# 143 Overachieving, Happy People...

Friday I worked really, really hard. I'm not bragging, I'm just saying! See when you work for the state, the work never really ends-- there is always something else to do, a new case to file, a new client to see. Its one of the more interesting things about my new job-- no matter how hard I work (or, don't work!), the work is always there-- its the never-ending file drawer-type thing. Lately, there has been a huge push to get "caught up" on a lot of cases-- many of which fell through the cracks at some point in the line of workers. So, every time I've opened my "to file" drawer, its gotten bigger and bigger. I try to clean it out daily, but it seemed that every day, 10 or so new cases were there!

Our office works on a "compressed schedule" which means that everyone in my office (except me) works longer days with shorter lunches, and in return, gets off every other Monday or every other Friday. Nice, right?! I'm the only one who doesn't do this and its only because I'm new. I suppose its a form of hazing or something... No, its because you have to sign up for this on a certain day each quarter and last quarter I wasn't working yet. So, come July 1, I too will get a day off- every other Monday.

But for now, I'm working hard every day. Or at least most days! Just kidding! Currently, every other Friday, the office is empty except me and two other ladies. Those two ladies have off the "every other Monday". Friday was one of those days that they have off and it makes for a pretty quiet work environment which I really do like. I try to make the most of my empty trailer (since the other ladies are in the other trailer, I'm all alone!). I rock out to the oldies station I recently discovered. I have the printer all to myself. I down a few diet cokes to get my blood pumping. You know, the usual.

And this Friday, I got to filing. And I filed like a maniac, I'm telling you. I filed over 35 cases which isn't too shabby. I used an entire package of paper. Which makes me happy-- because this is what our paper packages look like:

Isn't this kid hilarious?? I LOVE IT! My colleague Ann Marie pointed him out a few weeks ago (and took this pic, thanks!), and I have a huge belly laugh everytime I see his smiling face. I mean, isn't he proud of himself??!! Its exactly how I felt Friday!

(SIDENOTE: It has been suggested that this child really doesn't have much to be super proud of-- I mean, he is proud of an A+ on some times tables, and, making some racial generalizations here, shouldn't an Asian kid this age, be a bit above multiple tables? I mean, really? Shouldn't he be at least doing trig or something?)