2007-07-24
random thoughts
|Today is a stream of consciousness day that will be filled with random observations beginning with one I had at 12:43 am (earlier this morning) while I was falling asleep and jerking awake waiting for Daughter Number One's Albuterol treatment to finish. (She has a cold that is making her asthma kick up and for the last week we have been getting up at around 3 am to do a double dose of Albuterol to try to stifle the cough. And isn't it a good thing that this cold is viral rather than bacterial? We wouldn't want any of those pesky antibiotics to help things along any faster than they are currently going.)
Anyway, for some reason while I was falling in and out of consciousness I was thinking about my stint at Arby's back when I was in college. I toggled between working the register and working in the kitchen. I preferred working in the kitchen -- manning the slicer was where the real action took place -- but I also rang up orders. When I was working there, back in the late 80s, (wow, I can't believe it's been almost 20 years!) we had a bitchin' microphone next to the cash register with a long swivel neck and a switch to turn it on and off.
Yes, when the restaurant was empty we abused the microphone with the following types of diatribes. "I'd like to thank the Academy, my acting coach and God for making this moment possible. Thank you! Thank you!"
Occasionally one of the guys working there would make this type of announcement to the kitchen: "I'd like everyone to know that Rob, who is working the fry machine today, has recently been diagnosed with gonorrhea. Best of luck, Rob. And use gloves when you bag the fries."
So what I realized, in my sleepy state, was that technology has infiltrated the fast food business. Gone are the prehistoric microphones that amplified "two beef and cheddars, minus the red sauce." Now everything is computerized and the orders show up on a monitor that the kitchen staff visually reviews.
I guess I was hungry while I was waiting for the breathing treatment to finish.
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Has anyone out there undergone lasik eye surgery? I am way too skittish to do anything like that. I have heard that before the procedure the patient takes a Valium to calm his or her nerves. I don't think that wouldn't work out very well for me. I am reminded of the time I had my thyroid removed. I was really nervous, uptight, terrified, feel free to pick any one of those adjectives to understand where I was coming from.
Right before I was wheeled into the operating room the anesthesiologist gave me something through the IV to "calm my nerves." I don't remember what it was, Versed or Valium, but I do remember it began with the letter V. So I was freaking out as they were helping me scoot from the gurney onto the operating table and I heard one guy say to the other, "Didn't you give her anything?" and the other guy said, "I've already given her three doses."
Then the oxygen mask was placed on my mouth and nose and thankfully I don't remember anything after that.
So based on that experience, I'm thinking lasik eye surgery is not for me and one Valium wouldn't be able to take on my highly developed central nervous system. Also, if I ever rob a 7-11 the cashier will be able to give a more detailed description of me. "She was tall, wore Converse low tops, had a long brown ponytail and glasses. And she was holding a Cherry Slurpee."
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I think my kid lost a Nancy Drew book from the library. I know I saw it in her bedroom. I thought it was under the bed. But I can't find it and it's at least two weeks overdue now.
I feel like I'm working with my credit rating. I'm not sure if I should call "The Man" and admit defeat to stop the overdue fee from accumulating. Or if I can race against time, find that thing and start clean.
I think, if you lose a book, you pay $5 or $10 to replace the book instead of the full price, but maybe that's wishful thinking.
I guess I need to call the library today and get on a payment plan.
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Sending out a thank you: I'm sending an extra 1000 strides on the elliptical trainer to tuff517 who added me as a favorite recently. Thanks Tuff!
2007-07-24 at 8:29 a.m.
