A Test of Character March 19, 2008
Posted by kimayars Uncategorized
Digg! this story.
, trackback
Today introduced what I would call a character-defining moment.
My whole week has been a series of running from one thing to the next, sqeezing in this and squeezing in that. Somehow, most of it has worked out. I have one big project for an organization I had to punt on, but it turns out that it worked well for everone involved to delay the finished product. (Yet I still feel bad for missing the deadline.)
So, it stand to reason that I had Friday scheduled to the very minute. Jeff would take Samantha to school and I would take Veronica to school. I would be in to work at 9:00am, and get lots of things accomplished (did I tell you I’m optimistic?) until a meeting at noon. This meeting would last at most 2 hours, of which I would leave work to go home and get ready to haul my horse for a clinic an hour away. My ride time is at 5:45, so a 3:00 departure from North Bend would give me ample time to get through rush-hour traffic with a horse trailer (oh joy) and get my horse settled.
Today I was told that the meeting time changed to 1:45.
Here are the facts:
- I really want to ride in this clinic. I did a clinic with him in the fall and loved it. I have been looking foward to this ride for a few months, I only knew recently that I could attend because Jeff could take the day off to tend to the kiddos.
- I really want to go to this meeting. I love my job, and want to do it the best I can. This meeting will have a lot of information that I want to be there for. It was also rescheduled for Friday so that I could attend. (Normally it is scheduled on Thursdays which makes it difficult for me to attend because my 4-year-old is not in school).
- Jeff took the day off so I could ride. I’m not sure it’s fair to him to ask him to still take the day off so I could work.
- My horse had been a handful this past few weeks. Couple that with a stressful last few days, an evening home with nothing to do is quite appealing. It’s also my 7-year-old’s birthday that day. We’re celebrating on Saturday, so I rationalized that she would be okay with mommy not being around on Friday. I think however, she may take exception to that.
What I will probably end up doing is going to the meeting, then busting my butt to get Tigger ready and up to the clinic as fast as I can. And if we miss the ride, at least I tried. The downside is it’s a $100+ ride. I should try everything I can to make it successful.
Jeff says I should tell the folks at work, “Sorry, I can’t make it. Fill me in later.” But I want to be there. It is important to me.
Oh, if only I could be in two places at once.
I’m going to take the night and think about it. Hopefully the answer will come to me in a vision… (Preferrably a half-naked-Brad-Pitt-kind of vision.)
Comments
I agree with Jeff on this… As I understand it, you’re not a 9-5 job there that they can expect you in the office at certain times… and so the idea that you would have other commitments that can’t be moved is totally reasonable. You’re not being a jerk about it… just say “I can’t make the new time, if you guys can do it earlier, then I can make it, but I absolutely have to leave the office by 3pm”.
Who is it that you get to ride with? I’m just curious. I haven’t done any dressage clinics since I moved down here two years ago. They are so expensive. Speaking of which, you have a huge financial commitment here (don’t forget the cost of gas to get there and back) so I would stick with the ride. You also have your husband’s commitment to keep the kiddos–awesome. Tell me about your clinic afterwards–I know that great things happen there.