Nine Gratitudes

Today is tough at the office. I have adopted my new “fuck it” attitude fairly well lately but that doesn’t help with the constant distraction of people around me that I don’t know. Yes – I have been in this office for almost 3 months now and the people I work with still don’t say hi or even make eye contact. I find this rude. Just this morning, I was in the kitchen when one of the “partners” came in to get coffee. I watched him walk across the room with his head down the entire way as if I didn’t exist – no eye contact or anything. To test him further, I said “good morning” and he did reply but still no eye contact. Maybe he was just hungover from his money grubbing (that has got to be exhausting) as he was one of the “partners” behind eliminating the receptionist’s position here for the sake of “progress and profit”. Yes, that is a direct quote from the “partners” during the all staff meeting immediately after they let her go. This office has grown to 75 people and they decide to let the one person go that kept the place running smoothly. Go figure but I guess I don’t understand the “progress and profit” business model. It must only work when employees are disgruntled and scared to have a conversation that is not work related (billable). Wait – they just fired the one person that can do unbillable tasks for the rest of us so we can stay billable and make more money. Seriously – I must not understand this business model.

 

Regardless – my new “fuck it” attitude is being tested today so I thought I should write about something not work related (or work related bitching might work too).  Here are 9 things I am grateful for today in no particular order:

 

1) In an attempt to drown out the noise and distractions at work, I got a wireless noise canceling headset and it is working miracles – I can’t hear my work headset ring anymore meaning no more phone calls at work.

 

Double headset at work

2) I was able to upload a short video of the family singing Happy Birthday last night to Jackson

 

3) I tweeted a photo of the gyro I ate for lunch and someone “liked’ it

 

Photo I tweeted

4) I successfully “squatted” at a desk reserved by someone else. They had a better workstation than I did and since they didn’t show up today, I just took theirs.  I am going to try again tomorrow. 

 

5) The snow that fell last night is already gone and warmer temps with SUN are forecast for the next week.

 

6) The Tennessee Natural Heritage Program boss contacted me about wanting to visit one of my project sites to look for Streamside Salamanders (Ambystoma barbouri). It just so happened that I had just booked my flight for meetings in Nashville next week and so I might actually get some field time to do what I am best at – looking and finding reptiles and amphibians. Gotta love perfect timing!

 

7) I am beginning to schedule snake talks again and was just recently interviewed by a local magazine writing a responsible article about rattlesnakes.

 

8) Outdoor soccer season has started again for the boys and I get to spend lots of time outdoors watching, playing, and coaching soccer.

 

9) Plans for me to reboot the Center for Snake Conservation are becoming concrete. The CSC has been on hold other than commenting on and watching what is going on in the herp world but it has needed a facelift. I am excited to say that in the next weeks, the facelift is going to be taking off and I can’t wait to share it all with you again.

 

I haven’t ever really been good at writing gratitude lists but I think that is because I overthink the lists. This list is just what came to mind that put a smile on my face. Some are humorous. Some are plans (can you be grateful for plans – YES!). Some are about as random as can be but that is who I am. Plus – random is fun. I might just have to start making more lists.