Couch 251: The Matrix Recovered

Hugs if wanted, NP. I understand how it would be really difficult to look for someone new, after seeing him for so long and having that connection.

Did P have any suggestions for you, people he knew professionally maybe?

It feels painful looking for someone new.

Not really. He said his professional network kind of dwindled after 2020. I sent him the profile of someone that was in his old building and he didn't even know that person. I'm not sure I'd want to see someone he knows really well anyway. He's talked about therapists who are friends of his. I think I would feel a little weird when he inevitably comes up. Also I'd be sitting there thinking "he knows what P's up to these days" and that might feel painful knowing that I can't be friends with him the same way.

Wow, you are late for Valentine’s Day.

And stop trying to corrupt a married woman!

I been cleanin my house.

I saw my bare nekkid kitchen floor for the first time in years.

Maintenance coming Friday to put in a new air conditioner. Seein's how its effin freezin outside. I am exhausted. When they leave, i am sleeping for a week.

Did i break the Couch?

I am just trying to come back to life. I feel like i did after my mother's funeral, where i kept pushing myself in 90⁰ heat for 3 straight days, driving 80 miles each day, smiling, engaging with family, until i finally came home and slept for idk at least 3 days until i could move my body again.

But now i am almost 10 years older and while no driving was involved and it is winter, this decluttering lasted for a few weeks and was bone-cracking labor, along with being psychologically challenging.

But its done now, and i have bananas and cuties and apples and mini shredded wheats and butter crisp lettuce and ezekiel bread to build me back up.

I’m glad you got it done and can now rest and get back to your norm. I went healthy food shopping today. Bought similar stuff. I just need to do better.

My last day at my job was yesterday and I have one week off to get into gear for the next one.

That sounds like quite a bit of work! You deserve to rest and recharge.

Oh, glad you were able to get the week off to work out!

It worked out but I put myself “on call” for them this week if they need me. I observed the new hire on Thursday and she needs training. She’s less than great. The problem with being less than great in child care-is that these people don’t mess around when it comes to their kids. If you are putting out 5 grand a month in childcare-they want “great”. Hopefully when she falls into a routine she does okay.

Hope it works out with her! And that you won't need to go in for the "on call."

Thanks. I hope it works out as well and that I don’t need to go there this week. Weather she works out or not-they will need to figure it out as my job starts in 1 week.

Holy carp thats more than i ever made in a month. But i couldnt even half-babysit my nephew with my parents when his other grandparents passed for a couple of days so yeah that job is not for me, and as i have often said, he is the best boy ever.

$5000/month now is the same as $840/month in 1975…the joys of inflation.

Holy carp i was rich! I remember i saved $2k, quit my job and went to graduate school. I had $20 a week spending money and was miss moneybags. Well for a teetotaler.

Today that $2000 would be $11800. Which would not pay your grad school tuition today.

I was a TA, didnt pay tuition. It was in a brand new field, computer science

There is little left after bills and other necessary expenses.

I hear ya. Working i was paying for dry cleaning and my car. Otherwise i wouldnt have had to work, i coulda stayed home and be naked. Aka my retirement now!

Hahahaha. I imagine my retirement will look similar to yours. Hahaha

Are you trying to kill the Couch again, this time with Jersey as an accomplice?

You know all exhankster's roads lead to being naked or bodily functions

It's only right. OG Freudianism.

But how poetically stated. Thank you, stopdog.

I am starting to feel normal. Im not limping and tipping over as much as i - what do you call it when you put your hands on the wall? - stagger to the bathroom. I think i had used up every last molecule of glycogen in my body.

I’m glad you are feeling more normal Una. It will probably a little while longer to get completely back to your baseline.

The new hire at my old job showed up late on her first day. They are less than impressed with her right now. I don’t know what to tell them, though. I moved on. Also if they loved me so much they could have countered the new job offer and they didn’t so…