November Craziness.
Well, that was a bit of a hiatus due to attacks of
** omfg I'm too busy at home too busy at work winter depression is hitting I just want to stay in bed.**
Of course, I didn't. Stay in bed, I mean.
What I did do for the past three days was work until 1.30 am. Which is unwise, considering I have to get up at 6.15 every morning. It's a bit of a miracle I'm still upright and not sleeping on the floor of The Office right now. Or on the loo. (That only happened that one time...)
This ALWAYS happens in November. The Office gets crazy busy, because the normal work (busy as it is) just goes on, but one or two people always get ill, AND we have to make a planning for next year - about 500 courses for which dates have to be set, venues found, teachers contacted and contracted, and applications administrated.
And my "other job" gets crazy busy as well, because November is exam time so I have about three million exams in a pile on my desk to be corrected, I am working four days in the oral exams and I have my own uni course work to do as well.
Also, November is traditionally the month in which my SAD hits hardest, so I lack energy and concentration. Which, you can probably guess, is Bad Timing. Why don't I ever get a lot of work in August? I'm happy and sparkly and full of energy in August!!
And to add insult to injury, I got a letter from the Bodice Ripper Publishing House saying that, although my translation was not bad, they will not give me another book to translate. Because, I quote, "I didn't edit the text enough". They gave some examples, too. Now, I know what they mean, but I didn't quite agree with their requirements. What they want is for their translators to change and cut the text to quite a severe degree and although, obviously, it's not world literature, I don't feel very comfortable with thinking "You know, I don't like what this author wrote, let's change it." I assume the company has the right to the stories and the right to alter them to whatever degree they like, but I find that difficult. Maybe I'm just not cut out for this type of literature writing. I want to do justice to the text (and they were agreed that I translated it well) and not "make it a juicy story". Still, I was disappointed somewhat, even if it's probably for the best.
But - the past week wasn't ALL bad.
On Thursday, we had the yearly Very Big Knowledge Quiz at work. This is always a huge event in which the departments of our company play against each other in a pubquiz-type competition. We didn't win, but I was proud to know the first names of Goethe (Johann Wolfgang) and if that wasn't enough to name me Geek of the Evening, I could also quote some lines from his famous and beautiful poem Erlkönig. By heart. In German.
Damn, I just love quizzes.
On Saturday, my friend I and myself went to see the British band Muse in concert. They were FABULOUS. A very good live show, the stage was amazing and the laser show was better than any I've ever seen. So that was a really good way to relieve a bit of tension!
And then there was Silliness, as always:
Me, to co-workers: Look, I've got a new handbag. Isn't it lovely? You see, I'm always looking for The Perfect Handbag, and this one is really handy, look at the zippers, and it's so pretty, it was designed by a Spanish artist, and....
Me: *continues to rattle on about virtues of newly purchased bag*
Co-workers: *start to give me funny looks*
Me: You can't believe there is so much to theorize about a handbag, but I've been to the bag and purse museum! It's an art! It's up there with Rembrandt and Van Gogh!
Co-workers: *give me really, REALLY funny looks*
Me: I should just get back to work, shouldn't I?
Later that same day:
Me: *says something silly and then has a fit of giggles over that*
Me *after regaining composure*: It's sad, isn't it, when you think of yourself as the funniest person in the universe.
Course trainer: Could you please assist me with the computer, it doesn't seem to be working...
Me: *follows person to course classroom*
Me: *presses "power" button on PC*
PC: *works perfectly*
Course trainer: Oh, you mean it wasn't switched on?
Maruchina: *talks about some people she met during a training session* There was this guy who just seems to think he's better than everybody else and that's SO annoying.
Me: Yes, well, but, WE think we're better than everybody else, don't we?
Maruchina: Yes... but... in our case, it's TRUE!
(She was probably possibly maybe joking...)
Back to work now!