“...the desire to beat others.”

“A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others.” ~ Ayn Rand

So said the motivational note in my chair when I returned to work yesterday; it was signed by the office manager and the managing attorney. I put it on my desk in front of the keyboard. For most of the day I would glance at the note, smile at the intended sentiment, and refocus.

Toward the end of the day, the note was partially obscured by a document relating to another one I was creating. So all I saw was the last phrase, and it struck me funny, because every once in awhile that primal urge surfaces, and I have to apply large dollops of reason, prayer, and the odd childbirth word, until it passes.

I had one of those moments last night. I did manage to avoid the childbirth words. (I think, but I may only be deluding myself. My short-term memory is intermittently challenged.) I have, most likely, put several items of critical importance in a safe place which I currently do not remember. Another item of lesser importance has also vanished. The critically important items can be replaced, but will take time. And maybe a modicum of embarrassment, but I learned years ago that I will not die from that. The loss of the lesser item is merely an annoyance, like an itch on my back just out of reach.

So I did what any sensible woman would do under the circumstances: I grabbed the bag of receipts which I will need to turn over to our accountant as soon as I get my W-2, and I began to organize them. I am not quite finished. I think I went to bed at 2:30???

(I should probably add that this vanishing act also occurred at work. As I approached the scanner which lets me into our parking garage, I noticed that the prox card had fallen off the holder, and I was gripping only the one which admits me to our suite. Thankfully there is a workaround, and more thankfully, I found the missing card in my bag at the end of the day but before I paid the management office $15 for a new one.)

It is probably a good thing that I put a two-liter bottle of Cherry Coke in my cabinet at work yesterday, and that another bottle is waiting patiently for me in the trunk. Today could get interesting. I have an appointment with the bishop tonight. I will ask for a blessing while I am there.

I wrangled the garbage can to the curb and stacked several boxes and bags atop it, before the kids got home last night. Squishy wrangled Beloved’s chair out to the curb for me. There is more trash that theoretically could go out, but none of it is stinky, so it will just have to wait until next week.

This is the part where I figure out what I am wearing to work today, accessorize, and go.