Now that my dad is dead, I’ve finally decided to listen to him. “No pain, no gain,” my father used to say. The man was full of cliches. My favorite? “Don’t work too hard. It’s habit forming.”
In honor of my dear dead daddy, his sage sayings and terrible genes, I’ve cleared my work schedule Friday to have a root canal. That’s right, folks. I really know how to have a good time.
Of course, it took my dentist a week and a half to work me into this appointment, so I shouldn’t complain that it’s in the middle of the day on a Friday. But it’s inconvenient, and complaining is one of my favorite hobbies.
Friday is always my busiest day of the week. There’s no way around it. It’s not a case of I could be doing things ahead of time but instead wait till the last minute. It’s a case of my regular clients getting a case of the Fridays, suddenly panicking that the work week is almost over and that their secretaries don’t do weekends, and therefore coming to me with various non-emergency type of emergencies. Normally I don’t mind. But normally I’m not taking Fridays off, either.
In fact, I can’t remember a time when I’ve taken a day off (even on the weekend) and not been available by email. Even before iphone, I had email access on my cell phone.
So tomorrow should be interesting.
I’m trying not to worry. I keep telling myself that I’m not that important, and that they’ll all get by fine without me. But I’m failing miserably.
I’ve decided this is because I’m a masochist. I work best in chaos and function faster in a crisis. (Pain excites me?) I’ve been SO productive today, in anticipation of the imaginary horrors which shall befall me tomorrow, that I’m sort of thinking I should schedule an all-day appointment every Friday, just so I’ll be this mega-awesome at whipping through the tasks every Thursday.
But that would be wrong, wouldn’t it?
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If it helps, my mother spent her 25th anniversary having a root canal. If dad’s still married to her (um, 15 years-ish later), I’m sure your clients will stick around too. And there’s nothing wrong with them not being able to get along without you. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and all that.
WordVixen’s last blog post..Yup, It’s Gonna Be Awhile
Hmmm, but one thing - never make a friend who is optimist. Why? Bcoz
The masochist says “hit me.. hit me..”
The optimist says “Why not, I kill you.”
Roy’s last blog post..Rejection: Why We Should Love It
I hope your day is at least a wee bit more fun than it sounds.
Writer Dad’s last blog post..But Daddy
But it’s inconvenient, and complaining is one of my favorite hobbies. - You’re hilarious! Maybe it’s too late/early, but that one just struck me funny! hehehe
Wow, I think maybe you should take off Fridays from now on. Hey, maybe you could really take off every Friday - just because you can! Mr. X would love that.
Here’s to a “good” day tomorrow. Just imagine all your cyber friends holding your hand…
*smiles*
Michele
Michele’s last blog post..Birthday Dinner: Feeding a Writer’s Soul
Good luck, my friend! You will be just fine, as I know you are as tough as my Aimee.
It’s the name, I swear. My four-year old daughter is tougher than I am…
-Brett
Brett Legree’s last blog post..never lose anything again. not even waldo.
Been there - root canals aren’t as bad as we imagine they are (and I eve had a rough one).
Good luck
I’ve had multiple surgeries (including some major dental work). So I can relate.
After a while, you get used to pain. It still sucks. But it’s less worrisome, and more of an annoyance. It’s more like “Yeah, yeah…whatever…bring in ON”.
You said you’ve had wisdom teeth out before. So you have an idea of what you’re in for. That’s half the battle, being mentally prepared.
Dont’ worry, …you’ll do fine!
And my other advice: Don’t try to be one of these Jesus-Heroes and say “I can tough this out, I don’t need any painkillers”.
If then give you some nice pills to make you sleepy-happy, TAKE THEM. That’s what they’re there for.
Friar’s last blog post..Who are the People in Your Neighborhood?
@ Amy: Ugh, a root canal!! I feel for you. Just before a weekend, too. Bah.
I work just like you do. I don’t understand it at all, but I do it every single time I have a job, or two or three at the same time: I can’t properly work on them, no matter how hard I try, I just can’t focus, until the deadline is scarily close. It’s hell and stressful trying to work without that tighter deadline because I get so distracted. I do my very best work under extreme pressure, it seems, when there is truly no time for distraction. I try to give myself shortened deadlines because usually my clients give me overly long ones. The upside to creating my own panic (for instance, I still haven’t started a big job that is due in two weeks but I still know I’ll get it done and done well) is that while I live under constant stress, I never miss a deadline. Ever.
Hey, that idea of taking the Fridays off to induce panic and productivity? Maybe that would do the same for them, too! They’d get everything done well before the weekend. No last-minute panic.
steph’s last blog post..No Lamb For the Lazy Wolf
I was in a similar situation recently. I had surgery last Friday, and amazingly I was able to complete last week’s assignments way ahead of schedule, and get started on this week’s assignments in an effort to stay caught up. I’m never that productive. But there’s definitely something about being backed up against a wall that moves us to action.
P.S - Enjoy the happy pills, it’s the best sleep
Valencia’s last blog post..Freelance Web Recap
@Amy and Valencia
Wow..that sounds pretty harsh, how you guys worry about taking a day off sick, and havign to get back to work ASAP and missing deadlines. Being self-employed’s gotta be tough.
If I’m having surgery, I can take off as much time as I need to get better (and nobody is allowed to give me a hard time about it). And I still collect most of my paycheck.
If we’re off for an extended time for health reasons, our managers are even required to work through the company nurse, to make sure our “transition” back to full-time hours is smooth.
No, I’m not gloating. It just makes me realize how fortunate I am to have these benefits.
As much as I LOVE to bitch about the Widget Factory (which still sucks, by the way), I reluctantly admit, sometimes there IS a plus side to working for a large faceless corporation.
Friar’s last blog post..Who are the People in Your Neighborhood?
Hi Amy - I hope it doesn’t hurt too much and that you get the opportunity to do something nice on your day off too. It’s important to make yourself take days off when you’re self employed - or everything starts to suffer, especially your teeth.
Cath Lawson’s last blog post..The Dirty Word In The Blogosphere
Just a quick note from the iPhone to let yall know I made it out alive. (Friar, they didn’t give me any pills. I’m sad.)
Thanks all of you for taking time out of your days to come wish me well. I appreciate it very much. It is nice to have such great online pals.
Yay! You’re ok! I think you deserve ice cream. You probably don’t eat that, right? Maybe a soy version? Organic? Something? You deserve a treat!
*smiles and hugs*
Michele
Michele’s last blog post..Birthday Dinner: Feeding a Writer’s Soul
Stumbled on your site while floating through a bunch of Dad blogs. Enjoyed your writing and love your site. It’s in my favorites to refer back to.
Glad to hear you survived the Dentist. Knock on wood, I’m one of those who only needs the 6 month cleanings, don’t hate!
Mike’s last blog post..Who Let the Dogs Out?
Amy,
You need Mr. Ian there to make you some dinner. I’ll put him on the next bus
Brett Legree’s last blog post..viking fridays - a shield for its shelter.
Been thinking about you, Amy. Hope you and your mouth and your teeth feel better ASAP.
Mer xxxooo
I had a root canal last fall and actually, it wasn’t that bad. I thought I’d be out of commission for days, but my dentist was a hero. First, he hooked me up to some delightful nitrous and allowed me to drift off to neverland while listening to soft rock hits over his piped-in music system. He injected so much face-numbing Novocaine, I forgot I even had a face. And, just to make sure I come back to him for all my future dental needs, he gave me hefty painkiller prescription. I was home, working, and feeling pretty damned good within two hours.
Hope your trip to the Little Shop of Horrors was as pleasurable as mine was.
Melissa Donovan’s last blog post..Slam Poetry’s Wonder Woman
Melissa — I’m not in California anymore. Dentists here just aren’t that cool.
Mer — Thanks. Been thinking about you too. Hope all is well.
Brett — Poor Ian on the bus. It’s a long trip. Tell him to bring some knitting. LOL
Mike — Glad you found the place. I don’t have enough dads here.
I used to have good teeth. I’m jealous.
Michele — The thought of anything cold is bad. But I have been making some juices. Nothing as fancy as the ones you make, but they’re good.
I noticed in the sidebar where you twittered (or tweeted) hehe about the juices you were making. I thought apple/cucumber sounded delish! I know they’ll help ya get better soon. And, my favorite is actually carrot/spinach. Yep. Simple, quick, tasty, and so good for you! It sounds yuck but is actually sweet and delicious and a really good one for extra energy in the mornings.
Glad you’re able to blogsurf and comment!
*smiles*
Michele
Michele’s last blog post..Raw Juice Recipe: Watermelon Wellness
I hope everything went well - both (and mostly) with the dental procedure and with your clients.
Avital’s last blog post..Time To Rest
Some people thrive on stress, pressure, and waiting until the last minute while others (like me) fall apart and do whatever we can to plan things out and not have everything piling up at the same time.
It sounds like the former works well for you, Amy. And that’s OK! Just like I go crazy if there’s too much stuff on my desk… others need the chaos to operate better (as long as there isn’t old food buried under there, why not?).
Meryl K. Evans’s last blog post..Links: 2008-08-22
Root canal - ugh! Glad to hear you’re on the mend. Feel better! Maybe you should take next Friday off as a reward
Rebecca Smith’s last blog post..It’s all about I
Avital — Thank you. Things did turn out ok with the clients. (Believe it or not, they really can survive on their own; I just panic over nothing!) Hope all is well with you. Thanks for stopping by.
Meryl — I think you’re right! I do operate best that way. I know better than to try to fight it, I guess. Heck, I stopped making my bed sometime in elementary school, let alone the rest.
Rebecca — Hey! I think that’s a GREAT idea. Hehehehe. Not going to do it, but I like the sound of it!!
And it drives me crazy when my bed stays unmade. Yet, it doesn’t bother me that the kids’ beds are unmade… then again, my bedroom is downstairs near my office while theirs are up. I work better when the areas nearest my office stay neat.
Meryl K. Evans’s last blog post..New Beginnings in 2008
Hope the root canal went well and I hope that seeing that the clients didn’t fall apart on Friday means that you’ll take more email-free days.
I’m bad at that as well. When I travel on holiday, I usually sneak off to an internet cafe at least twice a week (if not more) for those “just in case” emails.
What did people do before we were available 24 hours a day?
Cheers,
Alex
Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome’s last blog post..When Too Much Stuff Happens: Nada Thomson Interview
Amy,
I’m so sorry I missed this and wasn’t here to hold your cyber hand. I was off lolly gagging with my hubby for the weekend celebrating our anniversary. So..I guess I took Friday off too.
( I think I had more fun than you did…
)
I hope you are feeling a lot better by now. I was supposed to have a tooth out last November and I have been procrastinating. It doesn’t hurt. The Dentist just predicts that is WILL start to hurt. But it hasn’t yet…so…….. yeah, I should get on that before it does…
What, am I nuts to be waiting for the pain to start? But then again…what if he’s wrong?
Wendi Kelly - Life’s Little Inspirations’s last blog post..Anniversary Stew
Meryl — I’m fairly certain you would stop functioning altogether in my home. It’s VERY messy. LOL
Alex — I know. It’s sick, isn’t it? There are days I don’t log onto the computer, but I still have the iphone and check email on that. I should probably start with an email-free hour before I move up to a whole day.
Thanks for stopping by. The Nada Thomson interview was interesting!
Wendi — Hey, congrats on your anniversary! I’m fine, so no worries. I don’t blame you for not wanting to have dental work done before it hurts. My dentist wants to do a whole bunch of stuff to me, but I refuse.
Probably not smart, but at least you have a pal in your stupidity. Hehe.
Amy, I hate to ruin it for you, but pain and suffering are out in dentistry. Instead you may be treated to your choice of beverage, a foot massage and your own personal entertainment center. That’ll teach you to complain. LOL!
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