Work & Weed

FOUND IN BOOK

"A very handsome American
dealing with Russia, need secre-
tary to take responsibility, organize
and look after trade delegations
and run his office. Knowledge of
Russian useful.
______

"We shall expect to hear from you
Wednesday/Thursday.
Sue"

Found in a paperback of Russian short stories (in English) donated to the thrift store.

A Puzzling Volunteer

I think this came from my games-and-puzzles volunteer, Abby. In her early seventies now, she lived in London during the 1980s and worked for the Brits in Russian affairs in some way that included traveling to the Soviet Union.
She has donated USSR ephemera, such as anti-US pamphlets and Russian playing cards, as well as books. She's not a storyteller though, so I don't know much about what sounds like fascinating work. When she's volunteering, she mostly relates minutiae about her life at the moment.

She is an odd duck. How's that for a diagnosis? I suppose "on the spectrum" would fit. Very good with puzzles, not so good with people.
Nothing but well-intentioned, yet rubs people the wrong way. Including me.

I'm easily annoyed, I guess, but it is hard because she does not appear to listen. When I try to chat back, she simply doesn't respond to things I say.
And yet, she does pay attention. She's been cleaning out her house in preparation for selling it, and she brought me some old toys made out of pipe cleaners (I think she's saved every thing), saying, "I was going to throw these out, but I know you like this sort of thing."

If I remember that, I am less annoyed. And I'm grateful for her help with toys.

As I always say, this workplace is a Spiritual Psych Lab.

The JFK Display

I am a slow learner, I guess. How many times must I be reminded to stay in my lane? I'm there for BOOK's, and when I focus on books, the overall dysfunction of the place doesn't bother me so much.

My Kennedy's Assassination display fell flat.
Volunteer Art wasn't the only person my age who didn't get it: My own sister asked me why I'd chosen Kennedy.
"It's the month of the anniversary of his death," I said.

"Oh," she said. "But does anyone care?"

"Well, no," I said. "I'm finding that out."
I think one book sold out of the whole display.

That was true until yesterday, anyway, November 22, the actual date of JFK's murder. An older guy enthused about the books:
"I have to buy some of these! I was nine, in school, and the teacher told us the president had been shot..."

Hew bought two books, and he thanked me.
He literally said, "Thank you for this."

I'm taking the display down today and putting up Christmas books.

One thank you was worth the whole week of no interest.
It was also the antidote to my annoyance at some Very Annoying Things that management was getting up to yesterday, which I won't even go into.

Weed Works

Besides looking more closely at the Hidden Rules of Class, I also looked into the effects of the long term use of weed. I was wondering if and how much that might affect my interactions with a couple-few of my coworkers (and the customers) who've smoked every day for years.

According to a 2022 Harvard Health article "Cognitive effects in midlife of long-term cannabis use", the answer is, quite likely, and, a whole lot.

"While public perception that cannabis is a harmless substance is growing, the long-term [effects] of cannabis use remain unclear. However, one consistent pattern of research has emerged:
heavy long-term cannabis use [more than once a week, for several years] can impact midlife cognition.

"Some people who consume cannabis long-term may develop brain fog, lowered motivation, difficulty with learning, or difficulty with attention.

Brains are so interesting, though:

"Symptoms are typically reversible [if you slowly taper off and give it time].   . . . Brain function is not static, like eye color or the number of toes on our feet. Aerobic exercise and engaging in mindfulness, meditation, and psychotherapy may improve long-term cognition."

Not that my smokin' coworkers are likely to taper off. It's their coping strategy! And it works. They don't do what they tell me they're going to do, but, unlike me, they don't get into a flap.
About anything.
If I take that into account, I'm not as annoyed when they don't even remember they'd assured me they'd help with something.

CONFESSION: My coping mechanisms are not so great sometimes.
The other day, I was so frustrated with the onslaught of crappy toy donations--and I mean literally crappy---brown smears on fuzzy toys--that I yelled at Manageress, who was delivering another bag of them to me,
"I am so tired of these fucking toys!"

I apologized immediately, and she was very kind: "I understand your frustration."

And then--this is bad, but---I threw the bag she'd brought in the Dumpster. (I looked inside first--more crap, but probably some saveable toys too.)
So, I'm no saint!

And... after today I have four days off!
HOORAY!
Have a great day, everyone!