Birthdays and Reflection.

Yesterday was my 27th Birthday, and wow what a day it was. I loved it. People may wonder how sitting home doing laundry may be wonderful, but it really was. I got to catch up on all my laundry that I had been putting off for about 2 weeks and had about 2 hampers full. I know, bad. It wasn't A LOT but it was just bulky. Sheets, some towels, jeans, stuff you don't really think about. So I got all that done, and finally tackled the spare room.

And I didn't just stay home, I was able to go to lunch with my mother. I love my mom. She is such a wonderful woman. She helped me to become whom I am today. Her and my father both made me a strong and independent woman, and I am so grateful to them. So we went to lunch, and I went back to her work and sat with her for another hour and talked to people in her office.

My brother moved to Utah about a week ago, and I was staying in the spare room. So I got to move into his room while the spare room is becoming the guest room. It's nice to be able to have a bed in there that I can make because it's not against the wall, and a window you can open because it has a screen on it. Laughs. It really wasn't that bad in the spare room, it got hot because it was on the outside of the house but that's about the only complaint I had. I slept in there, that was about all.

So after I came home, and my brother is watching a show that I just started and he paused it so I wouldn't get things ruined when I got to it.... I got to tackle what I had been putting off very well for the past few weeks, the spare room.

So I had to move my entire closet and dresser in the other room, as well as all my boxes and papers... and I am kind of a pack rat, pretty bad to be honest. So that was a feat. By the end of it I was just grabbing bags up off my floor and throwing stuff in them to get the room cleaned up, recycling bottles, and getting clothes all hung up. And it only took me about 45 minutes, so I was proud.

I know this sounds terrible. But it points out how wonderful I thought the day was. I had a fan, I had a room that was mine to set up how I wanted, I had the opportunity to get rid of all the stuff I was just holding onto without a reason, I was happy as a clam. So I got it all out, put most of it on my bed, and started to sort through my many storage boxes I hadn't touched in months. I got rid of 80 to 90 percent of the stuff in those boxes which I didn't need and if I did I could buy it again.

This was all while my mom was working, brother was watching a show, and dad was taking a nap. My brother-in-law and sister came over last night, and I was able to celebrate with the family. We had my favorite dinner, Swedish Meatballs with rice, watermelon, french bread, and peas. We got streamers put up in my bedroom and we got to spend time with the kids.

Poor Alex has a fever, so he was pretty tired and just didn't want to do much which isn't like him at all. I will admit I was a bit worried about him.

So we finally got to opening the gifts, and I LOVE my niece and nephews. They were so excited they wanted to help. I had Camden bring me the smallest of the gifts, which was a cool Willow Tree Figure. My mom has gotten me hooked now.

Ari brought me the next one, which turned out to be a throw blanket that is SO incredibly soft! And then Alex brought me the biggest one, the one I was SO excited to open. My GORGEOUS new comforter. It's fluffy, rich, and absolutely stunning. Ruby red, with gold filigree threads, and just beyond stunning. It came with the decorative pillows, and the pillow shams, so that made me very happy! I was going to put it on my bed, but Camden being so adorable... He grabbed the small square pillow, put it on the floor, lay his sweet head on it, and pull the comforter over himself like he was going to take a nap. Melt my heart right there and then.

SO it was pretty much the best birthday ever. I got to be with my family, got some amazing gifts, and am happy as a clam. I am 27 on the 27th.... So as far as Golden Birthdays go, I think it was pretty slamming!

So I know this is late to post, just had to wait until I was able to finish it! :D

Things aren't what you expected. EVER.

So I was able to take a week off work and go to Utah, WAHOO!! I haven't been there since I moved away, and some things didn't end as well as I would have liked to before I left. I was happy to try to mend some bridges, calm some people and just have fun. But things can't go like that at all can they?

I didn't have a car, and I REALLY wanted to see some people. So my BFF Kristi went ahead and helped me out. That did end up making things kind of awkward as some of the people I wanted to see were people she either didn't know, didn't like, or didn't want to see. Or all the above. We ended up spending almost every minute together, not what I had pictured of my vacation. It was great, I enjoyed seeing her but I wasn't expecting so much together time.

I did have some music on a friends computer, and wanted to get it off, but REALLY wanted to see her and see how she was doing. Things didn't end as good as I would have liked them to, and I hoped we could put it all behind us. I thought we had, and she was distracted as was I by trying to make sure my friend was all right, not too bored, trying to find "safe" topics of conversation we could all follow on. It actually turned out to be a very bad visit. It took almost the whole time there with me on her computer, eventually transfering everything to my iPod and worrying about it later. I did NOT want her to think I only came for her music, that was NOT my intention. Unfortunately it ended up being just that. She was upset, rightly so. And she was busy with her job and family and I felt like I was just in the way. So it wasn't what I expected.

Then today, I go to work, and have 7 massages to have to do. That's a lot by anyone's standards. I did them all, felt good about my work, and came home. Then I get a text from my boss that she just spent 45 minutes listening to someone complain about my massage. My last client, whom I busted my butt on. I listened to what she wanted, asked for feedback on the massage, and she seemed to fall asleep. She ended up reaming me to my boss about stuff that she NEVER TOLD ME to concentrate on. SO my boss is giving her to someone else to work on the next time we are open, and just wanted to let me know so we could talk about it on Tuesday.

I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!! You feel like you're in a principals office while they try to tell you how to do your job, when you are trained and qualified. And, oh ya, they HIRED you to do this job. Not everyone will like you. Not everyone will like your massage. That's expected. But because she is newly rich, she is freaked out that she may tell all her new rich friends like her all about this, and she is desperate to keep them all happy.

I don't care if you are rich or poor, white or black, male or female, high political ties in the community or a regular joe. I treat every single client the same. I don't kiss feet, I don't shine shoes, and I DON'T bow down because someone complains. If they have something to say, say it to my face. Don't wait until you are SURE I am gone, and then talk to my boss. I am the one that should know if you have a problem so I can work on it, not have to be scolded by someone who is NOT my parent. It really annoys me, can you tell?

SO after all this goes down, I get an e-mail dredging up things in the past, and a plea that we can work through it and renew a friendship. I was in shock. I didn't think our friendship was in jeopardy. Of course we had ups and downs, but so does everyone. Things ended badly, yes. But I had tried to make it for the best, and yes it is still hard to look this person in the eye and know what to talk to them about. Our lives are completely different. We are on different paths. It's like a panther asking a deer about their life. Completely different animals, situations, etc.

So all this comes at the end of a VERY long week and I have to ask that if ANYONE else feels jilted, hurt, betrayed, annoyed, angry, or anything else please put it in your back pocket and wait a while before you ask me to "work through it" because I have stuff to work through right now that may take a while. Like recovering from the shocking blows that were just landed tonight by my boss and by a friend.

Hopefully this too shall pass quickly. I can't do this much longer. I can't worry that anything I do or say is going to end up causing a fight, or by massaging someone and NOT reading their mind that I may be in jeopardy of having to PAY for the massage I just gave because the client was not happy. The life of a spa sucks. Never work in one if you can help it.