Hello neighbors! [And Hi to the visitors, you know who you are!!!] 
This week has been a fairly stressful one at work. 
On Friday last week, I got a call booking me for an interview time for a job I had applied for. 
Would be a step up, in both pay and promotion, but would also give me a chance to do a bit more than I am now, and not let my hard-earned clerical skills go to waste, or worse yet - deteriorate! The interview was booked for Wednesday, July 3. Yesterday. More on that later. <Gulp.> 
I felt about 3 things all at once: First = YAHOOOO!! 
I got an INTERVIEW!!! 
For a place I have always wanted to work in. Secondly = EEK - that's NEXT WEEK!! 5 days away!! I gotta CRAM!!!!!! 
What was their dept website again?! And lastly = OH NO ... I have to tell my current, wonderful, sweet boss ... that I had an interview. <Gulp Again.>
I have about 3 people at work I regularly commiserate with 
and bounce things off of. All 3 were cheering me on = both when I told them I was going to apply, and then even louder when I told them about the interview. One had actually just recently applied for another job, had an interview - and GOT the new job = after a LONNNNNG time in her current job. She knew EXACTLY how I felt. We both had [and to some degree still have] a NASTY case of "the GUILTIES!!" 
Guilty feelings about leaving our current office-mates in the lurch, so to speak, with September on its way.
After managing to get through the weekend without toooo much grumping at my family, I get to work Monday - realizing 3 more things: 1. We are short 3 people today - including the lady who covers my desk for my breaks. 
Terrific. 2. Today was the first day that another batch of students could start registering in their fall classes [Crazy Period #2 well under way ... see early blog on the Cycle of Craziness]. Couple this with the #1 item - oh goody. ... 3. I was hardly going to get time to run to the restroom, let alone have any kind of a break that day. Lovvvvvvvely. So - took a deep breath, braced myself, and opened the gate. CHARRRRGE! Was an absolutely INSANELY busy day. The first one in a lonnnng time. I keep stats for how many people my colleagues see, and how many I help without directing them to my colleagues. They saw almost 50. I saw 203 [not counting the almost 50 I sent to the others]. Anything over 200 is Insanely Busy. The sections of my day are marked out into hours on my tally sheet. Any hour I see more than 30 people not directed to my colleagues - I start needing help. There were 3 hours - in a row - when I helped more than 30 people!! 33, 36!!, 31 - all in the middle of the afternoon. Good grief. I barely had time to BREATHE let alone tell my boss about the interview. 
I stressed about it most of the day. Got encouragement from my pals, then found a quiet moment near the end of the day, and called her over as she was passing. here goes ...
Being the tremendously supportive person/boss 
she is, she cheered me on, 
in kind of a bittersweet way. I knew her hands were tied as to what they could afford to pay me, but she knew that with the price of Absolutely EVERYTHING going sky-high these days, I would likely snap up an opportunity for advancement. And rightly so. I got all misty - as she told me she hoped I did well, and that she'd continue to cheer me on - whatever I decided. [sure ...
make me feel WORSE!!]
The day of the interview came. <MAJOR GULP.> It was in a building close to where I work. I had been advised that it would likely take AN HOUR AND A HALF!!!! One hour for the interview, then about half an hour for a 'Short answer, written exercise". Oh boy. When I go in there, there are 4 people. Great: nothing like a firing-squad interview. I'd had a few like that. Usually blew it big time. But I held my ground. Answered their questions for half an hour longer than they thought!! Then started in on the short answer questions, while they went down the hall. Good grief - the whole thing took 2 hours. I think I did okay. Best thing - I survived it.
whew. Now - if I get it I get it. If I don't, I don't - and I'm okay with that. One last one - if it's meant to be, it's meant to be. 
Almost immediately after staggering back to my desk, I met my boss. She came up to me, with a supportive smile, and asked me how it had gone. I told her about it, and that I think it went okay. Then I told her about our friend and I - who have had 'The Guilties' about applying for these jobs. She told me - and then instant messaged me - about how I had to take care of myself - and when an opportunity for advancement came along - I should take it. She also told me that she, as a person, was cheering me on, and would continue to support me, and encourage me no matter what happened, or what I decided. I cried when I read that message. I have never had a boss like her. One MAJOR reason why the Guilties still pester me.
Anyway, that's alllll over for now. I will find out next week what happens there ... stay tuned.
As for the relaxation part = that starts NOW! We are now preparing to go on vacation!! YAHOOOOOO!!!!! Stage 1: Prepare the ds for departure to Granny's for a week in Moose Jaw. 
This is underway, and solves problems like - finding daycare for this week, PAYING for daycare this week, and how to keep him out of our hair when we're packing. We will likely visit a friend of his first, before we leave on Saturday, July 5. Tomorrow, July 4 [HAPPY 4th to all my USA 
neighbors!!], will be spent packing, resting, shopping - and possibly visiting my physiotherapist, after cramping my wrist on Saturday.
Stage 2: Week of Preparation for Mommy & Daddy - will be next week . We are both still working, but coming home to do packing, etc. I miiiiight sneak off to do one night of SB at my LSS with Ms A! ... We'll see! Stage 3: Departure of Mommy & Daddy for Granny's house on July 12. Stage 4: Pick up ds. Stage 5: Hit the road!! YAYYY!!! Relaxation here we come!!!! Boy do we all need it.
However, this being said - before I get to Stage 5, I also have to get through a few things at work - and that can be summed up in one big Murphy's Law: The Closer you get to your Vacation, the more stuff is added to your desk, your in-box, and your to do list. ... Bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!
Hugs, cheers & ciao 4 now! 
Sharnie
