King Tides

Some random person in the office comes up to me " so I hear you had so and so over after the work event." I had two people over. WTF? It shocked me. It shouldn't.  People talk.  But I don't. I might write things here, but it is for prosperity and remembering and exhaling. Once written I move on living in the moment (or at least generally I try to).  And having been kind of isolated for so long... I had truly forgotten about rumor mills and whisper factories and all the drama people create and how needy they are for anything outside themselves. Avid talkers vomiting up their lives in the words that spew from their loose lips. Leaving a view of their world that is void of substance. A sad bulimic experience.  Is it any wonder that I live in my little world and take in my experiences deeply and quietly.

Mercury is retrograde. Nataly my mercury is retrograde and I find during these periods my words drip heavier with mood and metaphor. I find myself manipulating my sentences so they hang heavier on mental canvas. It my words strike you, realize I only meant it as a light slap.

Even as I relay my general intolerance of most others, I do recognize that I am perhaps a little too closed off most of the time and it would benefit me and others if I were to share more of myself. I'm not saying I am a cold bitch. I'm very warm and I make myself available to comfort and aid others, but being honest, I don't give... at least not deeply... to anyone but myself.  I know who I am. I like who I am. And I take care of who I am. I am my best friend. I am all I need. Well almost. Humans are social creatures and I do need others. Most often peripherally.  Light Interactions and observations provide entertainment and distraction from the mundane. Mundane isn't bad its just the stuff you do because you have to do. Like taking a shit (which is what I'm doing as I edit this). Rarely does someone on the periphery give me pause enough to even consider drawing them in closer. It is a very rare individual that I find worthy of cherishing and taking to heart and providing access to a deeper knowing of me. These relationships spur my personal growth and development.  trigger ideas, aid in mind expansion and inspiration. I cant but become passionate about those that stimulate my mind.

Anyway, the path is everchanging. If there is anything I have learned, its not to put any stock in things being normal or routine. Consistency is an illusion, at least in terms of my experience.  My house is a controlled mess at the moment. Preparations are underway as H. has move into our little mother-in-law apartment this weekend. Last weekend, when we broached the subject, it was her intention to just wait out the next few months where she was and I had put the whole idea out of my head.  By Tuesday night, however,  she had changed her mind. We introduced her dog Stella to our pups on Wednesday (She and I have the same work schedule) and they got along well enough.  She's been dropping off stuff after work each day and today was spent settling in.  She also fixed a fantastic dinner. Fortunately she is a bit of a hermit and I think we will be able to do the roommate thing easily enough.

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Greg and I gave Pilates a try last weekend. It is a great way to get a full body workout without the detrimental impact to my knees.  I need to do a deep dive into the times they offer classes and see if it will work easily into our schedules. I've got to look into that sooner rather than later. 

Greg had his annual employee appreciations summer family event Saturday. I didn't mind not going. My asthma has been kicking my ass the last week. Part of that has to do with an influx of smoke reaching us from some Canadian fires taking place on the other side of the border. My excitement Saturday revolved around following up with customers who have had an incident reported. Which brings me to the shift that has happened in my workload,  I don't recall if I have written much about this so far. I'm not even sure if I have mentioned it other than in brief passing.  I have been asked to be on point for instances where a safety concern was identified with a customer's machine. My responsibilities vary from incident to incident but always include gathering as much data and evidence related to the event as I can from both he customer and the shop where repairs are made. I coordinate the shop visit when necessary and I just generally attend to these customers with diligent care. My findings are then used to inform our lawyers and developers.  It isn't as "fun" as being on the queues. This is simply because the queues lend themselves to a higher level of unexpectedness. You never know what you are going to encounter. But I really like not having to be micromanaged. My leads recognize that I will jump on and off as time and work load permits.  Being able to really handhold these customers through their elevated troubles is rewarding in its own right. For instance, I received the following message recently from one such customer: 

"Please extend my gratitude to those involved in this resolution for their patience, understanding and strong sense of customer support. This resolution is fair, and will make me consider DR/General for future purchases.

You have been empathetic, courteous and most helpful to me in a difficult situation.

I am most grateful for your professionalism and devoted effort in this matter.

Thank you for taking care of this matter for me."

It was very sweet and I was touched to receive it.  

In other news, the scene is changing at the watercooler. I never quite know what is going on there.

And in probably unrelated news I wonder. Will he stay an "I need my space" man forever?