Losing my mind

My grandfather was a certified genius. I mean, his IQ (however unreliable a tool) was over 200 and he graduated high school at 14, setting a precedent for me to "skip a grade" in elementary school. My dad's a pretty smart cookie too. In school, he was in special classes later called "gifted" (but not back then) that did two year long projects. But we all three, some might say, never "fulfilled our potential." Well, my grandfather had a successful NY government career in vocational rehabilitation, but that's not exactly "rocket science," to use an old cliche. My dad miserably worked in sales most of his life, dreaming of the musician he should have been (well, he is a musician, but he never pursued a career doing it). That was after he married the beautiful but screwed up 17 year old that eventually became my beautiful but screwed up mother. Where was his genius then? Of course, genius is overrated when it comes to predicting life choices. But how is it that we all, rather than harnessing the brain power and, well, doing something that used those vast brain stores, floated into an abyss of averageness, at least when it came to careers (and other things too, but I won't go into that right now)? Anyone who knew me in college would agree that, though it was interesting and "practical," I chose the "easy" course of study, in which I "earned" my "cum laude" with, admittedly, very little personal effort. And now, much of my "problem" with work is that I simply don't need to think all that much. If I had been more willing to challenge myself then, by doing something that required me to work and think harder (say...engineering or chemistry, both of which I considered), would I be more fulfilled now? Not that there isn't still time for me, but even now I keep thinking about how difficult most of the options I think of would be. Isn't that what I keep whining about? I crave more challenges, but at the same time avoid them. Of course, my personality may have still led me to more people-oriented work, and inate intelligence doesn't really get you very far if you're paralyzed with indecision.

Insanity, The Office-style

Actual email message from my boss:

Questions have arisen regarding the new time sheets and required work time. All staff are to work 8.5 hour days or 42.5 hours per week. If you’ve been approved to work 4, 10 hour days the equivalent is 10.65 hours or 10 hours and 39 minutes per day).

There are also two choices which are to a) take a 1 hour lunch with no breaks, or b) take a ½ hour lunch and 2 - 15 minute breaks.
No one may leave ½ hour or 1 hour early or come in late by not taking breaks or lunch. If you have a medical apt. early in the morning or late in the afternoon, you may not use your lunch times in lieu of your leave time. If apt.’s are during your normal lunch period then that is acceptable, assuming you don’t also take an hour for lunch.

Also, it was explained some time ago that if you have lunch as part of a required meeting, such as our staff meetings, you may then take a ½ hour break if needed, but not have lunch and then take another hour off for lunch.

Flex time may be used as needed and with approval, but you may not use flexing on a daily basis to shorten your work day. Salaried staff do not receive hour for hour flex time.

I hope this clarifies things for everyone and should ensure consistency and equity. If you have any questions or concerns, please see me. The most important concern is that we’re here for our stakeholders when they need us, which for now is Monday-Friday from 8:30-5:00.

Then the next day we had a Department Luau party for two hours.

NOTE: I work 4 10 hour days, and this was my response, which was not yet replied to:

I’m not sure who you discussed it with but I’m pretty sure the County has always figured the 4/10 week like this:
Five day, 8 hour/day employee works, given ½ paid, ½ unpaid hour long lunch break, for a workday length of 8.5 hours. Time actually worked is 7.5 hours (7.5 x 5 = 37.5 hours).
Four day, 10 hour/day employee works, given ½ paid, ½ unpaid, hour long lunch break, for a workday length of 10.5 hours. Time actually worked is 9.5 hours (9.5 x 4 = 38 hours).
So actually the 4/10 employee works a half hour longer than the 5/8 the way the County sets up its breaks.
The breaks and lunch time are given per workday (based on hours/day, regardless of the hours worked per week – that is the legal requirement), not per total hours worked, which is why it is still fair for the 4/10 employee to work the extra half hour. The 5 day employee gets 5 hour-long breaks, whereas the 4 day employee gets (rightly) 4 hour-long breaks. If a 4 day employee is required to have 10 hour 39 minute work days to have the equivalent workday hour length, they should then have the equivalent of 5 hour-long breaks, to make the time actually worked equitable, which doesn’t make sense if they are only working 4 days.

Don't even get me started on the factory based "two fifteen minute breaks" instead of just using them at the end of the day to leave a 1/2 hour earlier.

Crazy.

Toothpaste

Mundanities can be very frustrating sometimes. In my personal quest to use less, waste less, and purchase ethically, I come to a toothpaste crossroads. I'm sure many have been in this predicament, but here it is:

I really like Tom's of Maine toothpastes, especially the no artificial flavoring and gentle taste that doesn't burn my sensitive tongue, and the mostly recyclable packaging is why I bought it in the first place. And it's a good company, giving back to their community and all that.

But, the aluminum tube packaging is fragile, and cracks open and leaks toothpaste all over my medicine cabinet and sink, and makes it hard to squeeze out, not to mention all the extra I waste. The first time, I thought it was a fluke and I'd be more careful with the next tube. Well, I was more careful, but there was even more cracking.

So, what's the environmentally conscious girl to do?

Try a different brand, right? Not so simple...

First of all, I haven't made up my mind about the fluoride debate. Do I need it in the toothpaste? Maybe not, but since I got braces, I don't think I should risk it just yet. I do not want little cavities forming just under the cement, you know? So that limits my "natural and environmentally friendly" choices a whole heck of a lot right there.

Second of all...Is it too much to ask for there to be more than one company represented in this regard (natural and fluoridated) right here in a local store? Why do I need to go to 3 places (Target- Tom's only territory, of course, Ward's, AND Fresh Market- which I thought would have toothpaste, but doesn't?) only to come up TP free? Now I have to go to Mother Earth, which is fine, but intimidates me. Makes me feel not earthy-crunchy enough.

The only other option I did find was Raspberry-mint flavored. Who wants raspberry toothpaste? Orange? Okay, sure, no worries about drinking juice right after. Lemon? Why not, it's refreshing. Anise, licorice, cinnamon? YES, all lovely herbal clean feeling flavors! But Raspberry? Eww! And I like the berries, really I do, but in toothpaste? It's like brushing with Koolaid.

So, you see what trivial choices occupy huge swaths of my time?