February 11, 2008

The truth, the whole truth...

OK, the truth is this. Sure, I've been busy. Sure, I've been so overwhelmed by the daily dramas and minefields at work that I've gone into hibernation mode at home. All true, but not the real truth.

I'm intimidated.

Mama Nabi wrote some really cool stuff about me in response to my previous post and so I've been getting lots of visitors from her site. Every time I try to think about what to post it seems trivial.

-What NOT to do when a biker is taking up the lane: Don't pass on the left with a foot to spare in your H3 just so you can get to the on-ramp 3 seconds before the guy in the next lane over. Perhaps she's only trying to make it across the intersection to the safety of the median that's wide enough for two bike lanes. Perhaps she's a malicious wench who is only trying to piss you off, but she'd like to live to see another day!

-How to successfully confront your boss in three easy steps. Take the opportunity given by the annual SWOT analysis demanded by the company (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats). Follow up two weeks later with another topic. Go into his office and shut the door. Avoid "you" statements and focus on what's needed for productivity. Find out that he responds well to criticism. Find out that his good intentions only last a week or so.

-Meeting at the dog park with my friend and former dog-sitter to see if the dog she and her hubby got will be compatible with ours. Hoping we can continue with free dog-sitting and now be able to return the favor. Finding out the dogs seem to get along, "Best Friends" we kept calling to them. It worked out well: Muttolah chased down the frisbee followed by their stubby-legged corgi who tried herding Muttolah. Muttolah brought back the frisbee and to get praised and then the panting corgi trotted up proudly to be petted and praised for bringing back Muttolah.

-Speculate on why I'm completely anti-social right now. It's hard to check-in with on-line friends and I definitely haven't been doing much socially in the 'real' world. I've never been this committed to a job before. I don't know how Jrex has done it for so long. Working four 55-hour weeks in a row has just about killed me and he's done years where an 80-hour week was considered a kindness (Internal Medicine Residency and Oncology Fellowship). I realize I don't have half the strength or emotional reserve that he does.

All good posts. Yet they seem a bit small after the set-up that I'm like a mountain. I know there are people stopping by who've never come here before. I want to run around and fluff the sofa cushions, close the bedroom door so you can't see the unfolded laundry, run the vacuum and then pose in the living room thinking deep thoughts.

So, ahem. Welcome visitors. We mostly stay in shallower waters here on Sojournering. Try not to be too disappointed.

(phew. Now hopefully I can move past that hurdle and happily blog while only picturing all my aunts and uncles reading. I mean they're somewhat mandated to care what I have to say...)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

The waters only seem shallow to you because you're used to them.

The rest of us are astonished from time to time how deep you go.

Rachel said...

Your commute sounds terrifying.

I would have a hard time with those 55-hour weeks too. I need a little balance in my life.

Mama Nabi said...

Having grown up in HUGE mountains (*ahem* can we say the Himalayas?), I know that even the tiniest wild flower holds unfathomably pure and deep beauty for a beholder.
I love your bike adventure stories - I think of you whenever I see a brave soul bicyling on snow and ice in subzero temps; I think, 'I won't be surprised if OTRgirl could manage to do that if she were to live here..."
Corgi! Too funny, I was just trying to remember what my sister's favorite breed of dog is - corgis. See? Even without trying, you provide answers! :-)

Anonymous said...

You're FABULOUS! The commute story gave me shivers and as always, you make me a kinder driver to all the bikers during my commute time, I only wish I could do it, maybe when I'm not carting the kids to and fro during my commute or they're big enough to ride one of those 4 person bikes:) I get the long work weeks, been doing those the last few as well, T-I-R-E-D, hang in there and yay on the dogsitter stuff too!

Inkling said...

Good post, and I'm glad you're still writing. And if you're still nervous, even though we all have shared that we know you are a deep thinker with a lot to share on your blog even in the simplest of posts, you could just imagine we're all in our underwear. Isn't that what they tell you in speech class?

Thanks for today's comment. I hear what you are saying, and could tell you that one of my mentors could totally relate to what you shared. I watched her pray about it for seven years and then watched in shock as her prayers got answered with an even bigger "yes" than any of us had imagined. So you never know. Your perspective could bring inspiration, and your original dreams could turn up coming true.....if that makes sense without spelling it out in detail.

Aimee said...

I so get what you're saying in these posts. Don't worry, we know you're busy. The variety of things here is fabulous, but as Anon said, the waters seem shallow to you because you're used to them.

Hey, I'd like to send you an invite to my blog, soon to be private. LONG story. Do you want me to use your gmail address?

Take care of you, k?

OTRgirl said...

Ya'll are too kind! (Blushing)

Aimee, I've tried to view your blog and been REJECTED, so yeah, I'd love to get the log-in info. Gmail is fine.

Anonymous said...

my other inspiration to start a blog, besides you and my friend who said, "hey, why don't you start a blog before you go on your trip?" thereby activating that latent blogging gene, was an iraqi girl who called herself riverbend and blogged about her experiences during the war. i don't even know if she is ok... her family left but there hasn't been a new post since october. i didn't want to link to her blog from mine, b/c what if she came by? it all looks totally trivial in comparison to being occupied by a foreign power and living with a constant presence of violence. but... maybe i should.