Bounce with me

Tonight I tutored the 8-year-old girl at the nearby homeless shelter, which I've been doing weekly for the past few months. She was in rare form tonight, though. She was hopped up on sugar, sucking on a candy cane as we worked on her assignments. She couldn't sit still and I kept having to refocus her attention on the work. She told me how she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight because she's so excited about seeing a Cinderella play tomorrow in Downtown LA with her class. She was uncharacteristically unwilling to work on her assignments and I had to convince her that if she finished tomorrow night's homework tonight then she wouldn't have to do it tomorrow. I was amused more than annoyed as she tried to convince me that she hadn't had more sugar than the candy cane that day. Then she admitted to the chocolate chip cookies and chocolate-covered strawberries.

The shelter staff member complimented me on what I great job I did with her tonight, so at least I appeared to know what I was doing.

I got home and told Brent the tale of the hyperactive child. He looked at me, smiled and said, "Good! Now YOU know how it feels!"

Yes, I'm known for my exuberance and enthusiasm, although I'd like to think I'm more focused than an 8-year-old hopped up on sugar. A co-worker did ask me today, though, where I'd been all morning. When I told I'd been in meetings most of the day, he jokingly replied, "Ahh, that explains why it's been so quiet today."

It's funny 'cuz it's true.

"We are pleased to see that your enthusiasm for our product continues unabated, and would like you to know that the two thermonuclear missiles currently converging upon your vessel are merely a courtesy we extend to all prospective customers." - Ghostly Image, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy