Thursday, May 9, 2013

Sound Wisdom



My good buddy Uncle Skip* has been having some trying times as of late and has been keeping us all posted via his blog. (Hold on, be patient I'll give you a link soon. Let me build up the drama first. Okay?)

In one of his recent posts (here) he said the following (and I quote):
Hungry, angry, lonely and tired is a bad mix.
This resonated with me on any number of levels. Because he is absolutely correct. In fact, I would argue that any three out of the four is not a good thing. Two out of the four could be volatile. It all depends on where your head is at in any given moment and the surroundings you find yourself in.

I've been on kind of an emotional roller coaster lately. I know it has a lot to do with the return to the road. The need to travel "up north". Again.

For two years, seven months and two weeks I worked away from home. Three to four nights in a hotel, every week. I thought I was done with that. But no, that was not in the cards.

While this little stint should last no more than a month or so, it's still a colossal pain in the butt. I was most content to be back on a regular schedule. Monday through Friday, eight hours a day. Now I'm back to four ten-hour days. The three day weekends are nice, but Friday is usually spent just catching up on sleep.

I'm generally not "hungry" per se, I do miss my wife's cooking while I'm on the road. So I do hunger for the way she puts together a meal. Always creative and always done with love.

So yes, there's that lonely thing going on. I really miss the Missus while I'm traveling. And the cats. We have two. I've told you before, I am a cat kind of guy. They are my boon companions. Take it for what it's worth. Without the Missus and my feline buddies, I get awfully lonely "out there".

Tired. I just have trouble sleeping in a hotel. I've stayed in this hotel many, many times over the past three years but I still don't sleep worth a damn while I'm there. The beds are just not as comfortable as my own. It's not just because that's what I'm used to. We spent a nice chunk of change buying our current mattress. And it's worth every penny. Extremely comfortable in a firm kind of way. And yes. It's what I'm used to.


So we got the hungry (a variation of that really). We got the lonely and yeah, we got the tired. Three out of the four. Not a good thing.

Now while the need to travel for work all by itself could make me angry, it's not that. Not really. I kind of enjoy being on the road. I enjoy the journey in many ways. But the job itself has made me rip roaring, steaming, head pounding mad. Simply angry doesn't quite cut it.

It's been another long cavalcade of bad management decisions and people deciding how long a thing will take when they've never actually done that thing. It's all about schedule and budget. Oh, and following "the process". So yeah, I'm angry.

I'm batting a thousand on the "bad mix". Sucks to be me right?

Wrong. I'm just being a little whiny at the moment. Things will get better. They always have. Maybe I'm just irked that the kids and grand-kids live so far away. Maybe my first day of being sixty is just a little rougher than I'd care for.

We shall see.

But when all is said and done, I head on over to Uncle Skip's place. The stuff he's dealing with is so much more intense than anything I have on my plate. And he seems to keep himself functioning and on an even keel. Lately, Uncle Skip is one of my heroes. He perseveres. And like Skip, I'm glad it's Thursday.

So excuse me while I run home and put on my big boy pants. The weekend approaches.

(I also owe you all a Friday Flyby, especially as last week's was kinda short.)





*(not necessarily your) Uncle Skip that is

10 comments:

  1. I get to use an acronym here! Charles Stanley, Baptist preacher from Atlanta and one of my favorites to listen to, talks a lot about H.A.L.T. He says we have to watch out for any of those 'cause that's when we are at our weakest. I would be very grumpy if I were in your shoes. Of course, your age doesn't help...see how I managed to slip that one in?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How did I not see that acronym? Must be my advancing age.

      Well played Greg. Well played.

      Delete
  2. I kind of enjoy being on the road.

    I kinda-sorta enjoyed that, as well, especially when "on the road" took me to some rather exotic places. But that DOES get old, especially when your Significant Other tells you that she's quite tired of being left alone. Road work ain't all it's cracked up to be, especially when you do it for an extended period o' time, measured in years.

    Hang in there, Chris.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This shouldn't last that long.

      But it's happening now and I'm getting too old for this shite. If'n ya know what I mean. And I believe you do...

      Delete
  3. Thanks for the link...
    ...and the support.
    I should mention that I'm not the one going through the ordeal.
    I'm just along for the ride.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've done the road warrior thing.
      Why is it the single guys never go?

      Delete
    2. Well Skip, I know it's GS who's going through the ordeal. But the way you've kept your cool and soldiered on is impressive.

      Yeah, how come the single guys get to stay home?

      Delete
  4. I was about to say, quitcherbitchin, think of what your kids are enduring as part of their service...then I remembered you already put in your time! Civilian life is supposed to mean home almost every night, but unfortunately you're not so lucky...for a while. I can't imagine doing that geo-batchelor thing that you did for 2 years. I'd have probably quit. Good on you, and on your wife for sticking it out. I hope it goes quick and easy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm kind of holding my breath at the possible duration of this thing.

      I think had the economy been better, I would've bid them farewell.

      Delete

Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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