Kvetches about the week that was supposed to be awesome
Somehow, things have gotten screwed up. I was planning to leave for WorldCon on Wednesday. But it turns out that the friend with whom I'm driving is arriving Wednesday night and we're going on Thursday morning. I don't know how this happened. I thought she was arriving Tuesday and that we were leaving on Wednesday. I'm angry. I'm frustrated. I'm mournful. I'm irritated. I want to leave Wednesday morning. If I don't take her, she has no way to get there, but she's traveling across the country to go. I can't leave her stranded.
I want to leave for WorldCon on Wednesday morning. I can't. This changes my ability to attend panels I wanted to see, to have meals with friends that I planned, to have some breathing room before the con starts. It makes the trip more cramped and I miss, basically, a full day of events.
Last night, right before I went to bed--just a couple of days before I'm to leave--my cat sitter emails me to say that she's raising her prices by another $10 per visit. She did say that if this was an issue, we should discuss it--but what options do I have? Pay her or try to find someone else I'd trust my house keys and my cats with in, basically, two days? Not likely. And we're not talking about a woman who's rolling in dough, believe me. I suppose that, needing to cancel a night at the hotel means funds will free up for the cat sitter payment, but I'm pretty angry about this, too. I feel cornered and a little bait-and-switched, even though I know that's not how she meant for it to feel or to happen.
I was so excited about this trip, and already it feels like a disappointment.
I know that in the grand scheme of things, these are first world problems. I have friends who can't go to the con because of serious illness. I have other friends dealing with similar issues. Part of me feels like a spoiled child: "Wah! My trip will be shorter!" But part of me feels like this trip has been the One Good Thing I've been looking forward to for weeks, and events are conspiring to sour it. I need to find a way to bring the magic back. I just don't know how.
I want to leave for WorldCon on Wednesday morning. I can't. This changes my ability to attend panels I wanted to see, to have meals with friends that I planned, to have some breathing room before the con starts. It makes the trip more cramped and I miss, basically, a full day of events.
Last night, right before I went to bed--just a couple of days before I'm to leave--my cat sitter emails me to say that she's raising her prices by another $10 per visit. She did say that if this was an issue, we should discuss it--but what options do I have? Pay her or try to find someone else I'd trust my house keys and my cats with in, basically, two days? Not likely. And we're not talking about a woman who's rolling in dough, believe me. I suppose that, needing to cancel a night at the hotel means funds will free up for the cat sitter payment, but I'm pretty angry about this, too. I feel cornered and a little bait-and-switched, even though I know that's not how she meant for it to feel or to happen.
I was so excited about this trip, and already it feels like a disappointment.
I know that in the grand scheme of things, these are first world problems. I have friends who can't go to the con because of serious illness. I have other friends dealing with similar issues. Part of me feels like a spoiled child: "Wah! My trip will be shorter!" But part of me feels like this trip has been the One Good Thing I've been looking forward to for weeks, and events are conspiring to sour it. I need to find a way to bring the magic back. I just don't know how.