Duty Calls

To anyone who hasn't given up on reading my blog.... Yes, I am still alive and well. I haven't entirely given up on blogging. Thank you for the notes and calls of concern. To answer you guys, I just haven't really been in a blogging mood lately. My younger sister, Taylor, moved in with us for the summer. Taylor's life is extremely busy and hectic. She is juggling a full time job as a graphic designer intern at a company in Ft. Worth., her photography business (which keeps her very busy after work), doing some graphic design work on the side, all while spending her nights getting ready to be in a local play. Her schedule has me worn out! I stay up later, get less done, and worry more. Living with her is so much fun, but must be comparable to living with a teenager. I now know the feeling of "waiting up" on someone. She is very fun to be around. We stay up late and talk and laugh. My blogging life has slowed WAY down. I have found that I am a little more tired than usual and a little less inclined to use my free time to sit at the computer. Sometimes, I use a little time to check up on my friends', but just haven't felt as much like journaling our goings on here. Maybe I'll get better. Maybe. The regular blogging might have to wait, though until Taylor moves out in August. We'll see...

Josh's practice is coming along nicely. He opened his doors three weeks ago. He has had more patients per day at this point than I thought he would have, which is encouraging. It is always scary to start a new business. I feel confident that when people realize what an honest and genuinely caring dentist Josh is, they will be lining up down the street for care. For now though, we are patiently waiting for the word to get out and for his new business to grow. I still have a little bit of work to do on the office. I'm actually a little bit tired of thinking about decorating. As with many of the projects I start, I am wishing that someone else would finish it up for me. That is one of my many weaknesses. I need a little more sticktoitness.

Today I am up here at Josh's office answering phones because the person who usually does that is on vacation. Yikes!! It is here at his office that I have found a little bit of time to blog. I don't feel bad about blogging on the job because I am working for no pay. :) There are many reasons that I am not the most qualified person for this job....

1. My voice sounds like a twelve year old. My soft voice is something that I have always had to work hard to overcome. First of all, I am quiet as a mouse. In a crowd, I always have to "yell" for my voice to be heard. Also, when I yell to make myself heard in a crowd, my voice doesn't get much louder, but merely sounds like a yelling mouse. My voice gives the appearance of someone who is gentle and quiet, meek and mild, and 12!! This does not reassure the patient that they are dealing with a professional, competent organization. Much to my dismay, I am not really gentle, meek, or mild. I hate it that when people meet me they assume that I am many things that I am not all because of my voice.

2. My voice makes me a walking doormat at times. Last year I had to work closely with a woman who is not much older than me, but is known for her extremely loud mouth, bossy ways, and boisterous personality. This woman is large and in charge and commands the attention of all who see her coming with her booming voice and untimely comments about things such as body odor and farting. Wonder why they paired me with her for a project??? Maybe they thought, Amber is so quiet and gentle. She, of all people will not mind working with this woman. If the people who paired me with this annoying woman had known that my mouse-like voice has a strong personality that likes to be in charge and that my voice will squeak a definite "I refuse to be a door mat" perhaps I would have been paired with someone who was less of a take charge type. I do not like being ordered around, unless it is by a person who is really good at what they are telling me to do. (This annoying woman was not.) Enough about her... What this means about my phone answering skills is this... I am not a very good at service with a smile. I am not sure how I would respond if someone was rude to me or, worse yet, treated me like I was a youngster by calling me "hon" or "sweetie". I already had to bite my tongue once this morning. Blah.

3. I am not quick on my feet. If you have ever answered phones you know that you have to think quickly and sound like you know what you are doing. You are supposed to sound friendly and have a ready response for each of the many different questions you might be required to answer. I have never been quick on my feet. I also don't know the answers to very many of the questions that are asked. Of course, Josh has provided me with a handy little sheet that tells me how to answer the questions. I don't want to answer the phone and then say, "Hold on, ummmm..... (while I hurriedly scroll throught the list of questions and answers) Oh yes.... ummm... uhhhh, Yes, we do accept your insurance." I can't wait for the woman who usually works here to get back!!

4. I want to be silly. I think this job is too boring. Too many people depend on you to be knowledgeable and professional and may not appreciate any attempt at silliness. How I really really want to disguise my voice! Can't do it. Not here anyway.

5. I have been out of the workforce for too long. Going to an official job is something that I haven't done in over four years. I feel very much at ease in a room full of preschoolers. When it comes to dealing with the adult world and using adult language, however, I feel a bit out of practice. When I don't know what I am doing, I am NOT good at faking it, either.

I think I am going to get back to work. Duty calls. Maybe I'll answer the phone with a silly voice, just once.