Friday, September 05, 2008

Wipe out

Yep, that's me - wiped out. My limbs don't work today. Worked soooo hard this week, didn't get time for lunch most days (and I'm hypoglycemic), and hardly sat - except chairside. I definitely know the difference now between sitting to relax and sitting to work.

As it is, no matter how hearty my breakfast - I've tried bran cereal, oatmeal porridge, egg and sausage in a bun, even switched to whole milk - I still get shaky by 11.00, and when that happens I can't retain anything and have to start writing things on scraps of paper, and past a certain point I may even develop a headache. Not one of those people who can function without food. So I need a midmorning snack, a bit of lunch, and possibly a midafternoon snack depending on what I ate for lunch. I wonder...is it because I didn't eat anything when I was a child that I have created this lifelong problem for myself?

Anyway, I've had more assurances that my workload will be halved when the new assistant arrives on Monday, and that I will have more time to learn. Plus, the office will close an hour earlier soon. So, hangin' in there! But still, I am sad to lose real weekends. I get Friday and Sunday. Not two consecutive days...

Last night I fell asleep in the subway on the way home from 22.00-23.00 (had gone out to buy some chinos and long sleeved t-shirts for the days when I will need them under scrubs, plus underwear - I'm learning that you can never have too much underwear or too many socks), ate dinner (roomie made salad and left me some), fell asleep on the sofa from 1.00-2.00, washed up and went to bed, then woke up at 13.15!!! That is over 12 hours of sleep! I checked my clock, gasped "Oh my gosh!" and immediately tumbled out and tripped over everything on my way out the door, giving my roomie a crooked and drunken smile as I passed her with all my curls sticking up. She had woken up at 10.00 and been in and out of the house 4 or 5 times, made an omelette, and I hadn't heard a THING.

After work I usually walk out into the Federal Plaza, a large area cluttered with federal, state, and city buildings, and sit in the park to rest, have a drink, and maybe a snack. I don't know what I will do when it snows, although as I said, my workload will be lighter. City Hall is sort of at the crossroads between Chinatown, Tribeca, and Little Italy. I could walk a few steps in any direction and be in any of those neighborhoods.

This is what it looks like to my right from the bench where I usually sit:


This is the side of City Hall.

Centre Street runs past the State Supreme Court...:


(I work in the brown building you see on the far right side of the frame)

...Towards City Hall:







Went on a walk one day after work:



This behemoth loomed up in front of me somewhere in Tribeca, so I asked a passerby what it was and she told me it is an AT&T telecoms switching station, then she said she used to think it was a prison, which is what I was thinking!

Passed a yarn store in SoHo on Wednesday during a makeup and facecare run to the Origins store. I immediately thought of Jo!



I've been looking for a backpack for weeks, but they all seem to have gotten bigger since I last owned one at college, plus the V where the padded straps sprout from the top irritates me - they didn't used to do that so it must be some newfangled ergonomic feature. When I used to carry 40 pounds of books, which is actually the weight used on basic military training runs, backpacks were much simpler. So I love this cotton canvas bag I found at Paragon Sports off Union Square. It's lightweight, won't show dirt, fits my back like a glove without all the annoying bulky padding. It's also soft, unlike the hard, unyielding, abrasive nylon surfaces of the usual suspects.



Look how green I am - with my neutral colors and natural fabrics and recycled paper and organic products :)

19 comments:

meimei said...

you are tired from to much work and I am tired from too little of it. Or maybe its the pain meds.

Finaly after 2 weeks of pain I get to see the doctor, on the 19th.

cross your fingers that it turns out well

Anonymous said...

Poor you! Going from not working to killer days is a tough transition for anyone. I do hope you get some relief - at least enough to get some food in you. Do they know that you are hypoglycemic? The views on your walk are terrific :-)

Anonymous said...

My friend is hypo and always keeps a stock of dried nuts, fruits and other snacks in her desk drawer. She also always packs a sandwich wherever she goes. Do you or could you do this O?

Olivia said...

Mich - for you, first it's the pain meds, they knock you out! Second, if you're used to being active, then long periods of inactivity make you first restless and then "tired".

********

Nikki - Going from office work to this would have been equally exhausting :)

Yes, I had time for lunch on Thursday! Also, after the day when I had a headache, rather than snatching a break, I was given one.

********

Planet - yes, every day I carry things like a couple of granola bars, fig newtons, a little bag of sesame snacks - they have to be things I can eat without fingers, since I just peel off my gloves and hold the wrapper with powdery hands.

Um Naief said...

no wonder you're tired. i'm glad they're hired an asst. soon things will ease, and i hope when they do, you'll feel better all around.

is the dr. good w/ your stopping to eat light snacks, lunch and such? i would think he would be, especially if it's affecting your memory. i'd think he'd push you to eat more.

when you said that you wondered if it was because you didn't eat a lot when you were small... makes me wonder the same thing, and also if naief might have similar probs when he gets older coz he doesn't eat a lot.

love the new bag... and i love origins. wish they had one here!!

Rick Rockhill said...

bravo for beig green Olivia! well done. I was not aware that you are hypoglycemic-be sur eto alway shave some snacks at work then- I keep a box of odwalla bars in my desk for exactly that reason.

meimei said...

When I worked, I always had snacks on hand

Anonymous said...

Oh dear I hope things work out for you soon! I skipped lunch a lot for a period of time and nowadays I'm a lot more susceptible to gastric pains...

PS I really love yarn stores. The colours make me happy!

Anonymous said...

You really should have a proper lunch break, even if it's only a short time, to sit down and eat and drink something! It can't be doing you, nor the dentist or patients, any good at all if you don't.
Good entry, and photos, as always. xx
.
Have a look at my today's entry as you'll see I've given you an award! xx

The Moody Minstrel said...

Life Savers, m'lady. Why do you think they call them that? (Or is butter rum forbidden on the job?)

I agree...that's quite a sudden transition from bored to floored. Once you get over this hump, though, everything else will seem like a vacation.

Miss Dallas said...

Hope you can stay awake through lunch or dinner!!!

Oh and I HAVE to go to that yarn store!

Can't wait to see you! You'll be getting a call from me any day now!

Christopher said...

Don't forget to get some fun colours to spice up your basic pallette my dear. Metallic golds and coppers would BEAUTIFUL on you for a night look, with a neutral yet eye catching lip. Try M.A.C spice pencil, eyeshadows in Amber Lights, and Goldmine. Remember, when you recycle 6 pieces of M.A.C by bringing anything of theirs that was sold in a plastic bottle, tube, etc...you get a free tube of lipstick of your choice.

The Moody Minstrel said...

You know, now that I think about it, that AT&T switching center kind of reminds me of...

Um, never mind. (La la la...)

Anonymous said...

I love your colorful photos!

You must feel so small among all of those enormous buildings.

Anonymous said...

Liv - I hope the new assistant did indeed show up and that the schedule has lightened for you. Looking forward to news. Your backpack looks just right, like Goldilocks. Always enjoy the shots around town.

AmitL said...

Hi,Olivia-long time.:)You know,I so identify with this post.I used to(And,still do,sometimes)have a similar situation.i.e. in spite of a nice breakfast,I still feel a headache coming on due to hunger at 11-1130,and,that totally collapses my mental faculties,until I take a painkiller.(I know,not recommended,but,in today's rat rate,the mind has to be continuously alert,I feel).
---
So, what did I do to alleviate this? Began taking more of proteins-like,lentils(Dal,it's called in India-if you have an Indian restaurant nearby,try 'idli-sambhar-it's rice dumplings dipped in a slightly spicy dal,called sambhar(best explanation I can make..otherwise,see this link:http://www.cuisinecuisine.com/IdliSambhar.htm)).Or,take sprouts,with your usual bread/bun/egg.
And,most important-a fruit like,say,an apple.
---
Thanks to this diet modification,my headaches are substantially down.
---
**I'm learning that you can never have too many underwear or too many socks.**

hehe..that's another hometruth-I learned it in the first year that I came here.And,add'handkerchiefs' also, to the list.:)

Cheerio..I'll surely be back more regularly.Your posts do cheer me up..only,I miss seeing the photos.:)

Anonymous said...

Hypoglycemia is very common. You could try eating high carb or high fat foods that release sugars into the blood slowly. Pasta and rice are good choices. Have you thought about sushi for breakfast or some mixed nuts? Avoid sugars and things that release sugars quickly (glucose drinks and bananas do this) as it depletes your reserves.

I love your pictures. You live in a beautiful city.

meimei said...

http://busterjourney.blogspot.com/

I think you will love this site liv! its about an bunny

Ollie said...

Hey, sounds like a pretty tough place to work.

I once had a terrible job working for CNN London on the overnight shift.

People there were always falling asleep - before, during and after work!

It is much better where I work now - it is best to keep some biscuits at hand and make some tough decisions on what needs to be done - and what can be kicked into the long grass.

I like the pics. A beautiful, urban landscape... Cheers, Oliver in London