I’ve reached the saturation point (and I’m not talking about another infusion of mud here). I’ve managed to put myself in a situation where there’s so much to do that I don’t know what to do next. There were times today when I was paralyzed by the amount of work I have to get done by this time next week. It was time for a meltdown, but I don’t have time for a meltdown.

I’m at that point in the process where I need people not to need things from me. Leave me alone and let me get through this, instead of constantly asking for something. Julie sent me a letter to type today, something the Boss had asked her to draft two months ago. She put it off then, and now he’s bugging her about it so of course it has to be done immediately. This is how somebody else’s crisis becomes my problem.

Wouldn’t you think that after yesterday I’d be in an upbeat mood, ready to face anything? After all, something that’s had me down for a month was finally resolved. I should be happy, instead of ready to turn all my furniture into kindling and send the whole place up in smoke. I can’t scream loud enough and I don’t know enough cuss words to take the pressure off. All I can do is fume for a bit and then get back at it.

Something got my juices flowing late this afternoon. I got a fresh burst of energy when I opened a bill from our workers comp carrier. That nice auditor who was here last month totally screwed up our payroll records, and as a result they are asking for an additional $3,200 in premium that I don’t think they’re entitled to. So I wrote a polite but severe letter, explaining the error of their ways and asking them to please get their act together.

Of course, I could be wrong. I would hate that, but it’s possible, because I based the amount we paid on information I got from the auditor who was here a year ago. She gave me some advice that was supposed to save me some money, and I reported our payroll based on that advice. Now it turns out that either she was wrong, or this year’s auditor was in too much of a hurry to take the new reporting criteria into account.

It all comes down to that – which auditor was right. Since the auditors are independent contractors and don’t work for the insurance company, the company might not be bound by what the auditors tell me. Especially since I didn’t get anything in writing. It was one of those, “Oh, everybody knows that. Here’s what you should be doing...” deals. As if I’d been stupid for overpaying all these years.

Now I’m feeling a little stupid whichever way this dispute turns out, but at least it gave me the energy to get through the rest of my day. There’s a lot to be said for that (but not $3,200 worth).