past three days

On any given day, there are things to smile about and things to make us unhappy.

The passing of Senator McCain, and our current POTUS's lack of response, is very very sad.

Hearing that a classmate's mother I knew (back when my son was in elementary school)  recently died as a result of ALS (which I didn't know she had) is horrid.

But these are big emotions. Engendered by big events.

I'm talking about the irritants and delights of daily living. The small stuff.

So in the category of little things that have make me unhappy these past three days:

• I earn $60 at work today for 6.5 hours of work. The concept of working for nothing upsets me far more than the dollars represented. It's just wrong.

• My son ignores the advice I give him that I know is good. Like getting his shoulder repaired before it gets worse (it pops out of the socket too easily and too often). There are many more examples but he'd kill me if I wrote about them. But sometimes, mother's do know best. If only children knew that!

• Leg and feet cramps keep me up half the night. Just awful.

• I send an email to an executive at work, recommending a couple of (what I think are) excellent policy changes that would cost the company zero and improve morale. I get no response. I re-send the email again on August 22 and again today. I don't even receive a confirmation of receipt, as requested. His rudeness is disappointing.

• It's so hot and humid outside I'm beginning to feel as if those TV warnings, "elderly people should stay inside," are meant for me.

But then there's the small stuff that makes me smile.

• Friday was a great day at work; I easily cover the $3,000 in returns that I accumulated while on vacation.

• I get in a VIA and my fellow passenger comments on the skirt I'm wearing. The driver insinuates I'm a tourist and the passenger tells the driver, "She's not a tourist. I can tell from the way she's dressed."

• I really like my boss and his boss. They pretty much leave me alone, support me when I need it, and always respond, "yes" if they can.

• My two favorite seasons are fast approaching.

• Netflix is a savior in weather that encourages staying in.

• The Keratin treatment I got two months ago is doing a good job of keeping my hair in check, despite the wretched humidity.