Maggie Rants [and Raves]

Sleep Deprived in Overdrive

by Maggie Franklin | December 10, 2014 | Bookmark +

I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s running around like a chicken with its head cut off during the holidays. I’ve always been able to count on the holiday season to get me caught up on my bills.

I am currently booked solid into January. Not just booked like my regular schedule is full, but booked like I’ve added hours and days to my schedule to accommodate the additional load of clients. I keep stashing appointments wherever I can possibly make space for them.

This Monday, I hit the wall. There is NO MORE ROOM. At least, not without dragging my night-owl butt out of bed at sunrise to put in 16-hour days.

Folks, I am getting old. I just can’t handle those double shifts anymore. I have some time off booked for the month of December that I’m not giving up without a fight too.

Of course, this time of year is a hectic headache for a lot of other people too. So it seems like every day I have at least one client calling me to reschedule her appointment — you know, the one that I’ve already lovingly finessed into place on the week of Christmas several months in advance because I knew that week was going to fill up and leave no room at the inn, errr… salon.

Several of my clients have been extremely understanding that this is simply the way it is. If they absolutely cannot make their appointments, they are simply apologetically canceling and adding a cheerful “See ya in two weeks!” to their voicemails and text messages.

It’s the whiners I’m having a hard time keeping my patience with. The “Uh! Maaagggeeeee, what am I going to do?” And the “Seriously? Nothing?” accusations, as though I’m making it up. Even as they look at my schedule on the computer screen with me.

I particularly love the person who glanced at the computer the other day and announced, “Oh! Well at least you get a break today!” I asked her why she thought that. She gestured at the monitor and remarked on a small sliver of white space in the day’s schedule. I turned around. I turned back and looked at her. “That’s January 27th...and it’s half an hour.” I resumed filing.

I keep laughing as I tell everyone how much I’m just looking forward to getting past the new year, then I shake my head and say, “...then I get to start on my taxes.”

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