2010, Week One....Um....Isn't 2009 Over?

OK, technically I am two days late in keeping my goal of writing here weekly. There is a very good reason for this. It seems 2009 would not go out quietly and tried to spill over into the new year, at least as far as work goes. Last week was, by far, one of the worst weeks I have ever had as an employee on any job. That includes working on the BYU stadium grounds crew during the week of Stadium of Fire three times, including 25 hour shifts for the event itself (not to mention enduring Phylicia Rashad one year, Wayne Newton another, and fielding complaints from people who drove hundreds of miles just to see the Beach Boys on the 4th of July to find that they could not see anything from their seats the third year). Not only was last week busy, but Wednesday was just about more than I could take.

I do customer service for Aetna Behavioral Health. At least once a day I get a call from someone whose claim is not being paid or who is having some problem that is frustrating them. On Wednesday, it seemed like that was the only kind of call I received. I can completely understand being frustrated with insurance. I work for an insurance company and my health benefits leave much to be desired, but whatever the caller's problem is, IT IS NOT MY FAULT! Why don't people realize they can get much further by not acting like I am the cause of all that is wrong in the world? By the time I was done Wednesday, I felt like I had been emotionally assaulted. The other days last week were not much better, and working with some of the 'care managers' back east does not make it any better (I like to refer to some of them as 'I-don't-care managers'). I felt like 2009 was making a comeback. My 9AM to 5:30PM schedule sucks, and it did not help that the new corporate head of our area decided to do away with the process for requesting time off we had in place, summarily dismissing any requests already submitted and stating that if too many people request the same day, it will now be decided my seniority for everyone who submits next week, no matter when you submit (this may be a repeat complaint; if so, please dismiss. It only appears here because I have had my Yellowstone reservations since last April). Needless to say, while I am thankful I have a job, the search for something more appropriate (not to mention fulfilling, profitable, and a whole host of related adjectives) continues.

I have been able to stick with most of my goals. I did not drink a single soda all week long, though I am having one this evening for reasons I will not get into. I have not had time to work on my photography, but that will come. I have read my scriptures every day since Jan. 01, and many other things are coming together. I will begin my early morning exercising on Monday morning, and Merilee is doing very well in helping me eat better as she does much of the cooking for lunch, which has become our main meal of the day because I am home. All in all, not too bad in spite of the work week I had. I have not yet lost hope in this infant new year. Here's hoping that next week is not as bad, that my vacation submission is approved, and that things get better from here. I definitely don't want to have to change this blog's title to 'Collecting Stray Rants'.