Things I did today

[cosmolinguist]

• added stuff to tomorrow's grocery order which I'd forgotten to include before (deodorant, treats, etc.)
• took off the days I absolutely know I will want off (23rd & 24th)
• asked a friend if she could firm up the details for when she'll be visiting (she could!)
• tidied my bedroom and workspace
• caught up on laundry!
• wrapped/packaged/mailed my parents' gifts

All brought to you by... Anxiety!

The list also includes

• forget to eat lunch
• melted down at work
• freaked out because I couldn't find my phone

But hey. Overall more positive than negative.

The phone thing has a nice ending though. Like I say my phone -- both phones, work too -- went missing for a few hours this afternoon.

I was so grumpy and stressed about this.

Turns out they slipped out of my pocket and between the seats in the car when D and I went to get some cash and a few emergency groceries.

This is first day I wear a dress in, like, years and I'm let down by the pockets!!

D found them and when he handed them to me and I said "sorry I'm so scatterbrained today," he said "It's not your fault, it's the patriarchy. You've been let down by inadequate pockets."

So then I felt better.

Comments

[suzannareads]

I too have often been let down by inadequate pockets.

[mst3kforall]

So true!

Sometimes all you can do is try to get through each day. I’m sorry about the difficulties and pleased for the good things.

[zhelana]

Wow they don't give you the 24th off? That's odd!

[diffrentcolours]

In the UK the winter public holidays are Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years' Day.

[zhelana]

huh. I would have thought people went to church on the 24th

[cosmolinguist]

I think the current stat is something like 5% of people in the UK attend church.

Anyway, people don't work then (except for people doing jobs like retail and working in hospitals and stuff), they get a lot more paid time off here. Almost everybody at my white-collar workplace will be off from the 20th of December till the 6th of January, for example.

[zhelana]

Wow, that's sort of shocking. I mean, admittedly the Brit I know the best is C but he is very religious and the first thing he did on coming to the us was find a church he felt comfortable with.

[cosmolinguist]

He still wouldn't need 24 December off at least. :)

[zhelana]

depends on his schedule. Christmas services are the 24th in the evening.

[cosmolinguist]

I thought he was orthodox - so wouldn't be celebrating Christmas until January?

[zhelana]

His church has services on the 25th. I think there's supposed t be 12 days of christmas from the 25th to the 6th.

[cosmolinguist]

Oh I guess he's a western Christian after all then and I misunderstood or misremembered! Fair enough.

[zhelana]

no, he's orthodox.

[cosmolinguist]

okay...well...what you're describing here is the western church calendar!

[zhelana]

Well, I don't know. He's definitely orthodox, and he definitely celebrated christmas yesterday.

[(Anonymous)]

Same here, I have to work 24th. My ex uni employer never ran later than 23rd but my new one is much stingier (lower pay for longer weekly hours :( ).

[meepettemu]

I work in a university in the UK. Depending on the day of the week we get it given to us as a free day (if it’s a Monday for example- because then they can turn the heating off for a full week).

In my previous uni they always ‘let’ us go home at lunch time. I have no idea if the current one does it (first year of being there) but it’s a ‘if you’ve already taken the day off you can’t claim half a day back’ thing). They require us to take the three days off between Xmas and new year. It’s taken out of our leave allowance (which tends to be better than most places, so)

[(Anonymous)]

Same here as uni employee.

My 4th year but we'd always closed on 23rd or later so I don't know how 24th works. I think they're making everyone WFH that day and I dunno if the bosses at any level will say "bugger off" sometime in the afternoon or not.

At my last uni some Xmases were quiet and easily skiveable but some years it was still mad fucking hectic busy right up till closed time so we didn't skive out cos there was Just Too Much Urgent Shit To Do....

I'm psyching myself up for being made to stay till end of the day and will try and do non student email work cos otherwise they'll reply and get annoyed that we're closed for 8 days cos for some reason (a fair number of) my current uni's students can't/won't read an out of office and understand it so will keep emailing someoe who is "out of office" rather than emailing the "goto address" and my out of office is never more than 4 lines long (many people have an entire essay in there).

[azurelunatic]

Curse those inadequate pockets!

[cmcmck]

Don't get me going on the lack of pockets in dresses!

Laura Ashley used to be so good, but sadly, no longer! :o(

[silveradept]

Hooray for accomplishments. Boooooo on inadequate pockets!

[(Anonymous)]

Even trousers are shite pocketswise cos I am 'lady body shaped' so unisex/man trousers don't fit me at all.

Modern smartphones are also too big.

I have an external pocket which I can wear across my front or round my waist for the phone and other stuff, but it isn't the most comfortable option (pockets would be nicer!).

We need a #BetterPocketsNow campaign for all clothing!

[jesse_the_k]

Six hurrahs for channeling anxiety into practicalities.

Seems like we're going full circle with pockets now that so many folks are carrying sling/waist packs. Externalize the pockets!

[cosmolinguist]

Yeah I do love that people are wearing what I recognize as fanny packs over a shoulder now and thinking it's a great idea :) To be fair, I am one of those people; I like a backpack but always had a few things I wanted quicker access to, so having the little bag with bare essentials solves this problem for me handily!