Hi! Didja miss me?
Didn't think so.
I started back to work on Monday so have been a tad busy this week. Because of the economy (have you heard that phrase somewhere? it sounds vaguely familiar) my firm almost didn't hire me for this tax season; they finally settled on half time, 23 hr/wk, which actually works out quite nicely for me and my county board responsibilities. I wouldn't have asked for half time, but when it was offered, I smiled and accepted.
So. The week thus far.
Monday.
Report to work, am issued laptop, establish territory in assigned cube in brand new office. Cubes are now smaller, technology is now awesomer; new office layout encourages collaboration, entire office has actual windows and daylight and views.* This last was achieved by putting the kingpins, aka partners, into tiny interior offices.
Tuesday.
Finish establishing work environment and setting up computer. Perform actual productive work. Leave @ 6:30. Have dinner with family at favorite Greek restaurant, dinner improved by finding [free!] parking place right across the street from restaurant even though neighborhood is extremely deficient in such amenities. Eat Greek salad and gyros and three-layer chocolate pie. Burp. Drive back to Wisconsin.
Wednesday.
County meetings all day. High emotions, raised voices, Doberman-like territoriality observed in some attendees. All such silliness and childish behavior rolls off Kat™ back, as I am above it all. A good day. I spend the night in my own bed surrounded by dogs and cats.
Thursday.
Arise at body- and mind-friendly hour of 8:30; put dogs out, drink coffee, check e-mail, read a couple blogs, and discover that The Winter Storm Of The Century is predicted to hit within a couple hours, thereby disabling planned return to office in Minneapolis for more productive work. Employ audio telephonic communication device and innertubes to connect to office, thereby actually performing productive work. Such work proceeds at snail's pace when opening files on server that is 75 miles distant, but sock knitting fills the idle moments and calms the savage nerves.
I was attended in my spreadsheet gyrations by Hannibal and many, many birds.
Sometimes there were lots of birds for Hannibal to watch.
And sometimes the feeder was empty.
But the birds always returned.
There seemed to be some magic combination when X birds lingered for Y seconds at which Hannibal would fly into the air and attempt to leap through the glass. The birds would explode from the feeder and scatter across the lake. And I would be startled in my chair and swear at Hannibal.
Then Hannibal would settle back to wait for their return.
* My new cube is next to a wall of south-facing windows on the 29th floor. I think I am in heaven. Such nirvana-like feelings are tempered by sorrow that electronic objects with speakers are no longer allowed; headphones only. My iPod dock is sadly relegated to a drawer. I dislike using headphones but may have to overcome this resistance. Working in silence... sucks.
So this is my choice: work in a highly sophisticated office with all the latest technology at my fingertips, surrounded by the creme de la creme of accountancy, and with a stunning view of south Minneapolis at my right hand? Or work in my jammies with cats and dogs and birds and a view of the lake, filling in the occasional long moments of file downloading with sock knitting?
It's a tough choice, I tell ya.
