The (lack of) Patience of Captain Monkeypants...

Today, the sun is actually shining. This is actually quite a remarkable thing since we’ve only seen glimpses of it over the past 5 days.

It’s lovely out there, just the way Spring should feel. It makes me feel restless to sit in my office and have to work when there are so many things to be done outside.

Still, tomorrow is Friday and I think that’s a rather nice thing. This has been a muddled week. Some days have dragged, some have whizzed by. It seems like I have nothing concrete happening but a lot ‘perhaps’ and ‘maybe.’

I’m not very good with ‘perhaps’ and ‘maybe’. I like definites. I’m not particularly patient though I try quite hard at times. I don’t really like to wait for things. I like things to be done and tidy and ready to move on.

As I said, I do try to be patient. I’ve finally got myself to the point where I can mostly wait for the microwave to finish before pulling it out 24 seconds early. Ok, that might be a bit of an overstatement. What really happens is I now wait until there’s only eight or nine seconds left.

Eight or nine seconds may not seem like long to wait. However, for an impatient person like me, they’re quite a long time. Also, I assume that it’s not long enough to make the food much hotter than it already is so I stop the microwave. Granted, this generally leads to the fact that the microwave clock is now displaying :08 instead of the time and I’ll have to cancel it later but, well, it’s an improvement over how I used to be.

I’m also better about waiting for things. I’m a person who hates to be late. Thus, often, if I have a tight window of time where I need to get something done or I’ll be late for something else, I get a little stressed. Unfortunately, most of the time, regardless of where you are, you have to wait. Take, for example, doctor’s office. Raise your hands (or comment) anyone out there who goes to a doctor and is immediately taken in, prepped and seeing your doctor within 5 minutes of your arrival? How about 10 minutes?

I thought not. I think the worst, for me, is when I go to the “Lady Doctor.” There’s nothing more frustrating, stressful and uncomfortable than going through the usual weight-height and blood pressure check and then being instructed to change into a horribly thin paper gown in a freezing cold room and being left to wait.

So you wait. And wait. And wait. For me, I try not to get too stressed but after about 20 minutes, I can’t help but wonder if the doctor has accidentally forgotten me. What’s even more annoying is that while there is a plethora of reading material in the actual WAITING room, there’s usually nothing to read while you’re sitting there gowned up, freezing cold, slightly nervous and waiting.

The irony is that it’s not like you’re actually waiting for anything pleasant. Knowing that when the doctor shows up, you’re going to be subjected to a rather uncomfortable procedure that involves getting up close and personal with a speculum is not like a prize for all that waiting.

I’ve become more patient in these situations. I’ve stopped almost biting my doctor’s head off when she does show up. I’ve stopped my blood pressure from getting too high because I’m angry and frustrated that I’m waiting. Instead, I simply tell myself that there’s nothing I can do about it unless I want to get dressed and leave and have to do this all over again some other time. It’s just the way things are. It would be a nice idea to get a national (or international) law in motion where patients have a right to see a doctor within a reasonable waiting time but, well, it’s not very likely. It’s all very well for companies like Dominos pizza to say “30 minutes or less or it’s free” (though I’m pretty sure that’s not true anymore) but doctors aren’t like pizza. They don’t show up to your house when you order them.

They used to, actually. I remember as a child the doctor would make house calls. So did vets. Nowadays, alas, you have to go to them. If it’s an emergency you can pay a fortune to be rushed to the hospital in an ambulance so the doctor’s can attend to you but it doesn’t work the other way.

Anyways, my point is that I’ve become more patient with age. I still wouldn’t say I am a very patient person but I’ve become more zen when I have to wait. I still don’t like sitting in that cold office with that horrible robe on and feeling humiliated because I’ve been abandoned but I’ve stopped getting upset about it because there’s simply nothing to be done. I just have to wait.

That’s how things are this week at work. I’d love to get some solid answers about if my candidates will get a follow up interview. I’d like my wavering candidate to say that he’ll accept the job I’m offering him. I’d like to find out if my other candidates stand a chance.

However, all I can do is wait. My control freak nature wants to push things along.

Ah well, as I keep reminding myself...there's only so much I can control. The rest of it...well, I'll just have to wait.

If only waiting were my strong suit...

Happy Friday, Happy Mother's Day to those of you who are mothers and to everyone, have a great weekend...