I have worked seven days at my new job. I miss my leisure but not the uncertain future of being unemployed. Now the days are a blur of commuting, trying to figure out the requirements of the job and remembering names of people I have met more than once.
Each day I make a hundred mile round trip. I have time during lunch to wander around the state capital where there are notable buildings, statues and plaques galore. In my office, everything is state agency gray. There are procedures for everything. It would be daunting, if it wasn't so amusing. I happen to have arrived just as heavy talks were beginning about "dress guidelines." Tomorrow I will go to Goodwill and stock up on shirts that can't be mistaken for t-shirts, and tasteful skirts. If I wasn't so advanced in years, I might care, but I don't.
My biggest problem is getting enough sleep. I have not convinced myself to sleep enough hours to be perky at 6:00 AM. But I knew that any new schedule was going to be difficult after the luxury of the 9-5 of Legal Aid.
I am trying to learn how to fit my other activities into the time available. It will happen. But dinner time preparations are suffering mightily. I'm going to have to shop and cook for the the week on the weekend. A new regime to learn.
Today I continued the tree inventory of our neighborhood. I love the reality of identifying trees. If I had a life to do over again, I would throw my lot with the biology of our planet, rather than with words and laws. But I am here now, and I will get what I can out of it.
Congratulations on the new job! I know there are shuttles and car pools available for the Portland to Salem commute if you get weary of the drive. Or gee,maybe you could even take the train. In the meantime, books on tape will beguile the tedium of the commute. You can check them out from the library.
ReplyDeleteHooray for the Goodwill wardrobe! How wonderful to be able to laugh at the follies of beauracracy.
Best of luck with the re-adjustments. You will rock this!
The Red, White and Blue thrift store on McLoughlin in Gladstone is wonderful--not open Sundays.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you fond a job but what a long commute! Have you considered carpooling or other modes of transport?
I wish you luck.
I am ahead of your other fans in that I know you are vanpooling, but I join them in sympathizing with you. I had missed the post just before this one and just read it--and love that rosy light shining on the road--but it makes me sad now. I hope you find reasons (other than the money) to be glad you have this job. I hope it offers you something wonderful somehow.
ReplyDeletethanks. actually, today was the first day that I got enough sleep the night before and we hit NO traffic, so it all felt a lot better.
Delete