A Day In The Life

This weekend one of my best friends mentioned how much she loves her mom and asked if I ever get that feeling, where I love something so much I don't even have words for it. My answer? Yes, yes, and absolutely YES!

I can't tell you how many times this basically indescribable feeling comes over me and I want to shriek with happiness. It's such an intensely wonderful way to feel and I wish I could explain it to you, but I can only hope to trigger your brain about those things you might take for granted but are really thankful for. Becky probably rolled her eyes at my crazy excitement as I explained that not only do I feel euphoric about my mom or brother or dad or friends (muah!) ... but sometimes I can't contain my happiness about sunsets or my bedroom or songs on the radio or naps or new shoes. (It's always the little things, right?) I love it so much when it just hits you how good you have it; how awesome someone or something is. Life is a such a great gift.

Something else I love about my life is how comically unpredictable it can be. I kind of thought this only applied to me when I lived in Hawaii, but it's all the time. Whenever anyone called me in Maui I'd struggle to catch them up on the weeks because a single day held a month's worth of happenings. I'm back in Lancaster and it's still the same scenario. :)

So I was inspired today to chronicle just that: a day in the life of me. Ridiculous? Well, no one is holding a gun to your head making you read this - so now's your chance to save yourself and exit if you're annoyed.

Wake up 5am and head to the gym. Gym attendant is sleeping at the desk - hilarious. Watch Fox News from the eliptical. Become frustrated and respond verbally - hilarious to guys laughing around me. Love talking to the senior citizens at the gym in the mornings. Drove to work and tried to apply mascara en route. Turning a city corner leads to a long streak of black across my dash. (And my arm?!) Oops. Suddenly the guy in the truck beside me is waving and mouthing something. Is he seriously looking for chicks before 7am?! OMG, that guy went to my elementary school. I start laughing which makes him smile more. Oops.

Get into my work routine and things are going smoothly. Lots of people didn't show up. Midmorning the director of food services hands out chocolates as a condolence for being overworked and underpaid. I'm rooting around for dark chocolate and he says, "Nice nailpolish! Is that maroon or purple?" "Oh thank you! It's more like a dark plum." He leaves and it registers that he's the head honcho of the department where nailpolish is strictly off-limits. Was he kidding? Am I going to get a write-up? I laugh it off.

A lady is coughing up a lung in the employee bathroom so I ask if she's okay. "I ca-n't ge-t ai-rrr ..." "Ummm ... " God, I hate situations like this! You know I don't know the heimlich or anything! An EMT walks in that very second! "Hey, this lady can't breathe!" And I'm out of there.

Every room is an adventure as I get breakfast and supper orders. You've gotta love the lady who says she eats a lot because she once dated a Jew who was 16 years older than her. (Yep, that's probably the reason for obesity across America, come to think of it.)

Things in the kitchen are chaotic & one coworker starts venting, "Where is the work ethic Chels?! I mean honestly. You've got it." I just shake my head and we talk about how no one is willing to work and how scary that is for the future. She thinks it all went downhill when they took prayer out of public schools and I want to yell hallelujah and AMEN.

Just before supper one of my supervisors says, "Is that purple?" "What? No, it's green. I'm drinking green tea." "No, your nails ... that's different, I like it!" I clock out thirty minutes later with two nailpolish compliments and no write-ups. Seriously?