Hello. It’s Belinda.
I hope you had a good week. Mine was extra productive.
First of all, it’s “Oscars Week.” Which means my roommate has been out at the movie theaters every day. At the matinees.
And when she’s home, she’s distracted. Washing greens and refilling our hay mangers with one shoulder up, holding the phone to her ear. Talking about the actors and actresses, who will win this or that award. Walking around the house singing songs.
All of the above means one thing: I get to focus on work with no interruptions. I finally got my big “hay review” done, for one thing. A big load off my mind.
The second reason it’s been such a good week is I have a new “best friend at work.”
It’s Jessica from HR. Can you believe it?
Now that all the drama with the HR letter is over, turns out Jessica and I have a lot in common. For example, we both like books about leadership.
I told her all about “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” by steel mill tycoon Dale Carnegie. Also recommended “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill.
Jessica sent me a link to audiobooks by a man named Simon Sinek. He wrote five books and I chose one called “Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't.”
I don’t know about Simon Sinek, but I happen to be in one time zone and my employee, Abigail, is three hours “behind” me.
If I eat after Abigail, I will have to wait three or four hours for breakfast. I don’t want to sound lazy, but I can’t work on an empty stomach.
I get “hayngry,” if you know what I mean.
So I wanted to know if this book addressed Daylight Saving Time and afternoon healthy snackers.
I have to say, audiobooks are pretty slick. No worries about accidentally chewing the pages when you aren’t paying attention. These things happen but I like to keep my books unchewed.
I started “Leaders Eat Last” a few nights ago, as I was getting ready to fall asleep. Thought it would be a good way to unwind.
I was under the steps listening with the sound turned low, so I wouldn’t disturb my boyfriend’s companion. She was asleep in her pen and as I listened to the introduction, the voice was so low and relaxing that I nodded off.
At some point I must have rolled over onto the laptop keyboard and hit the volume keys. Because next thing you know I jumped about a foot in the air and raced across the room to the corner under the utility sink.
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader,” said Simon Sinek, very, very loudly, from under the steps.
The audiobook!
I never knew my laptop speakers were so powerful.
By the time I had run back to the laptop, I could hear my roommate upstairs.
First the kitchen lights came on. Then she flicked the switch for the bottom level.
“Belinda! It’s 4 o’clock in the morning. What is that noise?”
One good thing about all the light is I could see my laptop better. I hit at the keys wildly, trying to turn down the volume.
“I hear a man talking. Is there someone down there?”
Then my boyfriend’s companion started.
“It’s Bradley Cooper,” she said. “Bradley Cooper is inside the house.”
I gave up on the laptop speakers and just held down the on-off button, which you are not supposed to do.
Simon Sinek stopped talking and the laptop went dark.
My heart was pounding. I looked at my boyfriend’s companion and she stared at me without blinking.
For about a minute there was total silence.
Then my roommate turned off the lights to the bottom level. I heard her walk across the kitchen, then that light went dark, too.
I don't know what movies my roommate watched this week.
But if she wants to see "The Three Stooges," she should just stay home.
Sincerely,
Belinda,
Spokesrabbit, Small Pet Select
