Good morning! Welcome to our first #WeekendCoffeeShare of 2023! Come, sit, and don’t forget to grab something warm to drink.
This was my first week back to work since December 23rd and I’ll tell you, it was hard. My brain was still in vacation-mode and so was my work laptop, it seemed. It took me 3 restarts to get my work computer working properly again. It was like my laptop was having a case of the Mondays on a Tuesday. Gah!
All 4 of my work inboxes were full of emails and each time I checked, another 10 emails would suddenly appear. I started working at 7:30 AM on Tuesday but didn’t end up starting on my tasks until almost 2 PM.
This was important week at work because the month of December had just ended. This meant it was month-end and since we changed the fiscal year to align with the calendar year, it’s also year-end, which meant I need to get 2022 wrapped up. Also, since Monday – January 2 – was a holiday, there was no overtime pay this week. So, whatever over 40 hours is still regular pay.
My manager gave us until Friday at 6 PM to get everything done before the period is locked and closed.
By Thursday afternoon, I finished my regular tasks despite having to had to catch up with the things that came in since the 23rd of December. There was only one thing left to do and it suddenly felt like a gigantic task. It was a duty my manager had me take over so my co-worker could help another co-worker.
With less than 6.5 hours left in the 40-hour work week, that task felt truly daunting. If I don’t get it done on time, the revenue would not be recorded in the right period. Yikes!
On Friday, I concentrated on nothing but that task. There was no stopping. No Breaks! No slowing down!
In the end, I got it done in almost 9 hours – about 2.5 hours over the 40 hours. I let out a breath of relief. I was done and it was much less painful than 2021 when I needed to work the weekend as well. I would call this an improvement.
If we were having coffee, I would ask you about your holidays. Did you do anything fun? Anything worth mentioning?
My mom had anxiety and the winter blues this holiday. Every year is something. Last year was the shingles and this year it’s this. I wonder what it’ll be next year? And what happened to her not believing in mental illnesses? She laughed when I told her I have anxiety. “You’re the last person in the world that should be having anxiety.” Her words, not mine.
My guess is she had always had anxiety but recent circumstances – gloomy skies and constant wet weather, her sudden weight loss, and the numerous worries about her health – might had exacerbated the condition. Unlike me, she wouldn’t admit she needed help from a licensed professional. Instead, she’s seeking help from me like everyone in the family when he/she has health concerns.
I honestly don’t know what to do to resolve another individual’s anxiety. I mean, I’m dealing with anxiety on a daily basis myself and often times, it overwhelms me to the point when I can’t talk to anyone.
So far, all I can do is comfort her, “Stop thinking about it,” I told her. Inside though, I was screaming, stop f***ing thinking about it!
So I spent the holidays babying and giving into her whims.
Anyway, I don’t know what will happen this weekend. She suggested we head over the border to Malad City, Idaho or to Evanston, Wyoming or even head further north to Pocatello. It seems like she wants to play the jackpot and be the one in a million to win the lottery.
And here I am, content for once to stay home or head to the library to finish my course to get my advanced certification in Quickbooks online. I do wish she would go without me but I know that’s not something she’s willing to do.
#weekendcoffeeshare is hosted by Natalie of Natalie the Explorer. I appreciate you stopping by and hope to see you back here next weekend.
This is Another Story 
I remember the strict deadlines we had to adhere to when I worked in finance. Monthends were busy, quarterends meant more report, a halfyear end had another couple, but yearend was monstrous. All in all though, I loved my job as it was all number crunching.
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I like number crunching too. 😄
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A kindred spirit!
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Great news about finishing. I’ve had an anxious week as well. No reason really, but hopefully I will sleep until noon and Sunday will be history. We had family. Drank beer in the sun. Ate lunch late so dinner is not required. I’m glad you are kind to your mother. I would run, but you are a good daughter.
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That sounds like fun. I hope you get your sleep.
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Hi YingLan,
Anxiety is a tough burden to deal with. I don’t have it myself but have seen it in many around me. It’s made harder because most who suffer with it, don’t look or act ill. They just press on and suffer quietly so many never know how much they suffer.
I wish I knew how to help but honestly don’t know what would help unless they tell me and few do.
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Hi Gary, unfortunately, I know exactly what that’s like. We can only suffer so much until it becomes too much. Then, I think it’s time to admit, “I need help”.
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Happy New Year! Sounds like yours was a bite stressful. Nice meeting you through the Weekend Coffee Share. I think I’ve had a touch of cabin fever these past several weeks feeling down & out. I’ve been trying to get outside in the fresh air more & that seems to help. Karen
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Hi Karen, nice to meet you too. I’m sorry about your cabin fever. Going outside definitely helps. I know I felt a bit of that, too, recently. Not fun.
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Hi Yinglan, I’m getting anxious just reading your post! I used to have to do the books for an organization and it often frustrated me to tears, so my sympathies! And mom issues. The good news is that, let me think. Well you are alive, so that’s good. If not for her, you wouldn’t be. That’s all I can come up with on the spur…
On another topic, a good friend of mine was at the beginning of creating Quick Books. Her husband was the person who designed the technology so that the moon walk in 1969 could be televised instead of only being heard over the radio. Just random info to calm your anxieties. Did it help? Have a great week. 🙂
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You made me chuckle with the second half of your comment, Marsha! 😄
I don’t blame you, I used to have to do the entire book for a business, too, and I was in tears. Thankfully, I don’t have to worry about that now, I just have to focus on my assigned tasks and once they’re done, they’re done.
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Yay! I’ve done my fair share of bookkeeping, but it has its moments when the numbers don’t seem to match no matter how much you play with them. Vince does all of our books now.
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Yikes, month end and year end together! You must have been so relieved to close your laptop when that was all buttoned up. I hope 2023 is an easy one for you! I sincerely hope you get to skip the field trip and head to the library instead. That would be my happy place.
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I was absolutely over the moon when I shut that laptop down on Friday. If I had a pile of paper and was in a musical, I would’ve thrown the paper in the air and break into a song. 😆
We actually ended up going to Evanston, WY yesterday to get a couple of mega million and Powerball tickets. Mom not only let me drive, I got to play my music all the way. I couldn’t believe it! I was going to ask, “who are you and what have you done with my mother?” 😆
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I’m glad your trip ended up being a good one. Maybe your Mom needed to connect with nature and the bigger world. Some people thrive on being inside by themselves, but others can’t handle it–especially in the winter.
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I think she just needs to relax and stop being so crabby.
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I feel anxious around the holiday season which is why I do not look forward to it. I feel like there’s an expectation to have a “nice” holiday season where it is festivities all the time but to be honest, I find it overwhelming to deliver it each time because it is a lot of work.
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For me, it’s the time off that makes me anxious because it’s a disruption to my daily routine.
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