Energy vampires

Holy moly if you have one of these get rid of it NOW!!!!! If you can't get rid of it, arm yourself against it.

What is an energy vampire? Well, it's anyone, or anything that sucks the life out of you. Anyone that causes you stress and gives you a headache. A gloomy Gus, an unhappy soul...call them what you will, I sure don't need them in my life!

Let me begin by saying I'm reading a book right now that used the term 'energy vampire' to do with some kind of psychic thing, so I stole it. I'd give credit where credit is due, but I can't remember the name of what I'm reading or who wrote it...I'm old, sue me for plagiarism already! Oh yes, it's by the guy that either wrote Ghost Whisperer, or he's the guy that show is based on. He sees dead people...get the drift?

So, as usual I digressed. I had the freaking day from hell at work yesterday. I didn't want to go, I'd been dreading it all week. See, normally I never work Sunday's. That wasn't the problem. The problem was, the girl that normally works Sunday took off so that left me to work with another girl. We'll call her Lorena, as, well, that's her name. She's not playing with a full deck. Her elevator doesn't go to the top floor, she's a few sandwiches short of a picnic. With me so far? I love the place I work, and I love that they hire a few of the people that don't really function well other places (no crack about why I work there now!!!!). I just don't want to be stuck working with them in a confined spot all day long! See, as you know, I'm a happy soul. I like to laugh and smile. A lot. At work if it's M-F I work with V. She's older and we've known each other for about 25 years. We talk all day long. We joke, we laugh, we work really well together. We talk to everyone else in the place too. They all laugh. It's a jolly place to work and I love it. Well, if I HAVE to work, that's as good a place as any is what I really mean. If I work Sat or Sun, I work with Shelly. She's 28 going on 16. Very childish, immature, and downtrodden really. We laugh though. I make the best of the situation and have a good day. We are the 3 main prep girls. Lorena can, and obviously does, prep also.

Lorena....she's one of a kind. She talks all day long. To herself. She can't carry on a conversation with anyone....her eyes drift and she's got a schreechy nasaly voice that just raises the hackles on your back. At the salad bar, she'll stand there and be talking away. I'll say "What did you say Lorena?" and she'll whip her head around to me and screech really loud 'I'M NOT TALKING TO YOU I'M TALKING TO THE LETTUCE!!!'. Well of course you were dear, I think while making the sign of the cross!

She's suffers from OCD among other things. Sunday was karma for sure. You see, forgive me Father for I have sinned. You got me back though, and good! What did I do? Well, as you know we've been dining at this restaurant for over 32 years. TBM and I used to go there when we were dating, in 1977. So, Lorena has been working there for several years. Just being in the place, you know she's not the sharpest tool in the shed. As I said, talking to the lettuce kind of gives one away. She'd stand behind the salad bar and arrange all the spoons going the same direction. I'd watch her do this over and over. Someone would go through the salad bar and she'd put all the spoons back in order. I observed this for years you understand. One day I just couldn't help myself. She'd got them all spot on where she wanted them and went into the kitchen for something. I lept out of the booth and ran up to the salad bar and moved every single spoon! She came out of the kitchen and looked with a stricken face at the salad bar. She fixed all the spoons and went back in the kitchen. Ya, I did it. I ran up there again and moved all of them! She, back out, fixes them, back into the kitchen. God help me as I couldn't help myself. I got up, made sure she wasn't laying in wait behind the window and moved every single one of them again! She came out of the kitchen and looked at the salad bar and let out a screech!!! 'AHHHHHHH!!!" I believe it was. I'm so going to hell.

So, you can see how I was looking forward to working on Sunday. A day with nobody to chat with, no fun to be had. It was honestly the first day I've not wanted to go to work there...ever. I was a 'long' on Sunday too. Oh yippee! That means I do all the prep, and then I stay and tend the salad bar until the afternoon girl has her break. Usually around 9pm. I hate longs. I got there and it was pretty bad. She's not good at the job. She doesn't work well with others, namely me. I was tired after 3 hours. I rarely get tired at work even though it's hard, physical, and I walk a minimum of 5 miles. I thought the day would never end. I had a headache, and my stomach hurt. I started feeling negative about everyone there. I actually sat down a few times which I've never, ever, ever done at work.

Den left at about 6 and I had him take my bike home in the truck. I was NO way riding that bitch home! I finished at about 9pm and called him for a ride. I was bone weary. I got into the truck and I immediately started to cry. I cried that I didn't want to work any more. I cried that every single joint and muscle in my whole body hurt. I cried because I wasn't in FL where I don't have to work. I haven't cried in....well so long I can't remember. That's what I let Lorena do to me.

Here we have the point of this LONG post. Yes, there was one. People can't drag us down unless we let them. I gave the power to Lorena to do just that. I stressed about it for a week, and then I let all the negative thoughts come to fruition. They manifested in a physical way. I got home from work and I was so tired, and so upset I just took a shower and went to bed. I couldn't eat dinner. I just didn't have the oomph. Man was that weird and I'll sure not let it happen again. I have that power. If I can't control the situation, I can control how I deal with the situation. So, Lorena isn't normal, I can deal with it. I can say a prayer, get in a happy place, go to work calm and relaxed. I can laugh with someone else, I can do what needs to be done.

I worked today with V and it was awesome. We laughed, a lot. I wasn't tired, I didn't want a break. I don't dread the rest of the summer at my job. I came home and fixed our healthy dinner. Life is good as I have the power to make it so.

I've had a few energy vampires in my day. I pulled the plug. I just don't need that in my life. This was my first experience with one that I can't pull the plug on. I am so thankful that I realized what was going on, and found a solution in case we have to work together again. I know that I can do it, and not have a complete mental break down now. I just won't give her the power. It's not her fault she's a loon. I won't let her turn me into one also!

My energy vampire was at work. You might have a friend that is sucking the life out of your will to better yourself. To lose weight, to exercise, to make yourself healthy. If you have someone like that in your life and you can't find a way to deal with it, you might need to pull the plug.

:-)