I am absolutely knackered and am praising the heavens and Gods above that it has finally come to an end! To say that it's been a trying week would be an understatement.
Remember I wrote last week Friday that i had to give up my day off and haul butt into the office coz these clients of mine had missed the thursday deadline? Well guess what, I did not receive the required information until monday morning. Mind you the meeting began at 8am, by 7.15 I was in the office checking if anyone had the sense even to send it to me at the last minute....and we claim that we hire the worlds geniuses in this institution? No choice but to fudge and tai-chi my way thru the meeting...2 days on performance review from 8am to 6pm. And this is only for 1 client group so far....the Caribbean country management unit. I've another 3 to go.
Seriously if you were to walk onto the Bank's premise any time between apr to june, immediate you'd be able to point out the HR folks. We are the ones walking around looking the most harried! Anyone wants my job??
You think that would be the highlight of my week? NNooooo .... swine flu graced DC and at the World Bank and specifically the region I support. It was one of my clients. The staff member along with 20 others had attended a meeting in Mexico two weeks ago (the same time i was in cancun, aiks!). This was prior to the announcement of the swine flu. He came back, fell ill and had fully recovered. When it was announced he said, "hold up here for a sec, this sound like what i had". So he went back to get tested...positive! I spent the whole of Thursday attending meetings and briefings so much so that i think i'm a semi expert on this. We had to send 80 odd staff home who had been in contact with him, had to pull his kids out of child care plus the kids of all those who had been in contact with him. All for what at 6pm to be told that the holding period was over and all should be treated as normal. I swear I think it's merely HHS way of getting attn. Pandemic 5?? Puh-liz....anyways let not get me started on this!
Now here is a funny insight to my week. I decided that I was overdue for a facial so I made my appointment for today. Yes, i'm actually off this friday :) I walk in to the salon, change into the robe and am happily chatting away with Lili, my facialist. My facialist and hairstylist are as important to me as my dentist. I need to be super comfortable with them and must trust them like no tomorrow. They have a loyal client in me once i've established that. So in saying that Lili, my iranian facialist, has been treating me for the past 8 years. I hop onto the bed, and she turns on this bright light which pretty much leaves your face looking very naked and exposed and she gasps in horror and says "Chermaine, my dear you're skin is so bad. Thank goodness you came in" I respond with a hrrmph. Apparently my skin is badly damaged by the sun and all the sunblock i've been plastering on. I'm feeling pretty bad for myself so I tell her to do what ever is needed to restore it. Boy did I so want to suck those words back in. She carried out a microdermabrasion, look it up, I still have no idea what was done but it felt like as if she'd taken sandpaper to my face. And then a glycolic peel which basically was a certain percentage of acid rubbed into the face. OH MY GAWD!!! Beauty before pain? Yeah right!! Granted the end result was good but never again...been there done that, cross it off my list, i tell you. So for any of you out there, who felt the need to smack me on the upside for something or other, consider this your divine intervention. :0))
And on that painful memory (the face is still tingling as i write this) let me wish you lovely people Happy May 1st...don't labor too much. Also a special birthday shout out to my mom whom I love and miss tremendously. xoxo
