Day eighty-four

This feels like it's shaping up to be "one of those days". It's very busy, the folder in the digital room is out today, and I'm sure I'm going to be asked to stay late tonight. On the upside, we've had. Hey days before, we'll get done what we can get done, and I'm already planning to decline overtime for tonight.

Today is my dad's birthday. He is sixty-three. His only plans for today were to take the day off and go to the movies. Dad had never been extravagant in regards to his birthday.

I actually don't have a gift for him yet (it's 4:05 pm as I write this; I'm on my first break at work). I'll probably just stop by the store and get him a gift card of some kind. That's the funny thing about Dad: he doesn't have a lot of tastes, which can make him simultaneously easy and difficult to shop for.

…

It's 6:03 pm, and I've just sat down to lunch. It's been a hectic afternoon. If you've had one of those days where it seems like you're doing a lot, but it feels like you've not gotten anything done, then you know what the last two hours have been like.

I've already decided that should I be asked to stay for overtime (I've haven't been asked yet but I fully expect I will), I will decline it outright. It just feels like, "I'm not staying late, not if you want me to come back tomorrow." I'm not saying I'd quit, but I just need to stop when 10:30 rolls around, just so I wouldn't be reluctant to come back tomorrow.

That's probably the clearest intangible benefit of working here; like my last job, it can leave it behind, good day or bad, and pick it up anew the next day. Of course, it's only Tuesday, and I already can't wait for the weekend.

…

Update-11:06 pm. I'm home. There was no overtime tonight, not that I would've stayed if asked.

I stopped by the market and bought Dad a Subway gift card. He was glad to get it. The thing is, it didn't occur to me to actually buy a birthday card until after I left the store. I found what I wanted to give him, and he was happy to receive it. That's what mattered.