Near the end of the workday, I started to go into "I feel like I'm on the outside looking in" mode.

Tomorrow (June 4) is the 25th anniversary of the company where I'm temping. The company is springing for a trip to a city a couple hours' drive from here, involving at least one overnight, for all employees and their spouses.

I'm not an employee, though. I'm just a temp. Usually I can set that knowledge aside and get through the workday with no difficulty. It's just times like the cubicle-decorating contest, or a day a few weeks ago when ALL the employees got a nice wheeled suitcase as a gift from the company, or company field trips like the one that's taking place this weekend when I have no choice but to remember where I really stand. On the outside looking in. A temp like me couldn't have won that decorating contest, I watched everyone around me wheeling their new luggage to their cars at the end of the workday, and I won't be joining the rest of the company on their field trip this weekend.

Which, of course, I was reminded of when the company president got on the loudspeaker to tell everyone that they were permitted to wear shorts or anything they felt comfortable in to work tomorrow, and that the weather forecast was for perfect weather for their trip.

And then, since some departments reported that they couldn't hear the announcement, two minutes later he got BACK on the PA system and made the same announcement AGAIN. Which was the emotional equivalent of getting whacked right on a spot that was already sore.

Well, at least I'll wear something comfortable to work tomorrow. But not shorts. Not with this really, REALLY awful-looking black-and-blue bruise that encompasses a palm-sized area of my left knee. Actually, it's black-and-blue and red-violet and just about every OTHER freakin' color of the rainbow, now that it's finally beginning to fade. I definitely will NOT be wearing shorts anywhere until this bruise is gone.

Speaking of which, time to go get some ice for the knee. Cold really makes it hurt less. Now all I need is something to relieve this bruise to my morale, and I'll be in good shape.