In the Office

The rules for our hybrid working environment are simple. We have to be in the office for 40% of the work days each month. That works out to approximately two days each week. Usually. Some months require an extra day to hit 40%. This month is not one of those months. This month just needs two days each week.

Last week I messed up my routine. I was feeling under the weather. Not bad enough to miss work, but bad enough to not want to go into the office and risk getting anyone else sick. I worked from home all five days last week. No office visits for me.

Because of that minor illness and my desire in the post Covid world to go out of my way to not get anyone else sick, I have two days to make up in order to get back onto the two days in the office pace.

I had two ideas for that. Idea number one was to work three days in the office this week, and three days next week. Not bad. Not good. Doable. Idea number two was to just bite the bullet and work four days in the office this week. Suck Suckity Suck Suck Suck for one week, then back to normal for the rest of the month.

I went into the office on Monday (traffic was mild). I went into the office on Tuesday (traffic was horrible). I am in the office today, Wednesday (traffic was bad but not as bad as Tuesday). Tomorrow I will have to make a tough decision. If I work from home tomorrow, I will need to come in three days next week (because I am sure as hell not coming into the office on Friday). If I work from the office tomorrow I will be back on track and not have to worry about any of this for the rest of June… but it will suck suck suckity suck to be in the office four days in a row (again, no way in hell I am coming in on Friday this week).

So what am I going to do?

I feel a little sick even thinking this… but I think I am going to work in the office. Four days in and one day at home… that was how our schedule worked pre-pandemic. The thought of that just blows chunks. It blows great big chunky chunks.

I think I am going to do it though. Oh help me please, I think I am going to do it.

Stressing

I am stressing out in a major way today. I’m in the office again (like every Wednesday) and I have meetings on top of meetings on top of meetings and even have to building hop for a couple of them. I’m sitting in the cafe trying to sneak in some lunch before the next meeting and I think I tried to eat too fast. My stomach is protesting a little. Hopefully I stopped in time or else I am going to have a really bad afternoon.

Wish me luck!

At Home and Loving It

I haven’t punched in to work yet, but after two days in a row of a 73 mile morning commute, I can definitively say that working from home is way better than working in the office. I’m home today and I’ll be home on Monday and then Tuesday and Wednesday I’m in Foxborough again. So it’s a brief respite from commuting, but it’s welcome and I am going to love every second of it.

There isn’t much going on this weekend. Cleaning in preparation for the holidays. Wrapping presents. Visiting my father. Worrying about my mother’s Covid. She’s still symptom-free but also still positive. We’re bringing one of the cars to the shop for a little maintenance. That’s actually preparation for us becoming a one car household in the very near future. I’ll write about that when it happens. I want to play guitar. I might want to do some car singing. I want to take some film pictures. That’s about it.

Here’s hoping today is a quiet day at work. I have a truck load of administrative stuff to do. I got through a chunk yesterday afternoon, but there is a ton more to go. Wish us luck today, folks. Have a happy Friday.

Rough Morning

This one might venture into TMI territory. I’ll be careful not to overshare, but given that this blog is more like a personal weight loss surgery journal just for me (sorry) I feel I need to document today’s fun. Again, sorry.

A couple of times over the last two months my digestive system has rebelled. I go a few days with nuttin’ but chirping crickets and then a very difficult, rather painful morning of struggle and teeth gritting and all sorts of fun. That’s me today. I have spent a lot of time in the bathroom with… very little reward. Is that skirting the TMI line? There has been success, it just took a lot of work and a lot of discomfort and now that things are… well… moving (wink wink) I don’t think it is going to stop for a while. How’s that? Did I give enough detail for me to know what I am talking about when I review this post five years from now without maybe grossing out all of you fine people who happen to read this? Would it make you all feel better if I say that people who read this page are among the finest people on the Earth? You are all kind hearted, generous, strong, good looking folks who are respected and looked up to by all who meet you. Given that, I hope I didn’t gross you out.

In other news, Jen is in the office today and it sucks. She’s going to be in the office tomorrow too and that is going to suck. Suck for me, at least. I miss her. She also has an after work, work function tonight and she won’t be home until late. I’m on my own for dinner, which isn’t a big deal, but I am going to be sad without her around.

I’m thinking of taking the camera into Boston tonight. Maybe I could get some pics of all the signs and lights in the theater district. That little area has been on my photo-to-do list for a while. Unfortunately there are thunderstorms in the forecast. We’ll have to see how it goes this evening. It would be nice, and I’ve already started researching how high I can set my ISO before the digital noise gets too obnoxious.

Here’s hoping the weather forecast changes and things clear up.