DMGI've Filed My Paperwork
With all the comotion of the last two weeks, I didn't pay much attention to upcoming deadlinees for my NOLS backpacking trip. I knew I had to get on it or it would get away from me.
So I sat down Tuesday night and started with "Step 1: Read Everything in this Packet."
A word to the wise: when you receive a packet of documents from NOLS, it's pretty natural to grab the gear list and a highlighter and start planning the shopping spree. This is what I did, but shopping is, in fact, Step 4. Be a good little camper and start with Step 1.
Anyway, upon reading the cover letter in full, I discovered that I'd already blown the deadline to have my tuition and paperwork in. A weasely part of me was happy: more cash in my pocket, and I don't have to poop in the woods. True, but not compelling enough. I need to get out of town for a while this summer, and if I'm not backpacking, I'll just be road tripping by myself or something else lonely and boring.
The good news was that it was Tuesday night, and the deadline was Tuesday afternoon. I hadn't completely blown in. There might be a chance to save the trip. So I fired off an email, and called up NOLS on Wednesday morning. The pitch was: I can pay via credit card right now over the phone, and have the documents to you on Thursday. Can I still go backpacking?
The very kind people at NOLS said "yes", and accepted my payment, and I set about trying to find a doctor that could give me a physical before the end of the day. I took a (very) long lunch, got the physical, filled out the other paperwork, and FedExed the whole shebang to Wyoming.
Now, another word to the wise: get the physical at your regular doctor. It's really damn expensive at an urgent care clinic, and your insurance isn't going to cover it. This means: plan ahead, which really means: Step 1 really is read everything now.
I made it back to work just in time to be 5 minutes late to the departmental meeting at which I was asked questions to which I could only give disappointing answers. Yes, I'm attacking the problem. No, we're not going to see massive performance gains; it's in IBM's hands, and that means help is not on the way any time soon.
So... yeah. Yesterday was a pretty stressful day.
I rested last night. Tonight I play hockey.