Thursday, February 7, 2008

I'm not just a pharmacist...

... I'm also a repair man.

In the last 2 days, I've had to fix all 3 of our laserjet printers. I fixed our fax machine twice, and I figured out a couple of computer glitches I wonder if fixing printers and fax machines is in my job description. Perhaps part of the reason pharmacists' salaries are so high is because we're expected to repair things around the pharmacy as well as fill prescriptions and counsel patients.

I tell you one thing though... Nothing in my job gives me more satisfaction than fixing something that's broken (be it a printer, fax machine, computer, ScriptPro, whatever). I would have so say the second best thing is when our perpetual CII inventory is off, and I'm able to figure out what happened. Both of these instances actually require using problem solving skills, which unfortunately, don't get used a great deal during the normal course of my job.

For example, yesterday, every label that came out of one of our printers had a huge smudge mark right in the middle of it. A couple people couldn't quite figure out what was causing the toner to smudge on the paper. I came over, pulled the printer apart, and realized that a couple warning labels somehow managed to get stuck behind this roller type thing that's between the toner cartridge and the label. After removing the warning stickers, the printer was good as new. I know that sounds simple, but it was kind of fun to take a second to solve that little mystery.

I suppose it's pretty sad that I get more satisfaction out of fixing a printer than I do from counseling a patient or catching a drug interaction. However, I bet if I was fixing printers for a living, I wouldn't have the same opinion.

In other news... I think I'm just going to forget about eHarmony girl. I've talked to her a few times since the last time I posted. I'm not so sure that she's disinterested in me as much as she's just not really looking for a relationship right now. Between working 50+ hours each week and hanging out with her friends, she really doesn't seem like she wants to invest the time for a relationship. Plus, as I said before, I'm starting to realize that we really don't mesh well together.

Honestly, as much as I bitch about being lonely, I'm not sure I'm ready to devote time to a relationship either. I got out of work at 4 today. I had all the time in the world to go and do something, but I was just too tired. I needed the rest of the day to rest. The only days I feel up to doing anything are my 3 days off each week. Even on those days, I don't want to stay out too late because then I'll be tired for work the next day.

I think I'm just destined to be single. I took one shot at love. It was great for the 6 years it lasted, and I still wish there was some way to get her back. Sometimes I think about how I'd react if she just called me out of the blue one day saying she wanted to give us another shot. I'm pretty sure I'd be just about the happiest person alive. You wouldn't be able to knock the smile off my face.

Since this is unlikely to happen and I'm really not willing to change my attitude, I'll probably just be single for the rest of my life. Is there really anything wrong with that?

7 comments:

Unknown said...

There's absolutely nothing wrong with being single. As I've written before, someone can be the most successful person in their career, but if they don't have a significant other, their career means nothing. People define each other by their relationships. This is ironic if you think about it, as we are taught in American we should be independent and self-sufficient. God forbid you're not in a relationship, there's something wrong with you. It's complete blasphemy if you're not even interested in a relationship. Then that means you're gay. I'm sick of all these assumptions and expectations society puts on us. Not everyone has to be in a relationship to be happy. Hell, some people think they will automatically be happy in a relationship. Newsflash: if you're not happy with yourself, you will never be happy in a relationship.
I think relationships are one of those things that can add to your life, but are definitely not necessary. If you think about it, it's so cliche to get married and have kids. Almost everyone does it....everyone follows the same script: marriage, family, picket fence...etc I'm just sick of society treating singles as half a person. Relationships do not define someone.

Anonymous said...

Being single is not so bad, i relate to you 100 %, I love you man.... I see myself in ur posts, write about ur vacations and benefits, and when you get a chance do what i did go overseas, get a friend from another country hav him take u to his homecountry you'll have so much fun

later

Jenn Siva said...

pencil through eye

Gail said...

I had the same problem with eharmony - I met a perfectly nice guy, and on the surface we had a lot of the same interests. We were pretty compatible in the beginning. But I was, honestly, way smarter than him. It's one thing to say "interested in politics", but another to actually know what you are talking about.

And, there's nothing wrong with being single, as long as you are happy. But, I wouldn't necessarily decide that you'll never have a relationship because you aren't ready or have the time for one now.

Anonymous said...

It's hard to be genuinely different.

I am single, I am not gay, I do not own anything that says Harley Davidson on it, I drive an eight-year-old sedan, and I have always rented, never owned, and have no debts. I am really different, and yet, I salt out of society. I do not get any credit for being different.

Anonymous said...

CHICKS DIG HANDY MEN! I knew my husband was the one for me when he was waist deep in his VW Karmanghia (sp?) repairing the engine. HELL YEAH! (Well, some chicks dig those metrosexual types, but do you really want a girl like that?)

Anonymous said...

Oh, say, I'm reading "Three Cups of Tea" about that mountaineer/RN guy who builds schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan? Yeah, his MD girlfriend dumped him, because he was so passionate about his work, blah blah blah, THEN she wanted him back one day, and he kicked her to the curb. Then out of the blue he met the sweetest girl who shared his passion for the international lifestyle--same upbringing as him and all that, and now they have a couple kids and he's famous and his MD ex-girlfriend is one sorry has-been. All because he followed his heart and his passion. This happened when he was in his 30's I believe. It will happen for you, too.