Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting...

I had to go to the doctors today, just for a routine blood test, and was amazed when I was called in right away!

The place where I go won't let you make an appointment. You just go up and wait to be called.
Up until just recently, the wait time was always over an hour, usually close to two however today I was called within 10 minutes!

I was shocked!

So I went into the doctors room and told her I was here for my routine tests and she sent me round to the pathology rooms.

Now these treatment/pathology rooms also have waiting times. You take a number and wait to be called.

I was the third person in the list so I didn't think I was going to have to wait long.

I was wrong.

I knew my good luck was too good to be true!

I don't know what the delay was but as I sat there and waited, more and more people were coming. The line was getting longer. Everytime there was movement by the nurses, every person in that line turned their eyes to them in hope that their number was going to be called.

While we were waiting, some of the people started talking. One woman made sure everyone in the line had gotten the right number for the right room. This same woman then asked the woman next to me what she was in for!!

Yikes!

At that point I turned my head forward and made sure I didn't give her any eye contact. I don't want to be discussing my medical situation with strangers! Especially when there are another 15 pairs of ears listening.

We had already witnessed one doctor bring a teenager around telling the nurse he had to give a urine sample, and the nurse telling him where to go to give and where to sit and wait when it was done. I mean it shouldn't be embarrassing because it's just life but still, some things should just be kept quiet. We saw the kid coming back and all knew he has his urine in the jar in his hand. We didn't need to know that or imagine the warmth he must be feeling from that jar in his hand!

I thought the lady next to me seemed nice enough until she started going on and on about what she was there for. She'd cut herself last night and the locum who'd come out had suggested she take herself to the doctor the following morning.
I was sympathising at first, then when she didn't stop, I started getting stressed that I'd never be let out of this conversation.
She started asking if she was looking pale.
I felt like saying "lady if you pass out, you'll be doing us all a favour and YOU"RE AT THE DOCTORS so it's not like you won't be looked after."

Finally I was called. It was like I'd won the lottery.

I could feel those jealous eyes boring through my back as I got up and away from the waiting area.

At least it's over and done with...

That is, until next week when I go back for the results!

Friday, February 19, 2010

Can you smell that?

It should be a rule...
In fact, I think it very well may be...
Although sadly it's not enforced!

You should not ever... EVER.... if in a work environment, bring smelly foods to your desk.

I don't even know what this offensive smell is but it's making my stomach turn. Who would possibly think that was ok?

And it's not the normal offensive smell that strikes the nasal passages then goes away, this one comes in waves over and over and over again. God knows what the food source is! I don't think I want to know!

It's almost acidic in it's quality.

I'm sure everyone in a kilometre radius has had their nose hairs burnt off!

I can't wait till MY lunch break so I can go outside and try to restore my sense of smell.

But aside from that, I really love my work colleagues :)

Monday, February 15, 2010

Like a priest selling trickets to a strip show.


Went for my second and final (for now) appointment to the dentist today and let me tell you, the anxiety level was very high!

I walked into the office and immediately my throat seized up and I wasn't able to swallow. I was convinced I was going to choke to death on my saliva in the chair (Well I did have a one hour appointment!)

But while I was waiting there in the waiting room, entertaining all my fears, a woman came in selling chocolate.
She was slim, petite, pretty and confident. Everything you don't want another woman to be.
OK. I'm kidding about that last sentence...

So she walks up to the reception desk with her box of chocolates and says "Would you like to sell these chocolates here in your waiting room? It's for charity" or something along those lines.

Firstly, can you imagine a dental practice selling chocolate??? Yeah, that's a good message!

So the receptionist politely declined.
The seller said "perhaps you'd like to buy some for yourself then?"
The receptionist answered back, "only after you do" in a nice, slap on the back, type of way.
The seller took a step back and said indignantly "oh no, I don't eat chocolate, I'm a personal trainer"

Oh please. If ever I wanted to poke someones eyes out it was then!

OK little miss chocolate seller in your tight clothing which shows off your toned body, do you think it's really necessary to push the average woman down further still?
So you want everyone else to buy your chocolate but you won't touch it yourself? Nice. It would be like a priest trying to sell you tickets to a strip show! (although on second thoughts, we don't know what these priests do in private. Can't take anything for granted!)
And for the record, I know personal trainers who DO eat chocolate in moderation! They're not mutually exclusive!!!!

So with that, she flicked her long blonde hair back behind her shoulders and moved the perky little butt on out of that dental surgery.

The nerve!

Friday, February 12, 2010

All you need is love... or at leas the thought of love...

Not only is Valentine ’s Day coming up, but so is DH and I's anniversary. We actually beat the Valentine’s day rush by getting married on February 13 so there is absolutely no problems with restaurants being overbooked when we celebrate!

Because love was in the air, so to speak, I decided to give a chocolate rose to my two closest friends at work today. I got in before both of them so I just lay the rose across their keyboards.

When the first girl came in, I was on a call with a customer so I wasn't able to tell it had been me who'd placed it there (and no I didn't sign my name to it because I'd expected to give it to her personally). The recipient started saying "who left this here?" thinking she might have a secret admirer, and who wouldn't think that?
I heard her ask her male supervisor if it had been him and he quite rightly said it wasn't. I was growing more frantic as I listened to this going on, while trying to aid my customer at the same time!

When I finally did get off the phone, she had asked half the office and it was becoming quite an office mystery finding out who this person was who'd left the rose on her keyboard.
Now here was my dilemma.
Do I ruin her good mood and good feeling by saying it was just me and not some handsome, rich, well cut male trying to win her affections?
I sat there with that knowledge for a while and then told her supervisor as he walked past. He said not to tell her but he's male and doesn't know what scenario's a woman's imagination can quickly get to!

So as soon as I could, I told her it was me and although I thought I detected a bit of disappointment, she soon smiled again and said it was nice. So hopefully it wasn't too bad!

For the record, I've never been a Valentine’s Day fan! Too many people get left out and I just don't like that. Someone's worth is to be judged by what they receive on Valentine ’s Day? I don't think so! Still, it is nice when you get something.... especially when it's from a secret admirer! Although, I've got to add that from what I've heard, if someone receives something from a secret admirer, the romantic factor can quickly turn to an "ewww" factor is the admirer reveals himself!! Better to stay hidden.

So to everyone that won't receive anything this Valentine’s day,
Happy Valentine’s Day!
I'm sure there is someone whose life you affect just by being in it. We're just sometimes too lazy to do anything about it but it's appreciated.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Cos there's nothing better to do..

I don't know who profits every time they do a major office upheaval. Maybe it’s just for the benefit of the managers who sit around and snicker as the office is reduced to a confusion of moving chairs, drawers, papers and personal effects.

We have four teams of about 18 people here and today, management have picked us all up and thrown us back down into new groups of four.
I don't understand why they would do this.
Fair enough if it hadn't been done in a while, but I've moved four times in the last 12 months!It's ridiculous!!There doesn't seem to be any reason for it.

Enough about that though.
The thing that made today's move different was the disgusting mess that was left at my new desk (and if the last owner of my new desk reads this, please know that I'm not having a go at you, but probably every other person that's sat there too!!!)I'm sure there were quite a few years accumulation of dirt, grime and crumbs at this desk.
What made me throw up a little in my mouth though were the little hairs, that looked like dog or cat hairs, that came out from the keyboard.I feel nauseous again just thinking about it!I don't know how anyone could have operated at that desk!

I'm not saying that I leave my desk in pristine condition (especially when it's surprise move as today's was) but never in my eight years of working here have I seen a desk like I moved to today.

Other negatives about this desk are its location (monitor in full view of entire office) and the lights above it! I feel like I'm in an interrogation! It's so bright!Or maybe I'm under a spotlight and they're all just waiting for me to sing
;)

The good things are that I don't have someone sitting next to me who's going to be looking at what I'm doing (i.e., checking out my screen) or looking to see what I've bought lately (looking in my handbag)And if the person who I'm talking about reads this, you know I love you! But I'm also glad to be taking my privacy back.

It's sad though, that just when you build a good rapport with those around you, you're yanked out of your comfort zone.Although I'm looking forward to meeting new people, I wish I'd been left in my dark little corner, instead of so out in the open under bright lights!

I guess I'll just focus on the positives and know that another move is probably just around the corner!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Creepy Crawlies

We have had horrible heat over the last few days and for the most part, I can deal with.

What I don't like, are the creepy crawlies that it also brings out!!! And it just seems like they're everywhere!

Everywhere I turn I'm seeing something that's making me scream.

Walking through the house without lights on is a no no right now! I just can't be certain there's no creepy crawly lying in wait for me - ready to jump perfectly on my unsuspecting person - polluting my airspace - intruding my haven.
I want them gone!!!

And with surface spray in hand, I will be victorious!!!

But still, come on cooler weather!! I've done enough screaming for the time being!

Friday, February 5, 2010

Did You Bring Food?


Working in a large office, it's always somebody's birthday.
That means there's always a morning tea happening somewhere!

Now I've been with the company for almost eight years and in that time, when it comes to morning teas, I've seen the lot! Everything from a couple of packets of chips and biscuits chucked on the food table, to elaborate and intricately decorated cakes and pastries.

My current team tends to fall in the first category. We just can't seem to be bothered! Or it could be that we've had so many birthdays in a row, that we're pretending they're not really happening.

Today's effort was especially bad and I felt sorry for the poor girl whose birthday it was. The lack of effort was certainly no reflection on our thoughts about her!

Now I'm not complaining about the lack of effort, actually, I fully admit that I contribute to it. I don't want to eat from the food table so I don't bring anything for it.If there's nothing on it worth eating, then I'm not going to be tempted to eat something I shouldn't.

I've been in teams though, where competition is fierce! Who's going to bring the tastiest dish? Whose mud cake is the most delicious? Whose dish disappears from the food table first? (That one has caused me a little stress over the years!)

I have enough food issues, I don't need to add morning tea politics to them so I'll gladly excuse myself.

And wish everyone celebrating a birthday a very happy and special day.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Visiting another world...

Sometimes I think going to the dentist can be like going to another country. It's a whole new world with a whole new language!

I got so stressed thinking about my appointment today that I was just a nervous wreck by the time I was called into the room.

I have a new dentist now as my old one left the practice. She was really nice. She reminded me of one of my old Italian aunties...
This new dentist is a guy and after having a woman for so long, I was a little unsure but I thought I'd give him a go.

So I get into the room, nerves and all, and he asks me how I am.
Without missing a second I go into the lengthy preplanned script about how bad my teeth are and how embarrassed I am of how bad I've let everything get and how my back tooth is infected and got so bad it led to a ear and gland infection etc etc etc.

Have you ever been in a situation where you know you're embarrassing yourself but you can't stop? Well that was me today...

So the Dentist, Darrell, put on his calm voice and said he'd take a look.

He asked me a whole lot of questions about my tooth and said he didn't think it was as bad as I'd said but he'd take x-ray's to be sure...
In the meantime, he gave my teeth a thorough check up.

I'm lying there while he's going through my mouth, calling out various codes to the dental assistant who was dutifully writing everything down.
Don't you just hate dental code? I have no idea what the numbers and letters meant.
I'm sure he meant for me to think it was work that needed to be done on my teeth but he was probably really telling the dental assistant "we've got a loony here! Tread carefully!"

And as his hand is in my mouth I start to worry if my breath is bad, if there's boogers up my nose and how unladylike I look with saliva going everywhere. I wonder when, god when, can I swallow, and if I don't swallow, am I going to choke on my spit and make a bigger fool of myself?

So after the letter and numbers that sounded like they were leftover from a starwars movie, he went to do the x-ray.
He studied the pictures and said it wasn't as bad as I had made him think!

Woo Hoo... good for me..

But I still have five fillings that have to be refilled so he had a lot of work to do (Just no root canals!! yeah!)

He fixed the tooth that I thought had given me the ear infection, then said he had time to do some more on the upper side.
Sure I said! I figured since I was there and worked up already why not? Saves me getting worked up an extra time!

So he jabbed me with the needle again and off he went to do his thing.

I was at the dentist for just over an hour.

Now you know when you've had that anesthetic in your mouth, you feel like you look really geeky but it usually feels worse than it looks?
Well in my case, it looked worse than it felt, and it felt bad!!
I looked like I had been punched in the face and couldn't get my words out properly.

It was really quite funny...

The kids saw me a bit later and were a little traumatized by my look though! They wouldn't let me take a photo of it and Miss 15 even shielded her eyes when talking to me in case she caught a stomach turning peak.
Nice!

But the best news of all, is that I thought I was going to be up for tons of visits and my new best dentist Darrell says he can finish up in another hour appointment in a fortnight's time!

14 days to go....