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April 30, 2008
Look How All the Kids Have Grown Up...
Well, that's it. We ratified a contract at the younger of the twins, in Scranton. And it's a great first contract. A landmark 30 year wage step, doubled the employer's contribution to the pension, huge wage increases, actual roll backs on health care costs, lots of other stuff. My nurses have much to be proud of.
Tonight after the meeting the real Anna and the blog-named Anna and a a few others went out for a drink with us. I was working on the flyer, Danny California was doing the math for me, Edward was on his last few breaths after doing meetings all day on no sleep, and it wasn't long before Diana, one of my all time favorite nurses, showed up. I was glad to see her. I was feeling old and ugly and tired... the meetings today were hard, and it was just a few minutes before that a few of my nurses suggested that maybe I should go for a professional haircut. So I've gained weight (I mean, I'm at 111 now but that's up from 102!) and now I have bad hair. Ugh.
I look in the mirror and feel like I've aged a decade. But I know that's just the exhaustion. It'll go away when I get proper sleep and proper nutrition. A lot of people a lot younger than I am look a lot older.
So my Anna was there tonight, and as we left I gave her a big hug. I wonder what would have happened if I'd never met her. I wish I could remember the moment when I first realized that the only thing that really matters is that Anna is never going to lose again.
I miss MR. I miss home. I want Edward to get some sleep. I had a wonderful experience this weekend when a nurse whom I'm going to call Annie, because she is a little Anna, told me about how she found organizing the union to be an empowering process. More about that soon.
I feel old and ugly and tired tonight. Oh well. These nurses have a great contract, and I have a wonderful man who overlooks my flaws and picks me little flowers on his morning run and arranges them in a giant red wine glass. I am very blessed. I should do better than I do. But tonight I have to sleep, knowing that my twins are off to school. The kids have grown up. Those who thought they would never have a voice have won their contracts. I am proud of them.
Look how all the kids have grown up
We have changed but we're the still the same
After all that we've been through, I know we're cool.
Posted by april at April 30, 2008 10:27 PM
Comments
Hey, April! You need to take an entire DAY and go to a spa. Have a complete body massage, get slathered in skin-soothing mud, have a facial, a manicure, a pedicure and get a haircut. Tell MR he's the chef du soir, have an extra glass of wine, then go to bed and sleep for as long as you can. You are genuinely exhausted.
And now that I've done my MoMR routine, huge congratulations! Your work is awesome. JD :-)
Posted by: Judith at May 1, 2008 6:07 AM
From the couple of pictures I've seen of you in the media, I can't imagine you could ever have a bad hair day if you tried. But I can imagine you're totally shattered, so Judith has completely the right idea and I hope you get the chance to take her advice. Especially with the sleep and the lovely glass of wine.
Posted by: Sara at May 1, 2008 1:52 PM