Enter At Your Own Risk

I know it's incredibly stupid to write a blog on a day in which I am in a horrible mood, but I haven't written for a while so I thought that I should write something, even if it is hostile and begrudging. In my defense though, I am listening to Phil Collins right now so that should help my mood exponentially. Here's hoping anyway. I absolutely hate being in a bad mood because I'm usually in a pleasant mood most of the time so when my pleasantness fades into a brooding bitterness, it catches me off guard and I just want to hide away until my disposition lifts. Today just started of badly and I am trying to get over it all and just enjoy the rest of my weekend. Let me explain.

I woke up to an evil alarm clock this morning. First of all, waking up to an alarm is the worst way to wake up because it's just so abrupt. Plus who wants to wake up when sleep is just so lovely? I haven't been sleeping much at all and last night was my first night of actual productive sleep, so having that machine wake me up was just uncool. As I laid there for a few minutes and listened to the rain pounding down outside I did not want to have anything to do with facing the morning. Torrential downpour is not the most appealing way to start the day. But I got up and headed to the farmer's market to pick up some bread and beets. Then I went to campus to go to the gym...only to get there and realize that I forgot my student card at home. The student card is what allows us access to the gym at UPEI. So I said to the girl at the desk, "Look, it's the first time in 4 years that I have forgotten my student card. Please make an exception this one time." But no. The snotty 17 year old girl had all the power in the situation and denied me access to the gym. And her smug little friends sitting there gave me this look that I was completely pathetic. I was soaked and grumpy at this point. But what could I do? So I left.

Then I decided to go to the Superstore to pick up some groceries since I was right there anyway. The thought of going home and doing some cooking seemed nice. I walked around the store and loaded up my basket enjoying the nearly empty store. When I reached the check-out, I saw the one and only sign in the entire store informing the customers that the debit was down and cash was only accepted. UGH! Plus the bank machine which is in the store was down. UGH! Since I am a considerate person, I walked around the store again and put my groceries back on the shelves/fridges/freezers even though I really just wanted to throw them at people instead. I head back out in the pouring rain with no gym pass, no groceries and no patience at all. So I drove home, changed into some dry clothes, grabbed my student card, some grocery bags and went all the way back to campus to start my day over again.

The gym sucked. I think my mindset was so terrible at this point that my energy was drained out of me. I fatigued so much faster than I can even remember happening in a long time and this just added to my bubbling temper. I know this sounds really silly and pathetic to get all worked up about, but I just couldn't help it! If there's one thing in this world that I hate it's wasting time and I felt that my morning was a complete waste of time. So I left the gym (lightly glared at the girl behind the desk on my way out) and walked back to the car.

Then I smiled. I happened to witness a moment that no one else saw and that was great. As I was walking to the car, this little boy who couldn't have been any older than 3, was dawdling behind his parents as they were all leaving the arena. He stopped dead in tracks, took two steps to the left and splashed calf-high into a giant mud puddle. Just a quick splash of each leg and out he was to join his family. I couldn't help but burst out into a huge shit-eating grin. Kids are so simple in that way. The simple joys they have are lost as we age and it's depressing to think about. But I was glad to witness that moment. A bright moment in my dark and wet morning.

But tonight I am optimist. Yes it is still pouring rain, but Finger Eleven is playing at the Wave tonight and I am very excited to attend. They were such a huge part of my life when I was in high school and I am looking forward to the nostalgic effect they will have on me.