Unworking

The sudden death of my Dell laptop (used primarily for work) must be the reason to blame for my complete and total BRAIN FREEZE on work related issues lately.

Yes, I am behind on work that need(s)(ed) to be delivered and, yes, that can sometimes be a BFD (big f*ing deal).  But I made a nice list, prioritizing what needed to get done, when it needed to get delivered, etc (I have since lost the list, but it did help to get that visual time line, making order out of chaos).

So during the mourning of the Dell, apparently I received a call ordering a hold job.  The way my job (court reporter) works is, I go out to depositions, arbitration meetings, hearings, etc., things where they want to create an "official record."  I take my handy dandy steno machine and my laptop and write (type) everything said.  That is the end of phase one.  

Phase two is the transcript.  Sometimes they want one, and sometimes they don't.  For example, if the attorneys are pretty sure they're going to be able to settle the case after what they've learned in the deposition, they probably will not order the transcript.  In that case, I bill for my appearance time and it's a done deal.  It's a "hold order."

Then sometimes they change their minds.  Sometimes the next day.  Sometimes the next week. Sometimes in three months.  Sometimes in six years.  (Can you see why the work computer crashing is a BFD now?  Hold jobs on there from forever that, you never know, may order.)

ANYWAY... back to the point.  While mourning the Dell, I received a call for a hold order.  I wrote down the info on a sticky note, stuck it to my desk and promptly forgot about it.  Like COMPLETELY forget about it.  And then the note got covered with other crap and, like magic, the conversation never happened in my reality.

Yesterday I had a leisurely morning, hung out with some friends, worked on a pair of socks I am knitting, puttered around the kitchen, then headed to Carlie's school at noon to pick her up since they had a half day.  I'm in the car and get THE CALL, the one from the attorney's office asking why I had not sent them that hold order that they need for court on Monday.  I pulled the car over, in a stupor, not having a CLUE what they were talking about, but trying to pretend that I was totally on top of it.

Then, like black magic, the lies started flowing out of my mouth, and I had no power to control them at all.  The end result of the lying was that I painted myself into an even worse situation, and now instead of looking like an incompetent fool who forgot about a job, I would look like a pathological liar who can't own up to her mistakes.  But, generally speaking, that's how I roll.  If anyone can take lemons and make poison, it's me.

Bottom line, I grabbed my kid, zoomed home, spent FIVE FREAKING HOURS at my desk working, feeling the muscles in my shoulders and neck tighten by the minute, and then went to the post office at 6:30 p.m. to overnight the transcripts.  Then went out and ate prime rib and drank beer because it was better than laying in bed crying.

This one, I can't even blame on my laptop crisis induced haze, but while I was doing a quick housecleaning Thursday, I found a stack of three CD's that I took on as a side job, interviews to transcribe for someone who is writing a book.  I have had those CDs for probably a month or more and totally forgot that I had them.  The author hasn't called looking for them, but, still, a month?  And I forgot they existed!

So plan for today: Carlie has a soccer game in Camas at 1 pm.  I am going to get the CDs done before the game.  Go to the game.  Come home.  CLEAN MY DESK and find the freaking priority list that I spent an hour making.  Tonight: church volunteer gig at 6:30 pm, then go to "stitch and bitch," drink wine and knit.  

And I will NEVER EVER EVER again write down an important work message on a sticky note. I swear.