Some Days, Some Nights In The Life Of A Samurai

[exhilaration]

So yesterday morning I woke up with my right shoulder hurting. That's right, my right shoulder. Not my left shoulder.

WTF???

But, I took my muscle relaxer, and eventually it felt tolerable.

BUT FIRST. Ok see here is how my day went yesterday. I had to be at work at 5am. Ok, so, I left the house in plenty of time to get to work on time. I was not late. I am very rarely ever late. My boss, Renee, is late at least once a week. I think I've bitched about that before. So let me just say one more time that I was not late. In fact, I was probably a few minutes early. And the doors are unlocked and the lights are on, so I figure Renee is there already. Which is rare - usually she and I arrive at the same time, or I get there first. I go inside - it's Renee and Other Girl opening up. And I'm like... hi? And she's like oh, Lara, what are you doing here? We don't need you today, I have Other Girl coming in for you all week. And I was like, well, we spoke on the phone, remember, and I told you I was coming back today, here is all my documentation, doctor's note, etc.

And she just looked at me, didn't take the papers from me, and was like, "I said I didn't need you today."

And I was like, ok, well, when we spoke on the phone, you didn't say anything about me not coming in today.

And she was like, well, you said you couldn't work, so I had to get your shifts covered.

And I was like, yes, but I still don't see what that has to do with today.

So, screw you, Renee, this will now be a whole week of not working, and so this will be a skipped paycheck. Not a small paycheck, a skipped paycheck. No money.

So I stopped in the back to look at next week's schedule, just to make sure. Usually I work Monday-Friday at 5am, but my shift ends at a different time every day, totally randomly. Well next week she has me working 5-7. Yep, that's five am to seven am. Two hours every day. That's eight hours for the week. Usually I work about fifteen or twenty. EIGHT.

Like I said, though, my shoulder was really hurting and so I just left rather than say anything else to her, and went back home. Of course I couldn't sleep or anything, so I just screwed around all morning and got more and more pissy as the day went on.

Here's the thing, though. Nobody wants the 5am shift. I'm the newest employee, so I get stuck with 5am until someone quits and they hire a new person. Then the new person can have the 5am, and I can have some other reasonable time like seven or eight or even nine, imagine that. But what has happened? Oh I see. Renee has hired someone new, without someone else quitting, and given her MY shifts, starting at 7am every day. And I've got 5am-7am still.

Again, wtf. An eight hour work week. Yeah that'll really pay my bills.

Last night I came into work all in a pissy mood, because I had to get there at three with Sima but didn't start until five, and had to of course stay until close. I was hoping to see Bevan before he left for the night but I guess he left early because he always works Friday lunch but I didn't see him. Usually if I have two hours to kill before I can start my shift I try to find someone to talk to, and he's usually my favorite choice, but yesterday no one was hanging around on their break, they all went elsewhere cause it was such a gorgeous day outside.

You know what New Jersey smells like when it's warm and sunny?

Ass. I think it's all the swamps around here.

Once I started work though the day wasn't too bad. It was busy but not too busy. Really no complaints. I put a big sign up on the schedule board in the back about painting the house. Some of the waiters at the restaurant also do stuff like landscaping or painting or whatever on the side, or have in the past, and it's not like I don't pay people. I didn't have any problem finding people to do stuff for me when I first moved here, and the more people who can do it the faster it will get done.

I worked the lunch shift today and already three people signed my note. So I have painters! Maybe this is a success after all!

I'm trying not to fixate too much on my shoulder, but seriously. Switching sides like that? It feels fine right now, really (knock on wood) but what, am I going to wake up tomorrow with my left shoulder hurting again, or what? And the thing is, I explained this to the doctor, and she was just like, mm hmm. She didn't say "that's weird" or "that's normal" or anything, she just kind of motioned for me to hurry up and finish what I was saying so she could talk at me. I really hate going to the doctor. I'm always like, wah wah wah this that and the other thing is wrong, and people are always like, why don't you see a doctor? And then this is the kind of shit that happens when I do. "Oh, the muscles are spasming, have a muscle relaxer." " Ok, but why is this happening?" "That's not important right now, just take the pill and schedule some physical therapy. " Which to me translates to "I can't be assed to answer you, I don't get paid enough for this."

Anyway. Doctor Who hopefully tonight, definitely by tomorrow.