UBC January 2024 - All that glitters is not Gold

I'm using one of today's official writing prompts, which is

Do a "Behind the Scenes" photo and share a glimpse of something that is not usually observed by most people.

The title is

All that glitters is not Gold

I wrote a post with the same title a few years ago. It was about other people. This time, it'll be about me. I feel like either I have portrayed myself too positively, or you lovely people perceive me too nicely

You call me inspiring, shining and sparkling, and while I love the idea of it, I don't feel it. 

Today (by the time you are reading this it should say yesterday) I didn't even get sh** done. I wrote a list last night because I know I was gonna get busy.

It said

• Video
• Laundry 
• Blog Post
• Drug Store
• Groceries
• Recycling

I got until the third bullet point. 

I had "lunch", too. An apple with peanut butter. How is that for a balanced meal. 

As I was saying I am supposed to lose a couple of pounds. This past week I feel I made reasonable food choices. I should feel a change by now. I can't measure it though because the last scale we had broke (go figure, haha) and I should purchase a new one. 

Thank goodness for online shopping. My new scale will be shipped shortly. This blog helps keeping myself accountable, which is great. 

A couple of years ago I managed to lose 15kg = 30 pounds over the course of nine months. I joined a weekly Zumba class, and I booked Vicky, my personal trainer for some HIIT, boxing, strength training, you name it. At first I hated it. As it got easier, I still didn't love it but became proud of my accomplishments, however small. 

Clothes shopping felt great!

So what keeps me from repeating this process? 

First of all, Vicky passed away about a year after I "graduated". I knew she, the fitness guru, wasn't in the greatest of health, but I had no idea that her auto-immune issues were literally killing her. 

Second of all I am the ultimate couch potato. I like doing things that require sitting: I write, I watch games, I have dinner,... 

Actually, fun fact: watching life game at the arena is the only way I found so far that burns calories while being seated. How? You may not believe it, but clapping and cheering evidently uses a lot of energy! Not only this, moving my arms counts as taking steps ;-)

Where do I even want to go with this post? I wanted to reveal something that people usually can't perceive from outside.

Oh, I have something, and I actually ask for your input. Here goes:

Usually I get along with all sorts of people. Some I love, some I like, others I can tolerate as long as it's not on a daily basis, and very, very few I will deliberately ignore if I come across them, let's say at the supermarket.

Tomorrow I will have a situation where I can't ignore a person. On the contrary, I may have to sit next to them at a meeting. Remember the magazine I started writing for? Tomorrow we get together to discuss the articles for the next issue before everything is being sent to the print shop.

One of the other writers also happens to be a client at our office. He has qualities that annoy me to no end. I don't even think I want to get into it. Just for you to know, when we last spoke on the phone before the Holidays, I told him I wouldn't answer his request because it can't be my job to show him ways he can bypass our company to save a few bucks. 

The scenario could be compared to one at a specialist sports store. Customers occupy an hour of your time to try on a bunch of different sneakers. They want to know why one is better than the other, and the like. Then they leave, claiming they have to sleep on it. The next day they call and tell you they have a friend who can procure sneakers much cheaper, and what was the exact type and product number of the black one they tried the other day?

A scenario like this. Only IT-related. I basically told him, if you wish to shop at Dick's Sporting Goods, be my guest, but I won't give you the specifications. 

We've had many situations like this one where he shopped somewhere else and only approached us when something was wrong with the device he purchased somewhere else. 

It bugs me. 

If it was my company, I would fire him as a customer.

Anyway. Tomorrow we will have to sit at the same table. And I will have to nod and smile, because I'm professional like that. 

My question is, however, how do I do this? For one meeting and in the long run? It can't be healthy to boil inside every time we have to interact. 

I'm looking forward to your wise insight! Thank you :-)