Unpalatable Issues

An unsatisfying day at work. Didn’t really have that much to do, but having time on my hands underlined my natural tendency to shy away from issues which I know need addressing but which I don’t feel confident in handling. A long coffee break with Rob S, while partly very pleasant and sociable, also covered some of those issues and reminded me of my own inadequacies.

Work worries of a different sort too; Damian F came to mind again this afternoon when I had cause to deal with his project (one of our company’s largest). He was abruptly called home to New Zealand two weeks ago when his mother died of a sudden heart attack. Following the advice of the good Zinnia Cyclamen, I avoided the typical British response of saying nothing when you don’t know quite what to say and also exchanged emails with him last week. But email is a soulless medium and it is difficult to judge the worth of your words at such a distance, knowing virtually nothing of the situation at the far end. He is a good guy though and I hope he is coping with his loss, for he surely doesn’t deserve suffering.

On the (personal) up-side, while taking another break and enjoying a coffee outside our local branch of Eat, who should walk by but Him J from the Chorus. He sat with me and we chatted a while, which was pleasant and helped distract me from work worries. I think I knew he was a student, but hadn’t realised he was based so close by.

I am also beginning to really look forward to the Chorus’ trip to Spain which begins this coming weekend. As I am not singing this season I think I get the best of both worlds; I get the social enjoyment of a chorus tour without having to put in the work to rehearse and sing. I am not going as a total hanger-on though; having volunteered to be the ‘official’ chorus photographer I have some duties to perform, but as photography is really a hobby I don’t mind it so much.

I wonder though if I am looking forward to the trip so much because I am genuinely weary and need a break, or because it means I can avoid facing those unpalatable issues a little longer…