Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…Especially if A-Hurricane is A-Coming

Last Friday morning, I was fuh-reaking out.  And it had nothing to do with the monster Sandy storm that was bearing down on the East Coast.  Actually, last Friday (Saturday, Sunday, and Monday) morning, I wasn’t giving Sandy her due respect.  Nope, I had other things on my mind. 

That morning, I found out that the technology that I chose to use for an event at work wasn’t going to work.  It was an event that I spent almost six weeks planning and organizing.  And the technology – that would’ve broadcast the event to multiple off-site locations in my agency – was crucial.  It worked on Wednesday.  It didn’t work on Friday.  When was the event?  Monday, October 29^th.       

When the technicians told me it wasn’t going to work, I almost lost it.  And by “lost it,” I mean drop to my knees flailing my hands screaming, “WHY?!”  Luckily, I’m a professional; so I did what any professional does – I went to buy pies with the Refreshment Committee.  Not that I liked that too much either but an event organizer’s gotta do what an event organizer’s gotta do. 

Hurricane.  What hurricane? 

I was focused on pulling off a big event.  See, in the past year I’ve become active in trying to stage a nonviolent coup to take over the professional organization at my agency.  I’m one of the committee chairs and last month I found out that I had to organize an event based on a suggestion that I made a few months ago.  Talk about something coming back to haunt you! 

A lone committee member and I began to plan and organize in September - you know, when the weather was sunny and bright.  An Archival Rockstar – what’s it take to become an Archival Rockstar?  Ask me in 10 years.  That’s not cockiness…just confidence – was coming to engage in a discussion with our staff about the four most controversial letters in our profession.  Archivists debating and engaging in dialogue about cool archives stuff!  We developed an entire concept (trademark pending in 23 countries).  I designed a (kickass) poster.  I printed pamphlets.  The event itself was going to consist of a presentation, a panel, and pies.  And at the very end, maybe someone was gonna get up and say “Let them eat pie!”  It was gonna be epic.    

And then Friday happened.  By Friday night, I was stressed out and worried.    

Oh right, and a hurricane was coming.

On Sunday morning, I received an early morning text from one of the panelists – a colleague from New York City – her train was cancelled and she wouldn’t be able to make it.  Sigh.  I was down but not out – the show would go on.  Even with an empty chair.   

I spent Sunday tracking our guest’s flight and found out that he arrived safe and sound.  Right around the time that I found out our office would be closed the next day – Monday, October 29^th – because of the hurricane.  Talk about a Sandyshitstorm. 

So, what did I learn this weekend?  

When a colossal mega-hurricane’s headed your way, don’t sweat the small stuff because you've got bigger problems to worry about. 

Oh, and have plenty of bottled water on hand.  Or have a friend who keeps extra for you.    

Hello Again!

Hey everybody!  How’s 2012 treating you?  I’ve been busy since the beginning of the New Year – I flipped my mattress, switched to a credit union, rolled over an old 401k, voluntarily read to children, and baked cupcakes.  Sounds like this year is going to be the year of Denise the Do-er.  At least, until I get tired and need a nap. 

If you’re wondering what the slogan for 2012 is, wonder no more.  There isn’t one.  Sorry, but you try to come up with something that rhymes with “twelve”.  The only slogan I came up with – and a highly unoriginal one at that – is – Don’t Worry, Be Happy.

I think, this year, I’m going to focus on not being such a worry wart.  Seriously, I worry about everything and it’s getting to be quite the drag.  Especially since most of the time what I’m worried about turns out not to be that important at all. 

For instance, let’s examine the events that happened on the Thursday afternoon before Christmas.  There was an incident at work.  Okay, incident is too strong of a word; it’s not like I inadvertently set off any missiles or anything (oh God, just think if I had that job!)  Maybe I should call it a glitch.  Yes.  That’s good.  There was a computer glitch at work.  Now, in the grand scheme of life, it wasn’t important at all.  In the grand scheme of work-life, it wasn’t terribly awful either.  But in the grand scheme of my life, a life in which I always feel like I’m about to slip off the edge of the precipice and land smack dab in the middle of failure and disappointment, it was major.  Immediately, I started to worry.  My boss was gone and I was in charge.  It was all on me.  I had to fix it.  But it’s hard to get anything fixed at 5:00 on the Thursday before a holiday.  There wasn’t much to do but worry. 

My colleagues and friends told me to put it out of my head.  They assured me that things would be okay.  They urged me to not worry.  But people, there was a glitch!!  Glitches are worrisome!  And I am a worrier.  So, I worried.  I worried on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and the day after Christmas Day and the day after that.  I worried until I was able to come back to work to try to fix the problem.    

And in the end, that’s what I did.  That’s all well and good but what did all that worry get me?  A stressful few days, that’s what.  Was it worth it?  Not really.

This year, I’m going to take a step back.  I’m going to strive to be mindful that mistakes happen.  Glitches happen.  And when they do, it doesn’t mean that I’m going to take a head-first dive off that cliff. 

I’m going to keep life in perspective. 

And maybe hum “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” along the way. 

Lazy Sundays

I have a confession to make.  I spend an inordinate amount of time doing nothing.  Like, absolutely nothing.  There are entire weekends when I don’t do anything productive or worthwhile.  Aside from feeding my cats and doing other minor household chores, I really don’t do anything on the weekends.  I think, well, I think I’m an incredibly lazy person.  It’s odd, I’m not a lazy person at work.  I actually think I’m a pretty hard worker.  But it’s my down time – that time when I’m not at the office, when it’s just me and the cats, that I think, oh my God, I’m lazy.    

There are a hundred million things that I should do.  I have household projects that I really could tackle by myself but I don’t.  There is a bedroom in my house that still needs a second coat of paint – a year after the first coat went on.  I have electrical outlets and switches to replace – which, you might be surprised to learn, I actually know how to do.  I have a curtain rod that is sitting in my basement that I really should put up because I’ve had it for two years and the window kinda needs curtains.  A year after starting on a bathroom demo, it’s still in the same shape I left it on the day that I took a break.  I have pictures to hang and a desk to organize and a refrigerator to clean and yet, weekend after weekend I find myself not doing any of it.

It’s Sunday and I’m doing what I always do on Sunday.  Being lazy.

I think, deep down, there is something wrong with me.