I doggone gone and done it.

Today I called in sick for the first time. Well, the first time in my current position...definitely not the first time ever. You knew that though. Moving along...

I woke up feeling a little stuffed up, a little scratchy throated, still very tired. Despite this short list of ailments, I probably could have survived a day of number crunching.

I keep reflecting back on a book I read ages ago. I don't remember the title, the author, or even the plot. There was a lesson to be learned with that story though. If I remember correctly, the author compared life to a set of balls. Work, play, relationships...all rubber balls. Health is the only ball that isn't rubber. It's made of glass. As we progress through life, which is essentially one big juggling act, it's imperative that we put our health first. You can drop any of the other balls and they will bounce back. Health won't.

I've applied this little lesson to my life recently and realized I just couldn't do it today. My physical health might have been enough to pull me through another day, but mentally, I'm at my breaking point. And seriously, twenty-three consecutive weeks of perfect attendance in any situation is undoubtedly a record for me. If I'd gone much longer, I wouldn't have anything to shoot for next time.

Now I have three entire days to do whatever makes me happy. Most likely, I'll spend them relaxing, shopping, watching movies, and catching up on some scrapbooking. I expect to be so bored by Monday that I can't wait to go back to work. That's the idea, right?

My mood improved considerably last night, thanks in large part to a visit from my dad. He was in Duluth to give blood, so he picked me up after work (three cheers for not walking up the hill!) and we had burgers at the Ground Round. Afterwards, we took a leisurely stroll from my apartment to Canal Park, stopping in some touristy shops and to watch a little curling along the way. It was lovely.

To make my night even better, shortly after I arrived home, I watched Gedeon get voted off of American Idol.

Then, in an unprecedented move, I called Tom. We had words, via email, late last week about the state of our...whatever this is we have. Admittedly, one of my biggest weaknesses is not keeping in touch. With anyone. I've always had this problem. As I pass through each stage in life, I let friends and acquaintances drift away. With the exception of my parents and my sister, I never call anyone. I return calls, but I never initiate them. To me, there's something very uncomfortable about placing a call without a motive. I typically can't bring myself to make a call just to catch up and see how someone's doing. This lack of initiative has never been a problem with guys in my past. I guess it's safe to say that the few guys I've really dated have been needy and didn't mind always making the first move if that's what made me happy.

Tom is different. He made it very clear that if it's going to be that way, he's not going to see me anymore. I love that he told me how he felt, knowing that it might be uncomfortable, and knowing that might come across as harsh. Who knew there were guys out there that would stand up to me?! I needed this. So, last night, I initiated, for the very first time, an agenda-free phone conversation with Tom. It was liberating. We had a nice talk and I went to bed with a smile on my face.

Now...

Back to my day of absorbing all the white trash that I can. I just watched an episode of Jerry Springer for the first time. Aside from the fact that they actually advertise their "Worst Show Ever" nod, my favorite part was when the slutty mom who married her teenage daughter's boyfriend shouted, "I might be a whore, but I'm a dad blame good one!"