When Bad Things Happen to Good People

Today is the most glorious day I have seen in a long, long time. It is a pleasant 80 degrees, no humidity, not a cloud in the sky, and there is a slight breeze. It is the perfect day for being outside and working on my "tan" so that I don't look quite so albino.

But can I go outside and enjoy this day? No, of course not. Not only is today a Monday, but it is also the first day of the new fiscal year here at work, which means that I have lost four perfectly good paid sick days that I could have used at any point before June 30. I didn't plan my sick days well...I just ran out of time. Sure, I have ten new vacation days and ten new sick days, but the next twelve months loom ominously ahead, and I have no idea when I will need to cash those in. So abandoning my cubicle to be all willy-nilly free in the sunshine is out of the question.

It also stinks that the Fourth of July is on a Wednesday this year. How are the men and women of the working world supposed to take a long weekend?? I was hoping that HQ would take one for the team and send out an announcement that read something like, "We understand that the weather this week is beautiful, and since we don't want to be here any more than you do, feel free to take off Thursday and Friday. Bong a beer for us as you light fireworks in your backyard." I keep checking my inbox, but that email just hasn't arrived yet.

Okay. I need to stay positive. Let's look at all the fun stuff that is coming up this week:
Tonight-go to the local AAA baseball game. Stuff my face because it's Dime-a-Dog night and I love me some hotdogs. Enjoy fireworks at the end of the ninth inning.
Tuesday-barbecue with Rose's (one of my roommates) family. Go downtown for the biggest fireworks show in the entire Midwest. Feel proud to live in this city/be an American.
Wednesday-sleep in and probably miss the local parade. No matter. Lay out in the sun by the pool. Gather blankets, wine, and bug spray for the local fireworks that night.
Thursday-find a good happy hour.
Friday-attend Shakespeare in the Park. Enjoy his complete works in 90 minutes and hopefully make my sophomore year English professor proud that I remember a smidgen of the works we read in her class. Party like a rock star because it's finally the weekend.

Alright, that schedule makes me feel sort of excited for my Fourth of July week. It will be good...lots of fireworks, good food, and good drink. Can't ask for too much more in life. It's a slow week here at the office anyway, so if I have to come in slightly hungover, it won't be the end of the world.