Day three of my life as a receptionist at a naturopathic and alternative healing office.
I am still alive! Yes, I’ve managed to survive three days of work outside the home, staying positive, even smiling, not yet complaining about the job! Hallelujah! This calls for celebration, though since I feel on the verge of collapse, perhaps I’d better not jump the gun. Let’s see if I can make it to Friday first.
My duties are pretty straightforward: phones and booking for three practitioners, invoicing, receipts, accounts receivable, receiving and ordering shipments, creating files, yadayada (and by that I mean there’s a lot of little details I won’t belabour here. Then there’s memorizing a gazillion supplements as well as services and what they do and are good for, and laundry…tons of laundry every single day. And other cleaning.
But you know what? I’ve been busy enough I haven’t really noticed the days. I am smiling with a sense of purpose now, a feeling of validity, of industriousness. The interactions with patients have been mostly positive (I suspect it’s because the treatments put them in a state of such relaxation they are almost disoriented when they come out!) The professions (of which I have some knowledge since Colin’s a Reiki Level III guy and I’ve had other treatments at this centre before (I had a bit of acupuncture today!) are totally interesting to me, and I’m learning even more. It’s all very handy, at least!
I won’t say I look forward to getting up and setting off to work, but I don’t dread it. What I do dread is the alarm (as Brett and I agreed, it is the devil’s invention) and taking the confounded bus. If there’s anything I can’t stand, it’s the bus. I always feel the need to shower afterward, and I abhor waiting for it.
But anyway. Needless to say, with all this new information coming at me, and with such a change in schedule and habit and eating and everything, and at the same time working on a long book, several advertising assignments, and four papers for a journal, I’m knackered. Never mind blogging and EditQuest and other projects. There’s no time (and yes, I should be doing other stuff now, not this)! Never mind that Colin might be laid off by next week and that there is no replacement job. Never mind the bankruptcy (we are still getting arrears bills like crazy: how could they not know by now?) we just went through. On the plus side of that, we managed to spend a measly $76 on groceries last night, after three weeks of not shopping, and that in comparison to the $120 a week we used to spend. We were glowing. It’s been a fun challenge to see how low we can go without starving. No meat, dairy, wheat, or sugar helps!
And Lucy needs me. She’s having a hard time adjusting to my new schedule, too. I have a dog attached to me now, leaning into my face, staring very pointedly at me. I need a long epsom salt bath and the sleep of the dead for about a month. Instead I’m getting stinging eyes, digestive issues, dehydration, low bloodsugar, no sleep, and nightmares. And this is after only three days.
Somebody take care of me. I suck at it. It won’t do to have an unhealthy zombie working at a health clinic…
Oh, take the long bath and luxuriate! You deserve it!
Did somebody say *zombie*????
You need -
THE TRINAMIC TRIO!!! (said with a big booming, echoing voice)
As Betsy said, a bath is in order. Perhaps Lucy can sit on the floor beside you and hang out.
Take heart too, the weekend is almost here, and you can throw that devilish device in the closet for two days.
Eventually, you get numb to it all. Sad, but true. Get your rest when you can. I hope things improve!
Paul
Quite often it’s a matter of finding something that doesn’t kill you to pay the bills. Sounds like you’ve found it – you’re just experiencing work-lag (that’s like jet-lag but with work). You’re adjusting to a new schedule and you’re body is going to rebel for a bit.
But yay to an income!
@Steph
Too bad you lived so far away. I’d invite you and Colin over on Thursday nights, to get hammered with me and Brett!
PS. Does Lucy follow you into the bathroom and stare at you, when you sit to take a dump?
Or when you’re taking a shower, do you hear a noise, pull back the curtain, and there’s the STUPID DOG waiting for you?
When I dog-sit, that’s what my sister’s mutt does to me, ALL THE TIME!
You are in Belleville aren’t you? Buses in Belleville are EVIL! My daughter dreads them. And what’s with not having a Sunday bus service? Hello! Retail people work on Sunday. My daughter either had to take a cab or walk over an hour to work.
Steph,
I have been thinking about you! Glad to know you are surviving. Take the bath, make some tea, give yourself an hour of pamper time.
Colin will thank you for it later.
Steph,
hope you were able to get some relaxation in last night.
The job will get easier. I’m a firm believer in naps after work.
Friar, when I’m go into the bathroom, the neighbor’s cat follows me in and licks the soap. I don’t know what’s up with that.
Hey guys! Wow, it’s kind of neat going away and seeing what’s transpired while I was gone. So all of you agree, I really must take a bath.
I really can’t, but you can bet I will when all this editing is over. In the meantime, I enjoy your comments and emails even if I can’t answer, and listen to Josh Groban while drinking camomile tea to unwind.
Just a few answers:
@ Panther: Yes. They do suck! But they do have Sunday service now!!
@ Friar: She does follow me in!! I think it’s funny.
@ Alex: You’re totally right. Thanks.
@ Struggling: I have never become comfortably numb. Never. I am too passionate for that.
It’s a good thing. Don’t settle for numb. You can have better.
Thanks, you guys, all of you, for your awesome caring comments! You make me very happy.
Oh, take that bath! The editing will wait half an hour, surely?
So glad to hear you’re working, both editing and in the alternative healing office (what a great name for a place of work, by the way. I might write those words on a big notice and stick it on my bedroom door). And sorry about the blog break; thanks for caring enough to drop by and enquire.
Hawthorn: I don’t know! Today I got home late. I was done work at 2:32 (I was supposed to be off at 2 but it’s been late every day) and I missed the bus home (it leaves at 2:30) so I had to wait half an hour for it and then got home at 3:30, immediately took L for her walk, got home with the best laid plans, and then my friend pulled in the driveway. She left at 5:30, just as Colin was coming home. We’ve just done dinner and it’s already 6:10. It’s the end of the week and all I want to do is either watch a movie or, yes, have that bath and read my book. But here’s the thing. I just got four articles for a journal and I’m only on page 86 of the 276-page book that is due on the 4th.
So every half hour is precious. I think. It certainly feels like it. I can’t stop panicking.
Hey, don’t worry about the blog break. I appreciate what it means to need it or have to take it. I’m glad to see you here, though.
Oh, my friend. It all sounds so frustrating and stressful. I’ve got one (crazy) word for you: Aromatherapy. Seriously — try it. Lemon or any strong citrus scent (very bright) to give you energy, great for right after lunch when you start to slump. Try lavender oil on a tissue at night to help you sleep. In your long, hot bath, use something stimulating, like peppermint and eucalyptus.
I know… it sounds too new age-y. But it can really help. And it certainly can’t hurt!
Thinking of you.
Beth
Hi Steph,
It’s great to see you are enjoying your new job. Natural remedies have always been my favorites and I can guess it would be quite interesting to work in that office. I hope those doctors give you some freebies too.
Beth: I’m HUGE on fragrances changing moods and so on. I’m very sensitive to them, so your advice makes a ton of sense to me. And trust me, nothing sounds hokey. I’m all about that stuff. (Though I still haven’t taken that bath yet!)
Monika: Actually, yeah, I get all my treatments free! So any follow-ups (I was previously a patient there) as well as Bowen Therapy, Reiki, EFT, acupuncture, blood work, allergy testing, IVs (B12 or C or whatever) etc. And supplements are at cost. It’s a great deal! But one I haven’t yet taken advantage of.
I keep saying, as soon as all this editing is done…THEN I will treat myself to everything. And try not to get in the same situation again. I’m pretty convinced right now that two jobs is not for me. I’ve done it for year,s and doing it again made me remember how much i hated it. I just want one job and then I can come home and be free to pursue anything that has nothing to do with money whatsoever. I can have a bath, read, take singing and piano lessons, whatever. I can stop focusing on making a living and actually live.
Hi, Steph -
Just popping back into the blogosphere after a long and very busy project kept me away. Your blog was my first stop. Been thinking about you (especially when I hear Josh Grobin on the radio — which is a lot lately, because he sings some awesome Christmas songs!).
Sounds like you’re doing better than a few weeks ago (although the lingering bankruptcy stuff and Colin’s job issues must be doing a number on you mentally and physically). The job sounds very cool too! You should definitely take advantage of the treatments to help soothe your mind and body; they’re worth every cent.
Since I’ve started freelancing, I’ve been offered a few full-time jobs, and each time I consider the pros and cons of taking one, I always think about Riley. I’ve worked from home since we got her; I don’t know how she’d handle my absence (probably a lot like Lucy is handling yours). But I’m so content freelancing (and so blessed to be able to do so) that I wouldn’t take a full-time job anyway (dog aside).
Hope things continue to get better for you and Colin.
(and love the new theme!)