10,000 Feet

Many moons ago (when I was young and impetuous, as opposed to close to middle-aged and impetuous) I had a boss, an older man, who advised me to try and imagine that I was looking at the problem from 10,000 feet in the air.

Apparently this is supposed to put perspective on things - let you see the other things around the problem or situation, realize it's real importance... etc.

So here's a go:

From 10,000 feet:

- you can't see that my house is once again covered in a fine layer of dust from having the contractors in.

- you don't realize that the stairs that are still waiting to be carpeted are covered in cat hair and muck from the renovation - Sears has yet to show up with my vacuum that was ordered on line last week (2-6 business days - yeah. Not so much).

- you wouldn't notice that the cracked floor board in my daughter's room has been replaced with the wrong colour - mix up on the order, so we can start all over again next week.

- you can't see the extra grey hairs that seem to be sprouting on a daily basis (up until now they've been soft and wavy, but the other da I had a renegade zig zag one sticking straight up from my head like a wire hanger bent the wrong way).

- you can't see the bags/circles under my eyes.

- hopefully the 5 kg I have put on since arriving back is not so noticeable.

- you can't hear my son crying about how he hates school and is the youngest in his class and doesn't understand French (I prefer to think he doesn't understand the accent, since he is pretty clear on what I am saying when I speak to him)

- on that note - you won't notice the changes to my son's accent when he speaks French. Bye bye nice European accent.

- you won't see that my daughter has barely eaten in 3 days and that my "Please sit down and eat your (fill in meal)" is not as sweet and patient as I would like it to be.

But I am pretty sure you can still see, even from 10,000 feet, a house that still looks like a bomb hit it.

It's a lot of little stuff. I am really trying to see it that way and not get upset over things that I can't influence.

But maybe I'd better suggest Marc stop by the liquor store on his way home. I think I need a drink.