on my To-Do list.

Which can lead me to feel pretty silly.

(I swear, I have a work-related point in here somewhere.)

Which is probably why I erupted into a fit of The Giggles when a client called in to talk to an EngineerFriend, and I said "I'll put you right through."

I imagined myself going all Hulkette and tossing the client straight up through the ceiling and into the cubicle of the person they were calling.

Which led me to this:

Photo Courtesy of Family Guy.

And how can you not giggle when you think of the Kool-Aid Man busting all up through your workplace?!

The EngineerFriends wouldn't know what to do.

(I, of course, would give him a high five and invite him out for a drink.)

**1 If you're reading this, honey... You don't have to deny it. I was thinking about locking me up, too.

**2 Boyfriend of Amazingness does our laundry. From pick-it-up-off-the-floor-where-I-discarded-it-in-a-pre-sleep-shamble to bring-the-laundry-basket-full-of-clean-clothes-back-upstairs-to-the-bedroom. All I have to do is fold it and leave it on the bed, and then we both put our stuff away before we go to sleep. Suck it, Every-Other-Girl-In-The-Universe. He's all mine.

My Kingdom

Sunny:
I was just about to say 'My kingdom for a red Sharpie!' But then I thought 'Hmm... what if I actually had a kingdom?' And then I thought I might get in trouble if I so nonchalantly gave away what you worked so hard to win. And then I decided to keep our kingdom, because I forgot what I needed a red Sharpie for in the first place.

Boyfriend of Amazingness:

You are so cute.**1

**1 That's really a pretty amazing thing for him to say, since I kept him awake all night being a ThrashMonster Bed Hog 6000, and I'm quite obviously suffering the ill effects of exhaustion. But we're not surprised at his amazingness. It is - of course - what he's known for. That and winning kingdoms for his lady.

The Malfunctiony-est Wardrobe

There's one shirt in my closet that I only keep because I have to.

I'm ashamed that I own it.

I don't like wearing it.

And it gives me the heebie jeebies just to put it on.

It's two sizes too big... (I requested a small. In their ultimate wisdom, they decided that I needed a large.)

...and it's not at all a good color for me.

It's shapeless and soul sucking.

But I keep it anyway...

...And today I had to dig it out and put it on.

It only comes out when I'm at the very bottom of my pile of clean laundry, and I'm scrambling to find something to wear on a day when everything I put on makes me feel like I'm wearing a burlap sack.

I already feel icky... so I do the clothing equivalent of kicking myself when I'm down.

I put on the Company Shirt of Shame.

An EngineerFriend complimented me on it.

I'm so ashamed.

Anti-Focus Power

Do you know how difficult it is to focus on work (or on writing something witty and creative) when you know your Boyfriend of Amazingness is finally home after leaving for his work week at 4:30 on Monday morning, and you can't go home to see him until your workday is done?

I do.

Here's interpretive art for how I'm handling this:

I get a pretty good base going. I even have a little attention to detail.
But then, just when I have to really focus on the fiddly bits...
I get all excited and it goes to hell in a hot pink handbasket.

Happy Friday, ReaderLoves!

Alive, Awake, Alert... Enthusiastic?

First thing in the morning isn't my most brilliant time of day.

(In fact... I think I mentioned recently that Boyfriend of Amazingness wants to pen a Little Something about Sunny's Morning Ramblings: Precious Thoughts From My Sleepy Girl.)

It's unfortunate, because I've recently become quite taken with having a morning mocha to get me going.

Unfortunate in that, on workdays, I make myself get to my desk before I can have the delightful go-go juice that kickstarts my day.

So that means I shower, get dressed, pack my day bag and drive to work all before I am caffeinated and really "With It."**1

Which can mean that, on occasion, I'll do something stupid because my mental hamster is still catching his last few Zzz's.

Like yesterday morning.

At current, our local parking garage is being prettied up for the winter... Which involves a delightful maze of closed stairwells and exciting adventures in the Parking Garage Elevator.

Yesterday morning, upon stepping into the elevator, I regarded the buttons and thought only briefly about where I needed to go. "Out" was the final decision. So I pushed the lowest button on the panel. It, of course, would take me to the Ground floor - the lowest level in the building. It only made sense.

Except that, beneath the Ground Floor button is the Emergency Alert button.

Which is what I accidentally pushed.

Alarms clanged and the elevator light flashed. I, in a moment of Shining Mental Clarity, said "Aah!" and plastered myself against the back wall of the elevator. And I may have been a little shaken.**2

Which is where the Garage attendant found me when I finally made it to the ground floor.

On the up side... I only needed half a cup of coffee yesterday.

**1 Don't worry. I'm alert, and not prone to running over rodentia or homeless wanderers.

**2 Like a paint can at a home improvement store...

Are You Talking To Me?

Typically-Void-of-Emotion CoWorker: <with a giggle> Hi! How are you?

Sunny: <perplexed> Umm... Great! How are you?

Typically-Void-of-Emotion CoWorker: I'm good! Just nutty, but good! <giggles and departs>

Sunny: <more perplexed> Huh.

Having a Good Day

You know how, sometimes, a random interaction with a stranger can brighten your whole day?

Well... that hasn't happened to me in a while.

But it did make me grin some when, while walking with a coworker for a midday adventure today, a passerby asked if I had the time. I checked my watched and asserted that it was 11:15, and then returned to my conversation with my partner-in-crime.

The gentleman was not dissuaded. He continued, "Are you having a good day?"

I looked at my compatriot.

She looked at me.

We turned to him, and I said "I certainly am."

And then we all grinned.

(What did brighten my whole day was the ten minutes spent giggling with the aforementioned coworker that she had blown out a sole on one of her shoes, and that she could wiggle her toes right out the side. That was comedy gold.)

Grand (Mis)Adventures

It Was An Overcast and Drizzly Evening...

...Not so terribly long ago...

...When our amazing heroine Sunny was storming about the vicinity...

(and by storming, I mean that she was stomping around not with anger, but with pride in her totally stompable Mighty Boots of Sunniness)

...and wreaking general havoc on personages therein.

(Which sounds so much more interesting than the photocopying she was actually doing.)

Aware, but blissfully untroubled by the Visitor's Badge flapping against her hip.

(This is an important plot point, ReaderFriends. Remember this.)

She stomped through the Printing Area, making her copies...

(and thinking how awesome it would be if she were a Tyrannasaurus Rex, with itty bitty arms that couldn't reach the copier output tray... so she would have carte blanche just to stomp around and be terrifying.)

...And she stomped through the hallways, delivering paperwork...

(and seriously considering growling at her coworkers with a toothy grin...)

...And then, her rampaging complete, she stomped onto the elevator and got ready to go home.

The doors dinged shut as she hit the button to take her to the next floor up, where her car keys were anxiously waiting her arrival.

The button lit for only a moment before darkening again...

...And the elevator didn't move.

"What madness is this?!" she exclaimed loudly to herself.

(Which you can do in an elevator - you can be alone and loud all at once.)

She hit the button again...

...to no avail.

She glanced at her watch and realized that the Friendly and Helpful Concierge had shut down the elevators for the night and gone home.

"Ha! This will not defeat me!" she exclaimed.

(Remember - she can do that. Elevator magic.)

She reached down for her badge...

...Her badge...

...That was still in her car.

Where she had left it that morning, because she was too lazy to go all the way back to the parking garage and retrieve it when she realized that she forgot to bring it in to the office in the first place.

(In her defense... it's a very long walk. And there are stairs.)

She only had the Visitor's Badge.

Which meant she only had the Visitor's Priviledges.

And those priviledges did not include accessing company floors after hours.

But what's our heroine to do? Her car keys were at her desk... And all the elevators were locked.

Not dismayed for more than a moment...

(for just one moment, there was a little dismay. But it's totally understandable, and totally okay. There wasn't wallowing or anything.)

...she took out her trusty cell phone and called her office neighbor.

"Please, oh please, could you come rescue me?" Sunny pleaded.

"Of course!" chirped the wonderfully generous coworker. "Hold very still. I'll be right along."

So Sunny, being a helpful sort, stayed very still in the elevator.

But the elevator did not stay very still.

(It was totally naughty. It would have been sent to time out, but it probably would have fidgeted there, too.)

Instead, it rocketed Sunny to the eighth floor of the building!

"Hmm..." Sunny thought to herself...

(which she had to do silently, because the elevator was suddenly full of other people who can be very intrusive upon Loud Moments Inside An Elevator)

"This isn't what I wanted to do at all."

But Sunny was brave...

...And she greeted the other passengers with a smile.

The other passengers were confused by Sunny the Elevator Dweller, but didn't say anything mean.

Instead, everyone rode in the elevator together.

Down, down, down to the basement.

Sunny hoped that her rescuer would be there.

But she wasn't.

(Really, who can blame her. Sunny had been traipsing about like a Trapisy Explorer.)

Instead, Sunny was greeted by a Random Person From Another Office In The Building.

Sunny put on her bravest smile and approached him.

"Excuse me, Sir?" she asked hopefully. "Could you please beep me up to my floor?"

The man looked at Sunny...

...And realized that only a very stuck person would be so very desperate.

And so he walked her back onto the elevator, swiped his passcard and pushed the button for her.

(Which she totally could have done herself, but she was appreciative of his effort.)

The button still didn't light up.

The elevator still didn't move.

The man said "I'm sorry..." and walked away.

Sunny smiled and said "Thank you..."

But she also started to feel hopeless.

She was still stuck.

And the overcast evening grew darker...

And the drizzle turned into a heavy mist...

And Sunny's lower lip came dangerously close to adopting a sad tremble.

(The wallowing was eminent.)

Finally, her phone rang!

Hope sparked!

It was her coworker, asking where Sunny was!

"I'm right here!" Sunny said. "I'm still holding still!"

Her coworker didn't believe her, but swooped to the rescue again.

She came downstairs...

...And took Sunny by the hand...

...And walked her back to her cubicle, and to her waiting car keys.

And even gave her a cookie to calm her rattled nerves.

And so everything was okay.

(And the cookie was pretty tasty, too.)

The End

Smash...

(Below is a copy of a real e-mail I sent today... I haven't yet gotten a response.)

Dear Facilities Manager;

Because I’m such a musclebound monkey, I’ve kicked my footrest so hard and so many times that it’s given up the fight. It kind of flops around being pathetic now… Is there a way to glue the broken peg back on? Is it worth fixing, or even getting another one, knowing that I’m just going to keep kicking like a toddler in a church pew? Is there another solution, outside of sitting still until my muscles atrophy and I become less Hulkette-esque?

(Don’t you dare laugh at my predicament. Only Bruce Banner knows how I feel.)

Thanks,

Sunny

Giggles

Yesterday's misunderstanding having been cleared up, here's how I'm doing today:

I'm just fine... but feeling a little sideways. I'm sure it'll clear up in no time.

(Thanks to ThatABaby Comic Strip for today's giggle.)