An Exaggeration, in 3 parts.

Each working day consists of 3 parts:

The Beginning (or, entrapment).

The Middle (or, torture).

and,

The End (or, release).

The Beginning has hope. I'm eager (or my adderall kicks in) to achieve. I breeze into my office, plop my purse down, glance at the mail (I actually do get mail, surprisingly enough. My engraved letter opener-thanks cousin Whitney!- now has a purpose) and sign into my email account. I feel awake, alert, and a little bit wired. Again, it could be the adderall. Nonetheless, I am ready to work. I:

-check emails (most of which I have already been notified of by my Blackberry)

-turn my phone on silent (the phone becomes less significant at work. Email, gchat, and AIM take preference)

-eat a bowl of cheerios (this is one of the highlights of my day. Sigh.)

-Skim Drudge Report headlines (a Canadian made a robot his life long partner?!)

and...then I enter into Entrapment (said in scary, booming voice).

Entrapment has no hope. I have accomplished the necessary tasks (arrive, sit, eat) and now I am bait to the 8 hour monster.

I don't really have a personality in The Middle phase. Therefore it becomes the Torture period for not just me, but whoever I communicate and interact with as well. Luckily, most people in the office tend to go out for lunch (maybe I am part of that reason?) so my gchat and AIM friends get the fun task of cyber-hanging-out with me. I respond to everything with "ugh", or "ufgbsahjgbiugbib", or "is it 5?" I stare blankly out the window. I try to stay away from the clock, it just exacerbates what I'm already feeling. (I know it's only 12:15 *eyes well up with tears*)

And then....The End. The light at the end of the tunnel. The saving grace. The glimpse of possible contentment. It happens around 3pm. Warmth and feeling pours back into my body and I start attempting simple tasks:

-weakly press 'inbox', and read email

-get a glass of water (avoid giant clock in kitchen. After all, it was a narrow escape from Torture-not a clean break)

-respond to gchat IM in complete sentences ("Yes, I will meet you at Happy Hour.")

And then, Release comes, and I feel a surge of energy and enthusiasm. My boss tells a joke and I slap my knees in hysteria. I whistle while I straighten up my desk. I make a To-Do list and dot the 'i's with hearts and smiley faces. I skip out of the office and leap into the elevator, grinning. "Have a good evening!" I practically sing to the parking attendant as I trot to my car.

...and I succesfully survived. (Enter exuberant feeling).