Today was the department's annual staff development event. In previous years, the department had referred to this event as a "retreat". I had always seen it an inconvenience more than anything, but it forces me to socialize with others. The event started this morning at 8am and went all the way to 4:30pm. Unless you had some kind of emergency to attend to, you weren't allowed to leave the event before 4:30pm. I was ready to leave at 9am, once I had caught up with those people who I hadn't seen in a few months and I will admit that I was involved in a few happy reunions throughout much of the morning. As far as I know, no one tried to escape, so we were all kind of there, like hostages. I guess we made the best of a lousy situation that we were all helpless to overcome and truth be told, we were being paid to be there.
I suppose it could have been worse?
I caught up with a few people at today's event and one of those people included Carmen. I hadn't seen Carmen for nearly a year perhaps and we definitely took advantage of the day and opportunity to renew and rekindle our work relationship. Regardless of how much time passes, we always continue right where we left off and we never miss a beat. She left our office in 2016 and I had to remind her that it has been damn near a decade since she changed offices and we drifted apart. It never really matters, but it always feels that even with the passage of time, absolutely nothing has changed with how we get along. People who have known us will sometimes make jokes about how they like seeing us together. One woman we know had even gone so far as to joke about how whenever she sees us together, she feels the urge to start singing the Peaches & Herb song, "Reunited". I mean, that woman isn't wrong.
Reunited and it feels so good...
Carmen and I would spend most of our time today side by side, taking in all of the festivities and keynote speakers who were in attendance at today's event. I've missed her through the years, but that's only because of the connection that we've established in years past and truthfully, because she is genuinely a good person and an excellent friend. I love her dearly and I've told her that before.
I caught up with other friends and co-workers who have since left the office and have moved on to other offices and positions within the department. I suppose in some capacity, Carmen also reconnected with those same people, as she and I tended to know a lot of the same people and those people have known us through the years. As I said earlier, for many of us, today allowed for many a happy reunion, even if temporarily.
Pasta was on the menu for the event's lunch, along with some salad and chicken options. I ate a little bit of this pasta and some chicken, even though pasta is not necessarily the best meal choice for a diabetic. The cookie I had for dessert probably wasn't the best thing for me to be eating either. All told, the food was free and it was decent enough. I didn't complain.
Everything was moving along nicely, as I mingled with my friends and continued to catch up with those who knew me. Lunch ended and Carmen and I were going to make our way to one of the two in-services that were being held. We were to attend the in-service about managing stress and decompressing. Right as we're making our way to our in-service, a friend of mine asked me to take a photo of her, Carmen, and at five other women, none of whom I knew. I was standing at the time she asked and I wasn't even looking in her direction when she asked me to take that photograph. She held out her cell phone, which prompted me to pivot with my right leg and walk towards her. As I did so, something happened and I somehow managed to pull my right calf. A piercing pain hit that calf, which felt like a "charley horse" had hit me and the muscle never returned to its normal, relaxed position. I would be hobbled for the rest of the day, through the duration of the event and even as I write this. I tried to hide my pain as best I could, but I was clearly walking funny and damn near dragging my right leg and carrying on with a generally unusual gait. I couldn't hide it and eventually people started asking me if I was okay.
I'm good. I pulled my right calf while I was literally standing up.
Embarrassing for sure, but true. I still walked on it once the event ended (because I had to and I had zero expectation that anyone would literally carry me to my car) and that was a struggle, only because I couldn't walk fast enough for everyone else and every step was painful. I tried to walk in such a way that I wasn't impeding anyone's progress. Eventually, I made it to the car, battled the ridiculous traffic in the parking lot, and struggled with my drive home.
Jessica has suggested that I perform these stretches on my lower leg, to decrease the pain and hopefully improve my mobility. I did a few of these stretches and indeed, they worked. I'll do a few more stretches before I go to bed tonight. I hope to sleep off this pain and wake up tomorrow morning with less pain and improved mobility.
I am hopeful. I don't want to be hobbled tomorrow.
Today was okay, at least, up until that right calf strain happened. It was definitely a treat to see Carmen again and spend the day with her. The work event was okay. Lunch was also okay. Things were pretty okay for the most part.
I am not looking forward to what will likely be the 2027 annual staff development event next April, because in the end, I'm still not a fan of forced socialization. Of course, Carmen and I will hopefully coordinate and see if our schedules align so that we can spend that day together too and even if for just that day, rekindle everything that we once were.
I've always loved this song. I believe it was released in 1978.
Me minus you is such a lonely ride...
Damn, ain't that the truth.
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