Thursday was one of those work days filled with the kind of learnings that a kid gets when he puts his hand against a hot stove for the first time. Or in my case, the 11th or so. The familiar stove in this case was the realm of the unknown. I found myself in a three-person meeting where I was asked to make a decision on a complex document about a relatively foreign subject. The anxiety of being unable to solve the situation distracted my brain into a semi-frozen state and plastered a frown across my face. Slightly dented, I wandered into a management meeting about distributing work to employees. I'd worked up a document about my entire staff, but it turned out that only a couple of employees were discussed, and in a different fashion than I'd prepared. With the same stiff face, I made a semi-rambling presentation and punctuated it by acting as if I had some big important secret. That moment amounted to little more than "my dad is bigger than your dad" and was utterly counterproductive - the kind of passive-aggressive chest-puffing of the weak. By now I should know that it's futile to spend time fretting over the imperfection of circumstances, and even more so to dwell on making an impression. Success takes patience. I went into the first meeting expecting a certain result and flustered by the reality that it was going to take a while longer. "Everything's gonna be all right" was snuffed out by "How can I get what I want"... like choosing to drive on the shoulder when the road is clear. Turning the wheel a bit makes it much easier to smile.
This morning I had a staff meeting run by the same manager. I made an impromptu presentation about a task I'd completed to fulfill his wishes from a month ago. His response was to instruct me to do the opposite. This time, redemption! I shrugged off the temptation to defend the work completed. I pointed out that although we had completed what he had asked of us, we could easily do the opposite if he was changing his mind. Smiling genuinely the whole time. Because I was convinced that whatever the path ended up being, it was the right path for a greater purpose. Heart rate under control. Happiness intact. Peace retained.
The weather dismantled our Christmas Eve plans. Visions of opening gifts in my childhood living room were swept away by six inches of snow that buried every highway line. Even trying to return to the condo after 4 miles of sledding north was a chore, as we got stuck on a slick patch of driveway. Fortunately a pair of lightweight teenage girls drove up and provided a surprisingly effective push to get Dena and me safely parked. The next day the roads were bright and clear, we got to see Dena's family almost entirely and got to enjoy two of Mom's dinners once we made it up to Bloomingdale. Trish got me a new hat and pair of gloves that came in instantly handy for the drive to the burbs. Dona got a new frying pan that hit the spot. Jack got us Seinfeld DVDs for season nine. Dena got me a toaster that brands the Cubs logo on the bread. Dena wrapped herself up in a new thick warm electric blanket (machine washable, reversible, three heat settings!). Redemption again, as we spent more time with both families than we originally anticipated. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
All three of the Chicago winter sports teams are legitimate playoff teams! The Bears outslugged the Jets and won the NFC North division. The Bulls tipped the Pistons and lead the East Central division. The Hawks have a solid winning record in defense of their Stanley Cup season.
Dena's upcoming meeting with Uncle Bill is the capper on a year of growth of her graphic design business, as she served in the neighborhood of ten clients.
One more week to go, and a short week of work to boot. Time to sprint for the finish line in style.
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