Monday, August 18, 2008

Time rolls around...And a Weese inspired tip-o-day...

Every two years as required by law, I have to take some continuing education classes to renew my hair artist license. Thankfully, I am able to do it online, and multitasker that I am I can do it while doing other things. I was just doing a few pages of instruction while I was eating my lunch and I came across the following gem discussing a researcher and the germs he found at the salon (or any shared) reception desk.

"He found the office toilet seat had an average of 49 germs per square inch. When he looked at keyboards, he found 3,295 bacteria per square inch, 60 times higher than the toilet seat. Even worse were tops of desks at 21,000 bacteria per square inch and telephones at 25,000 per square inch. People are constantly coughing and sneezing on them. Germs from unwashed hands can remain alive for days. In other words, if you share computer keyboards in your salon, a phone or a desk, you are sharing germs."

The instruction then went on to recommend various ways to adequately disinfect and sanitize the work area, including a recommendation to unscrew the back of the keyboard and wipe free of debris daily.

Everyone always finds it odd that I don't get sick (often) and they wonder why. The first thing I do when I enter the salon is to get the disinfectant wipes and thoroughly wipe down all the work stations and the desk including touch screens, keyboards and phones. I really think sometimes they think I am a clean freak or germ nazi and then I gently remind them that I usually avoid the illnesses that oh, the 28of them, pass around the salon on a regular basis. Don't these people understand the concept of planned sick days and how little fun they are if you are actually sick?

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Four Hours to Jimmy

Dinner tonight with one of my dear brothers-in-law. And father-in-law. And sister-in-law. This begs the question...do any of them consider me an anything-in-law? I wanna know, but I won't ask. Asking would only get the proper answer. I want the oohimbloggingaboutfamilywhodontreadmyblog answer. Really.

As reward for this mini family reunion of she who is Dear *and* Sweet, though the reward was scheduled months before the dinner, we will be seeing Melissa Etheridge. Tonight. at the Brown Theater at the Wortham which I think only seats around 2000. We saw her at the Wortham a few years afo and it was a great show. Wealso saw her at a dive place, Numbers (standing room only, no seats) which was the absolute best. She was Right. There. at Numbers.

I have no idea where are seats are tonight and honestly, I could care less. Just being there is its own reward. In any seat. I am eagerly awaiting the infusion of energy.

EB is not so much a fan though more a fan after having seen her live. Will she be expecting the tears that will inevitably come(from me, not her? Maybe. I already have a tissue in my pocket. Or three. They. Will. Come.

Last Friday at work I was having a moment. More than a moment. All day long. It wasn't necessarily more busy that I can handle, I have really never seen more busy than I can handle at JCP. There was, however, a certain undefined chaos that had me on the verge of a debilitating anxiety attack most of the day. No headache. No racing heart. It was literally all in my head. It was disconcerting to say the least. It was a day of feeling as if the skin in which I reside is not my own. And it was disturbing enough that I mentioned it to EB as soon as I got home.

Twice during the day I had to tell stylists that if they weren't in my area to help, they needed to move behind the wall. I know I was less than diplomatic about it and I have absolutely no idea of whom I made this request. All I was aware of was the fact that any bodies removed from my field of vision would help ease my mental chaos. Most of the day, I couldn't imagine handling one more piece of information.

Then I went in on Saturday morning and all was normal. I just don't know. It was all very surreal and dreamlike but the constant forward movement to the day was at work. And all at grindingly slow speeds.

totally makes me want to call in sick tomorrow, but I won't. And now there is but 3.5 hours to Jimmy.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Tropical Storm Edouard

Yes, it's raining, and it might be the slightest bit breezy, but we are fortunately on the west side of town and it is rather more like a regularm heyitsaugustinhoustonanditsraining sort of storm. I stayed home late this morning to give Chef a ride in to work so he doesn't have to walk 2.5 miles in it.

Sitting here looking out the back window, it really doesn't seem so bad. I was going to drop Chef at work and head into work myself. Once out driving in it, I soon enough determined the visibility sucks, and hmmm, maybe I had better continue working from home this morning. Maybe I will hit the office this afternoon. Never mind that my working from home means laundry.

The most curious thing about this storm was watching all the local coverage and seeing which newscasters would try to have a little french flair when referring to Edouard, some maybe even a little Cajun about it, and which just call it good old Edward. And then there were those that called it Edward in the beginning of their coverage and suddenly remembered it is Edouard. Amusing.