January 27, 2024, Saturday afternoon, 3:29pm, pacific standard time, parking lot, office building, Laguna Niguel,California, USA. I dropped my daughter off to meet a friend at the Aliso Viejo town center. To kill time before picking her up I went to the gym then the grocery store. I was hungry so I put a little snack tray in my shopping cart along with two big plastic water containers. Since the containers were heavy I didn’t lift them and used the handheld scanner instead. After getting to the car I realized I failed to scan the snack tray. I thought about going back to pay but was too embarrassed so I decided not to. Then when I went to eat the snack I noticed the meat looked funny. Turns out the tray expired a month ago. The universe has a way of balancing out.

January 26, 2024, Friday evening, 6:30pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Dana Point, California, USA. Woke up at 2:45am this morning. I couldn’t sleep thinking about the operating review today. In the end everything turned out fine. We completed the presentation and leadership was appreciative of our effort. As soon as it was over I drove to pick the dog up from the groomers and my daughter from school. Now I am home, resting. A friend was going to come to town tonight but she is having car troubles so our plans might get canceled. If she doesn’t show up I will go to bed early.

January 25, 2024, Thursday evening, 9:44pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Dana Point, California, USA. I have been stressed all week in anticipation of our monthly operating review. It will be over tomorrow afternoon. I can’t wait for it to be done. I hate to say it out loud but new leadership does not feel supportive. Hence I work twice as hard and don’t get any guidance if things are correct. My current supervisor leaves at the end of next week. Once she is gone it will be significantly different. I am staying through thick and thin but am designed to this being a challenging year. On another note I drove out to Anaheim Hills to meet a friend for pizza and beer. We had a good time. Hopefully we can do it again soon.

January 24, 2024, Wednesday night, 9:40pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Dana Point, California, USA. Day three of not working out. My back feels better. Not 100%, but improving. When I got to the office this morning the manager was there. That meant I could leave early. Got home around 4pm. Spent the night talking with a friend and watching basketball. It was good to reconnect with my friend. We hadn’t talked for a while and had issues to resolve. We will see each other Friday. I look forward to it.

January 23, 2024, Tuesday night, 6:45pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Victorville,California,USA. Another day in Apple Valley. My back is sore but feeling better. Still haven’t worked out this week and probably won’t until it heals. That makes me antsy but what can I do? I tried exercising through the discomfort but that only made it worse. Time to bite the bullet and just rest. I had meetings today and a couple scheduled for tomorrow. Friday is our operations review. I think that is why I am nervous/anxious. I will be glad when it is over. I might end up going home tomorrow just because I have a busy Thursday and want to be prepared for Friday.

January 21-22, 2024, Monday night, 6:58pm, pacific standard time, hotel in Victorville, California,USA. My original plan was to work from home today. However, a supervisor called in sick so I came to Victorville. Survey might show up tomorrow and a leader needs to be on site so here I am. If they don’t come this week I will head to Palm Desert on Wednesday. This morning was rough. I hate admitting it but I was in despair. I guess a rainy, Monday morning in January is about as low as you can go. Lately I have been struggling overall. I basically stopped talking with someone I met and really liked because my self -talk was debilitatingly insecure.

January 20, 2024, Saturday afternoon, 3:52pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Dana Point, California, USA. Last Friday I worked out at the complex gym in Aliso Viejo. I felt in great shape. I snapped this picture to share with a friend. The next day I got a sinus infection. Then this Thursday my back went out from coughing while in bed. I feel run down and crooked. Amazing how in one week things can change. On a side note; it has been rainy all day. I got a walk in before the storm and went to the gym this afternoon.

January 19, 2024, Friday night, 6:45pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Dana Point, California, USA. Worked today. The sinus infection feels better but my back went out yesterday. I am walking crooked. I am Still trying to re-calibrate my mindset about changes at work. My boss is gone in two weeks. It feels like everything will change. Not sure what the priorities will be. Amazing how one decision by someone else can alter so much of my life. There is nothing to do now except adapt and go with the flow. I am sure It will all be fine.

January 18, 2024, Thursday night, 6:07pm, pacific standard time, apartment in Dana Point, California, USA. I came back to Orange County today. Originally I planned to visit Palm Desert but just didn’t feel up to it. I still have a cough and runny nose. It wasn’t a bad day. I worked out, ate breakfast at the hotel, drove home then picked up my daughter from school. Now I am resting up for tomorrow and hopefully shaking the bug I got.

January 17, 2024, Wednesday night, 6:55pm, pacific standard time, hotel room in Bakersfield,California,USA. I have been feeling under the weather the last couple of days. Mostly a severe runny nose and a dry cough. It feels like extreme allergies more than illness, but it is annoying nonetheless. I went to the Bakersfield office today. Things went alright until the medicine I took this morning wore off. Then my nose began running profusely. I left early and came back to the hotel because it was uncomfortable, for me and everyone else. I was planning to visit Palm Desert this week but might postpone. I don’t want to be there if the symptoms persist.