Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Out of the Cave

I am starting the transition away from a work from home environment... eventually I am planning to have a work at work environment, but for now I am focusing on just getting out of the house regularly and having a more well-balanced life.

This New Yorker article about working from home is sadly true...

When you work from home, you turn into a mush of a person... I could not keep track of showering, changing clothes, putting on matching clothes, putting on make up, doing hair, eating.... it is not that I did not do these things... it is just that I did them so inconsistently and infrequently that I could not ever keep track of when was the last time I did what, and when is the next time I should do what; and without anyone around to judge me... I would just forget...  It is disgusting, I know.... Judge me... and then maybe I will change...

Last week was my first week off work.  After starting off the week strong (I watched "Office Space" for inspiration, shipped my work computer gear back to California, went for a beautiful bike ride along the Delaware River, met my mom for lunch in Asbury Park, cleaned up the entire house, renewed my passport, paid the bills)... I ended the week rather lazy.  I slept till about noon, then fell asleep again watching a Ken Burns documentary on the Prohibition, then ate some food, went right back to the warm spot on the couch and started reading Trevor Noah's book "Born a Crime"... I then got mad at myself for not leaving the house all day.  Although, in my defense, it was a little bit chilly... but the sun was still shining and I had the car... I should have taken advantage of that.

I decided to check out the local library.  I looked at their website and luckily they are still open, although they close soon; within the next half hour.  So I grabbed my purse and scurry on over.

To my shame, I arrive at the library and realize I still have my slippers on...  I did not change into real shoes... Having lived 90% of the last 3 years in my robe and slippies, I am obviously unaccustomed to the habit of changing into real outdoor shoes and leaving the house.  Luckily my slippers semi-resemble actual shoes (and at least have a hard-ish bottom) and with no time to go home and change, I keep going... do not look down.

I sign up for a library card and check out a book on local hikes...  Inspired by my newfound motivation and still semi-disgusted with myself for sleeping all day, I decide to take advantage of the last hour and a half of sunshine, overcome my fear of hiking alone, and go for a nice little nature walk down by the river... by myself.

I get down to the river, park the car... realize I still have my damn slippies on!  But, whatever, I already walked all over the dirty library covered in stranger kids germs, what is a little mud and goose poop gonna hurt?  Plus it's dry and the ground is cold and hard so they won't get too dirty... and if I go home and change first I will miss all the remaining daylight... I keep going.

I get about 20 minutes out watching the ground meticulously to make sure I do not step in dog poop, when I suddenly hear a large crack; like a tree branch snapping.... and, being the daughter of a former FBI agent and child assault prevention teacher that I am, my mind immediately interprets the situation as I am being followed and am about to be assaulted (eyes, pinkies, shins).... but when I turn around I am met by a ghost cloud....  a strong white wind below dark purple gray clouds coming my way.... with what the?

Apparently it is supposed to blizzard-style SNOW today!

I run back to the car in 15 minutes or so (still in my slippers now covered in snow), pick up Trevor, then drive home to get back in my pajamas, change out of my slippers into a fresh pair of warm socks, and hit up my sanctuary warm spot on the couch.  Tomorrow I will try again...

1 comments:

s-to-the-ally said...

haha keep it up julie! Excited to hear all about your home from home environment. I'm sure you will have many good shenanigans to share!

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