I have been in a FOUL mood this week. I can’t seem to snap out of it. I really think it’s because of work-related exhaustion/stress … I can’t seem to catch up on anything in my life: sleep, laundry, groceries, my workload at the office. I haven’t cooked in weeks.

This morning I was getting ready to go to work … again … yes, on a Saturday … and things just came to a head. I snapped at Husband, was impatient with ONE, slammed doors and ran around like a mad woman. Our a/c is broken and it’s HOT. I was sweating and pissed off. It was one of those times where I feel like I’m doing everything, I’m too frustrated to ask for help, and I feel overwhelmed. It comes across as general bitchiness.

After I exited the house and got in my car, I saw that Husband had driven it last night and returned it with the gas tank on empty. That little thing just sent me over the edge.

I cried. Then I felt like a big fat wad of pathetic. I was wallowing in misery wondering when and how I was going to manage to snap out of it when something magical happened.

Justin Timberlake.

(source)

Sexyback came on the radio. I haven’t heard that song since the last time I worked out with my ipod. And that’s been a L-O-N-G time.

Justin is better than a hearty dose of Prozac. Here he is, waving at me.

Hi, Justin.

At my office, we have a smallish bathroom in our department. It has 4 stalls.

This is the bathroom that is meant for makeup application, gossip, the occasional emotional breakdown, and peeing. If you need to poop, you walk on down to the BIG, loud, and busy bathroom down the hall. There are lots of stalls and toilets that automatically flush with a suction that reminds me of the airport.

There is even a can of air freshener in the farthest-away stall. That is the stall you visit if you’re planning to stay awhile. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, there’s a magazine in there.

It’s UNSPOKEN. But it’s a rule.

I caught on to this office etiquette quickly, within the first week of working here. However, there are still MANY of my co-workers who still don’t get it. People who have worked here for years. They continue to poop in the wrong bathroom. Repeatedly. And that is a problem.

There is nothing worse than standing at the bathroom mirror trying to correct an eyeliner blunder when someone is pooping several feet away. There are only 4 stalls. So the Pooper is essentially only a few feet away. It’s quiet in there. I might as well be in the stall with her.

This bothers me.

Why is it so hard to walk a few extra steps to the right bathroom? Also, why do some people never catch on to unspoken etiquette? That is my real concern.

That is all. And happy Friday.

I spend almost 2 hours every weekday in traffic.

I live almost exactly 15 miles from my office.

Because of awful road construction, I have to leave my house at 6:50 or 7:00 in order to make it to work by 8:00.

If I drove to work on a weekend, it would take me 10 minutes.

Yesterday, I was behind someone with a license plate that said “SXYSLM.”

They weren’t. 

Ladies, we need to make time for ourselves. It’s vital to our survival.

Recently, I had a bit of a meltdown. Okay … fine. I completely and totally LOST IT. I reached the end of my rope. I took a trip to crazy town. I was, in sum, burned out.

(Read the rest here at http://www.birminghammommy.com/!)

Today I got an assignment for someone named Mr. Scitzs. I took one look at that last name and knew nothing good was going to come from our phone conversation.

I studied the name for awhile, mustered up the will to not laugh out loud, and called. A woman answered.

Me: Hello, this is Harmony from State Farm Insurance.

Woman: Hello.

Me: May I speak to Mr. Shits?

Woman: (silence)

Me: (giggling … I lost all professionalism at this point.)

Woman: It’s actually pronounced “Sights.” Like EYE SIGHTS.

Me: Oh. Oops.

Prayer and coffee.

That is how I am getting through my days lately (will coffee kill off my eggs?!). Husband is working a LOT at his new job, and I’m thankful for how great he’s doing. He’s kicking butt and taking names over there.

But, his continued absence means I am handling the Toddler in all of his tantrumy glory by myself.

I can handle it.

Really. I can. And I do. I just need … a cocktail. Stat.

We are so blessed with so much … I feel like I spend an awful lot of time griping about this or that, without taking the time to say that I’m thankful. I have a GREAT, albeit CRAZY, life.

And now, back to my latte.

What would I do without coffee??

My little boy woke me up every hour from 11:00-3:00 last night crying and calling for me. I think he might be getting sick. If I was a stay-at-home mom, the lack of sleep would be okay. I could nap. I wouldn’t have to make myself look presentable. I could sleep until everyone else in my house woke up.

But … alas. I have to go to work and function at my best.On days like today, I wish I could just stay home with my boy.

Part of what makes me a mom is the ability to fight through exhaustion, gulp down that coffee, put on my lipstick and start my Thursday.

Girls, we need to give ourselves more credit for being hardcore.