Not dead, just exhausted

[randy_byers]

Monday was the worst day I've had at work since the period right after my old boss was laid off two (or was it three?) years ago, and pretty much for the same reasons: I had some new reporting dumped on me that I didn't know how to do (and which had to be done by the end of the day), and one of our standard reporting databases (written by the old boss) was producing an error that I couldn't find the cause of. I got the new reporting done by the end of the day, after many consultations with others about how to do this or that, but I was absolutely baffled by the error. I went home feeling completely exhausted, fell asleep early, then woke up in the middle of the night grinding on it. Then on the walk to work, sorting through the various things I had tried and had looked at, a possible cause suggested itself to me, and indeed that turned out to be the problem. Once I figured out what was causing the problem, I was able (after consultations with others) to figure out the solution.

Other stressful things happened yesterday (including a return visit to the periodontist where I discovered there's still a small infection near the implant that was put in in July), although nothing quite as epic as Monday. Still, by early Tuesday evening I was still feeling completely wiped out and was grumbling to myself because I had a number of things I still wanted to get done before I called it a day.

On the other hand, I did get to watch the third episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which is a show I'm really, really enjoying. It's the first new TV show to engage my attention in years. I love the quirky sense of humor and the unexpected political dimensions. There's something about the pace of the show that feels very energetic and slightly off-kilter. So far it is creatively embracing a number of contradictions.

And then I started reading Delany's "The Mummer's Tale" and was so caught up in it that I almost stayed up to read the whole thing before I sternly reminded myself that I needed some goddamn sleep, the more the better. But I was feeling stressed out enough that it still took me a while to drift off.

And so I'm feeling somewhat restored today, but still a bit burnt out. Who knows what fresh crises today will bring?

Comments

[daveon.livejournal.com]

If you haven't seen it yet, we should do an outing to Gravity at the Sundance and have some beers and watch the movie. It's very good.

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

That should strongly reinforce the lesson: if a problem is baffling, stop beating your head over it. Set it aside for a bit, and work on something else. The answer may just come to you.

Of course, if the deadline is "the end of today" that makes it tougher, but it can still help.

[don-fitch.livejournal.com]

Today might bring you rain. Yeah, I understand that rain isn't unusual in Seattle, and that it isn't something that makes people who live there especially gloomy, but here in the Los Angeles area we're starting (as of about noon) to get a few drops of what promises to be a light but long-lasting rain... and one that is distinctly chilly -- a combination that informs those of us who have lived here for Ages that Winter actually is immanent. (Yesterday it was Summer, and I felt silly planting seeds of broccoli (a Romanesco/Mandlebrot/Fibbonachi-spiral type) ; today I'm thinking that it might have been a bit late (as well as that my spelling (& ability to managed nested parentheses) may leave something to be desired.)

[surliminal.livejournal.com]

Poor you . I'm def v stressed too :( It is in the air at start of term..
I weirdly q like SHIELD too. Not sure why as it is mostly quite hoakey so far. I like the non heroic appearance of rhe lead I think. Hes not buff (they have a buff team mate to fill the gap) - it makes a nice change!
Im now booked for Berkely 2 Nov to 13th - come visit me!

[ron-drummond.livejournal.com]

Hope things settle down soon! Maybe after Gravity.