Welcome back to the rat race, Pea Eye! − 7 October, 2008
It’s official. I am back to working full time. My department feels it has no choice, despite the fact that I’m still unable to mouse and keyboard for longer than half of the day. Fortunately, my supervisor is very concerned that I not incur additional damage to my wrists. He and I talked about ways that I could work without doing so. It might be a challenge, but assuming that I heal in some reasonable amount of time, it’s not forever.
Around two or so, I figured, why not take a coffee break? There was a time when my esteemed colleague and I went to a local café to chew the fat and talk shop on almost a daily basis. Many people get out of the office every day around lunchtime. They run errands; they grab lunch. I was going to have to get used to the idea that it was okay now to make a coffee run. For so long I have been in the habit of making coffee at work so that I can get out of the office sooner.
I planned to go to the bank and treat myself to a cappuccino. But on the way there, tears visited me once again. So instead of going to the bank, I found a nature trail, and thought about the letter I would write to my doctor telling him why I was firing him. Thankfully, an event later in the day caused me to rethink my position. More on that later.
Fortunately, I made it to the bank after all. Now that I am a true working stiff again, I have to go to the bank during the day just like everybody else -- on my break. I managed to fill up the rest of the day by dictating e-mails, since by that time my hands were close to turning into pumpkins. It is going to take me a while to be acclimated to working full time again.
I dreaded driving home during rush hour. I haven’t had to do that for four months now. I haven’t had to deal with traffic jams or rush-hour road rage. Wouldn’t you know it. I pull onto the highway and within 30 seconds I am in the middle of a major traffic backup that could be several miles long.
I went a very long way home. Perhaps it would have taken me the same amount of time had I the sat in the traffic jam. But I hate traffic jams. Not only that, but the rear passenger side window won’t roll up. I didn’t want to sit in a three lane traffic jam with no way to filter out the fumes. I arrived home relatively stress-free. I wonder how many of the poor sods who sat in a traffic jam arrived at home in the same condition?
Welcome back to the rat race, Pea Eye!
Around two or so, I figured, why not take a coffee break? There was a time when my esteemed colleague and I went to a local café to chew the fat and talk shop on almost a daily basis. Many people get out of the office every day around lunchtime. They run errands; they grab lunch. I was going to have to get used to the idea that it was okay now to make a coffee run. For so long I have been in the habit of making coffee at work so that I can get out of the office sooner.
I planned to go to the bank and treat myself to a cappuccino. But on the way there, tears visited me once again. So instead of going to the bank, I found a nature trail, and thought about the letter I would write to my doctor telling him why I was firing him. Thankfully, an event later in the day caused me to rethink my position. More on that later.
Fortunately, I made it to the bank after all. Now that I am a true working stiff again, I have to go to the bank during the day just like everybody else -- on my break. I managed to fill up the rest of the day by dictating e-mails, since by that time my hands were close to turning into pumpkins. It is going to take me a while to be acclimated to working full time again.
I dreaded driving home during rush hour. I haven’t had to do that for four months now. I haven’t had to deal with traffic jams or rush-hour road rage. Wouldn’t you know it. I pull onto the highway and within 30 seconds I am in the middle of a major traffic backup that could be several miles long.
I went a very long way home. Perhaps it would have taken me the same amount of time had I the sat in the traffic jam. But I hate traffic jams. Not only that, but the rear passenger side window won’t roll up. I didn’t want to sit in a three lane traffic jam with no way to filter out the fumes. I arrived home relatively stress-free. I wonder how many of the poor sods who sat in a traffic jam arrived at home in the same condition?
Welcome back to the rat race, Pea Eye!
