Some Days are tougher than others. Some days are tougher FOR others..

Today I'm off work.  I needed to burn up some time off, or lose it.  This vacation day has been planned for several months...

So much is going on... A co-worker is in the hospital... the third or fourth time this year.  My daughter is flying back home, and my mother is having a radical bilateral mastectomy.  All today.  None of this is about me.... yet I'm feeling it.

I got up and made a huge pot of chicken noodle soup.. I'm getting ready to knit a boob for my mother.   Tit Bits Pattern The year is ending... and I'm ready for a new year...

Recently I was talking with a friend, and this year her word was patience... so she was looking for a new word.  She chose joy... because the past year was so... heavy... She was off work for 4 months due to brain surgery...

After thinking about words and what I want from 2012... My word is going to be "Strong" or "Strength."  I need to work my body, my mind and my attitude to gain strength.  This past year the word was "Love." ...of all kinds... physical, emotional... gentle and rough... It was a glorious year of emotional healing.

As I sit today, typing, I can glance across the room and see my two lovers... on other laptops.. clicking away... He glances up and smiles at me.. and I feel loved.  She's curled in a fluffy white blanket... contrasting well with her dark hair and rosy cheeks.  I love my life and am grateful for the changes in the past two years...

So the coming year will be claimed for strength.. encouraging me to get stronger.. That strength will be born from days like this... when surgery, hospitalizations, and chaos create a need for a stronger person.

How to have a great day at work.

Lately I've been thinking about what makes a good day at work.  I enjoy work, and generally enjoy my co-workers.  Today one co-worker was singing along with the radio... she was happy, and it seemed the day went faster because of her joy.

Another co-worker was grumbling... Her day went slowly.  Dragged along.  When she finally went home, she was run-down and cranky.  She actually complained about the happiness of our co-worker.

So I stay busy, pause for lunch, and then plow through the day.  A bit of exercise helps the day fly by also.  Meetings seem to slow down the days. Fortunately, someone is on vacation, so there is plenty of work.

I'm fortunate to have a variety of tasks, and I can plan the day myself.  Frequently I am interrupted for special meetings, tasks... but that just makes the day flow well...

I suppose if I could knit at work, it would go faster... but that wouldn't be work.