BoldUlysses.com

It is the most beautiful day imaginable outside–cool, breezy, comfortable, all the superlatives you could care to attach to it that relate to pleasantness. It’s a great day for a drive, or a picnic, or just a nap in the grass at a park somewhere.

Speaking of naps, I almost did it this morning. I was having real issues staying awake, so I was going to drive to a nearby street where all the students park their cars, find a spot, take a nap, then work through lunch, but as it turned out every spot was taken on that street, so I kept on driving, went to the grocery store and got some food so I can work through lunch anyways, and stopped by the bank. I’m not terribly more awake now than I was, but the activity helped some. Ringing myself up at the self-checkout register at Harris Teeter, I scanned one of my energy bars and promptly missed the bag when I went to put it in… The supervising cashier asked me jokingly if I needed help… I told her, “No, thanks, I’ve got it.” I look pretty groggy, though. See, one day I’ll post about something besides sleep. Like cars. Ha. Just kidding.

So I’m back at the office in my auburn button-down shirt and khakis, chewing on some of that clear-out-your-sinuses-it’s-so-minty sugarless gum (and absorbing nutrasweet that will be probably kill me prematurely), listening to the Go soundtrack, and working on a brochure for the School of Public Health. Whee.

Last night I had something of a meltdown about Mike’s car sitting in my parents’ driveway. Not to him, and not ranting and raving necessarily, just a…shared reality check. Shared with Donald, that is. It’s just that whenever I agree to help somebody out with their car, it’s almost like I implicitly take full responsibility for success or failure of the endeavor. I mean, Mike wouldn’t have known where to start without me. I delegated all the tasks, told him what to unbolt or rebolt next, and am still troubleshooting the thing… And it’s never said, but whenever something goes wrong or isn’t working quite right, I’m the one called in to diagnose things. Since Friday, albeit with Mike there, I’ve worked a total of 17 solid hours on this project. It ran for about five minutes yesterday before we turned it off. I’m just getting tired of it. My car needs attention; I’m ready to get started on that project, and after a few more days I’m going to say, okay guys, time to drive/tow the car back to your place. I can understand better now why Ashraf and Mike H. (another Mike) in the car club have just stopped giving in-depth advice and physical help for free to the younger (and older) guys in the area. Mike H. just tells them up front that it’ll be a mechanic’s rate if they want his help, and there’s some value to that, though I don’t think I would go to the extent he does. I just think I’m tired of the project, and I’m trying to figure out why exactly, beyond the obvious answers like it’s not my car and I’m dead tired this week because of it. Lessons learned that I will apply to next project of assistance: No specific time projections, no free help when the car is over at my house for an extended period of time and I’m basically taking over the direction of the project. I will be an assistant for free, but major things like engine rebuilds and transmission swaps are going to need some compensation, I think, even from high school guys like Mike. Yep. C’est décidé.

Onward with the day.