On the road of experience

This week's been a little stressful for me. My job always pretty much lays on me like a boulder, and this week, they decided to schedule some mandatory Saturday overtime just to screw with my three day weekend, which wasn't helping me relax. Then there was Tuesday night's meeting with the McCloud's -- something SuperFiancee went to a lot of trouble to put together for me, but something I was dreading nonetheless, because, well, I simply couldn't imagine that Scott or Ivy would care much whether I showed up or not, and I hate the idea of people tolerating me out of courtesy when they'd rather they were anywhere else but in a room with me.

And then, at the end of this week, I was scheduled to go over to DMV and take the test for my permit, something I'd been studying the driver's manual for, on and off, for the last couple of months. And I was dreading that, too, mostly because I was deeply afraid of failing the test and disappointing SuperFiancee -- something I never like to do.

So, I was a little stressed this week. And when I'm stressed, I don't sleep well, and of course, fatigue doesn't do much to help with stress.

However, I pleaded with my boss for a special dispensation in regard to the Saturday training. I have some problems doing my job, and my supervisors understand that, but none of those problems involve actual job knowledge, which is what the Saturday overtime was all about -- retraining for people who didn't seem to really get a lot of basic stuff about the work at Craptastic City. I pointed out that this upcoming weekend was packed with already scheduled wedding stuff for me (and it is) and that they knew I was one of the most knowledgeable reps they had on the floor. My supervisor agreed, and allowed as to how I could take a skills assessment that was floating around and if I passed it, I didn't have to show up for the Saturday session. So I took it, and it was no joke, either -- a lot of complicated questions regarding tasks we mostly never have to do in my job, because we have a whole team of claims processors who do that stuff instead. But I got through it successfully, so that came off my shoulders. Which was and is a huge relief.

The meeting with the McClouds went well. I enjoyed myself, Scott and Ivy seemed to, and if on some deeply childish level I seem unable to ever fully expunge I'm still unconvinced they were really as pleased to see me as they acted, well, still, it went smoothly, I didn't embarrass my family or anyone else, and I'm very sure the McClouds really DID enjoy meeting SuperFiancee and the older two SuperKids. I mean, who wouldn't? And SF and the kids had a great time, and, honestly, that's always going to be the most important thing to me. So that was good, too.

And then, today, I cruised through the permit exam and am now the proud owner of a shiny new Kentucky learner's permit.

I may actually get a driver's license yet before I'm picking out my next incarnation. Probably just in time for all the oil to run out, knowing my luck.

And today, I got to take all my girls out to lunch -- we picked up some Panera, my treat, and then went over to a local park where we all had fun picnicking, wandering around on the hiking trails, and teaching SuperAdorable Kid how to skip stones on the surface of a local creek.

So it's been a good week, despite the bad news that Mike Norton won't be able to come to the wedding. We'd known it was a long shot, but we'd really been hoping. Ah, well.

I've picked up 7 boosters of ORIGIN to date. So far I've gotten a full REV of The Question, two rookie Phantom Ladies, a rookie and veteran Cyborg Superman, a rookie and veteran Animal Man, a rookie and experienced Steel, an experienced Triplicate Girl, a veteran Supergirl, a rookie and experienced Knockout, a rookie and experienced Booster Gold, a vet Halo, an experienced and vet Ray, a rookie Martian Manhunter, a rookie Shazam!, an experienced Catman, an experienced Copperhead, a rookie Wildcat, a veteran Wonder Girl, a veteran Shadow Thief, and a... wait for it... QUEEN HIPPOLYTA.

The last of which is already drawing some very nice trade offers on the WK boards.

I've also gotten something like six TRIAGE cards and a Legionnaire pog.

Sometime this weekend, SF and I have a lot of wedding related errands to run around doing, and we're hoping to use the tickets Tony Collett sent us for 300 (thanks, Tony!). And on the way to at least some of these things, Yr Humble Narrator may well be behind the wheel. So if you're driving around the River City area this weekend, be ready at all times to take evasive manuevers. You have been warned. ;)