I want to start treating this little blog like more of an online diary, so I might as well just start doing that. My point being is that this site isn’t necessarily ALL ABOUT BEING SOBER, because my life definitely has other facets, but it is about my life and being sober IS a part of that and navigating it is a large part of how I spend my time, but in between all that introspective bullshit. . . life happens anyway.
So last week I chipped a tooth while eating almonds. A FRONT tooth. Naturally I told everyone in my workplace a different tale on how this occurred.
- head butted by the Easter Bunny at the mall (he full-on gave me the stink eye more than once last week)
- opened a beer bottle with my mouth (oh believe me back in the day)
- bar fight (naturally)
The surprising, or not so surprising thing is that NO ONE has even blinked at any situation I’ve offered up. One friend, after hearing the beer bottle explanation, muttered “well, then, you deserved it” but other than that, no shock, disbelief, or questions; just acceptance. That tells me that I’m right on target with how I want to be perceived at work. Like, just a teensy bit crazy but nothing 100% certifiable. Maybe just watch your step, you know? I think I could totally be good with that.
Anyway, I got it fixed today and although I pondered a gold or diamond studded grill, I ended up with a yellow-y fake cap atop my poor ghetto toof that ironically, looked exactly like an almond piece, prior to installation. I am adulting, thank ya very much.
In typical fashion at our house the washing machine spin basket decided to snap last week and we are without a functioning unit at our home. I hope to remedy that shortly, but in the interim, I actually packed up my Jeep and went to a laundromat for the first time since the year 2000. Laundry, in my younger years, used to be the bane of my existence – back then I would have rather gone to the dentist than to tackle laundry. Also, I’m pretty sure that I have NEVER been inside a laundry facility without a raging, vomit-inducing hangover. I’ll happily admit that it wasn’t near as horrific as in my recollections but then again, I am now fifty years old. I brought my own detergent and fabric softener, and in between cycles I checked emails on my laptop, and watched the morning news. It was far from glamorous, sure, but it was not the 9th circle of Dante’s Inferno that I remembered, thankfully.
I found myself grateful, as I usually do. Grateful to have a day off in which to fix said tooth, and to do laundry. Grateful that many coworkers regaled me with their own horrific tooth-chipping stories and the winner in my opinion was a jacuzzi incident that involved a Titanic reenactment and a late night trip to the emergency room and I almost peed my pants just hearing about it. I have clearly found my tribe, and that is yet another reason for gratitude.
I know I bring it up a lot, but the shit show that WAS my life is still in my rear view mirror, and I cannot help but feel thankful almost all of the time. The other day on my way into a grocery store I saw a shiny penny lying in the parking lot and I immediately started to pick it up, but I suddenly paused, smiled, and left it right where it was. You know why? Because I felt so incredibly appreciative to begin with that I decided to leave the good luck to someone else that could really use it. DID YOU JUST THROW UP IN YOUR MOUTH A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I ALMOST DID, TYPING IT.
I don’t know who this new gal is anymore, but don’t worry, I won’t completely Pollyanna out on y’all. After all, I shot the Easter Bunny the bird twice last week.