Yes, that is a Warcraft reference.
I've found myself reading a few different articles lately about how people work. Young House Love, a blog I follow rather obsessively (and write about here) recently reported their day-in-the-life post. Then I happened across this short article about new media queen, Felicia Day.
Neither of them have the 'traditional' 9am-5pm job. Their work is intermingled with their personal time, never really clocking in or out. Each individual day of their work could require them to do something completely different from the day before. And each of them are deeply integrated in "new" technology.
I think it has become sort of a hallmark of technology-related jobs that there are fewer rules (or at least less traditional rules). Rumors of what the work environment is like at Google spread around like wildfire. (Flexible hours, chef prepared lunches and free kittens from what I hear). But as technology becomes more common place, even technology-free industries seem to be adopting a more flexible work day. I don't really know a single person in the work force who has a job where they show up in the same place at the same time each morning and leave at the same time each evening.
It has gotten me thinking a lot about what my ideal work schedule would be. I sort of suspect it would have a built in nap time. I would have time to go for a walk in the afternoon. I would be able to take a break and cook myself some dinner. I would pretty happily work a few more hours into the night to be able to have my lunch/walk/dinner breaks every day.
What would you go for if you where in charge of your own schedule?
~Claire Out.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Back Again
Holy MOLY it has been a long time since I wrote here. I have been swamped with all sorts of things lately, it is a little overwhelming to have to talk about it all in a single post.
The major highlights are (in no particular order)
1.) I moved to a new apartment with Mike.
2.) I went to Hawaii with my family to celebrate my Mom's birthday.
3.) I started taking a teacher training course on the weekends.
All of these things are thrilling and exciting and new, but they are also have made me wildly busy. Since things could easily get a little out of control talking about all of these topics, I've decided to describe a few moments about each of these events.
The Good:
The first moment I got to see the apartment was actually after I had already signed the lease. I was so relieved. I had seen the craigslist add, and a detailed video that Mike filmed, but with my full time job/ impending trip to Hawaii/saturday classes there was absolutely no way that I could be there myself before then. It took so much trust to sign up to live in a place for a YEAR site unseen. But if you can't trust your fiancee who can you trust? He earned huge brownie points for taking the lead on finding us such an amazing apartment.
Just as I began to stress out about where I would find a washer/dryer at an affordable price a great offer dropped into our lap. (Washer/dryer hookups! I told you Mike chose well.) Our neighbor happened to be moving out of the apartment next door the same weekend we were moving in and offered to sell us his at a good price. We didn't even have to move them over ourselves since he already had movers hired for the day. Sometimes things just work out.
The Bad:
The busy schedule that kept me from seeing the apartment until after I signed the lease also prevented me from packing and organizing for the move. I found myself two weekends in a row drenched in sweat (obnoxiously it was 100+ degrees each moving day) moving heavy furniture until my arms and legs literally stopped working. I remember being stuck holding up my end of a couch halfway up an external staircase knowing for sure I would not be able to make it to the top, sweat running into my eyes and mixing with the tears welling up there. (Don't worry the couch absolutely made it inside the apartment. Though I am afraid to admit several swear words were probably uttered in the process.)
The Good:
If you have ever been to Hawaii, or been on a vacation in a gap between two stressful weeks, or been reunited with your family after too much time apart, then you will understand how tricky it is to pick just a few good moments when I was lucky enough to have all three happen at the same time. Here goes.
We went out to one of the biggest, most delicious, richest, dinners I have EVER had. (And I am somewhat of a big delicious rich dinner enthusiast.) The conversation was great. We all reveled in what a treat it was to be all together and in Hawaii. It is always special when you can take a moment to consider just how blessed you are in the moment. We had far too much wonderful food and just enough wonderful wine and had an unforgettable dinner together.
To celebrate my Mom's birthday (I didn't say the number mom... you're welcome) we had another very special dinner. A chef came to cook at the house we were staying at, something new for all of us. I tried Ahi Tuna for the first time as part of a yummy tuna tar tar dish. I had the most rich & creamy / bright & citrus-y Avocado soup. Yummy mushroom ravioli. (mushroom ANYTHING is always a huge hit with me). A main course of fish and salad that was some of the best I had ever tasted. And for desert a super chocolate-y chocolate cake with PORT FLAVORED ICE CREAM. I'm realizing that this good thing has just turned into a list of things I ate, but each one was delicious and just far enough outside of my comfort zone to be exciting without being scary. It was a dinner to remember. And my Mom managed to weasel the ice cream recipe out of our chef. :D
On my final night in Hawaii I went swimming in the resort pool with my parents and brother. The four of us had the whole pool to ourselves. We could hear the sound of waves from the ocean and swam around in the warm water talking about nothing too important. It was a surreal moment reminding me of all the wonderful times I've spent with my family in all sorts of wonderful places over the years, and how much has changed between all of us and how much has stayed the same.
The Bad:
After an hour and a half on my plane ride home the captain announces that one of the external windows broke, and we would have to turn around and land in Honolulu. I then worried about our safety while listening to the elderly woman sitting next to me complain loudly about her lot in life. The movie was "The Three Stooges".
The Good:
Learning about a conflict resolution technique called "Council", we went around in a circle one morning and checked in with each person. I gained so much from listening to every other person in the room being so open and so generous with sharing their emotions. I really felt like I was among 'my' people. People who were willing to sound a little silly in a group, perhaps behave a little 'childishly' and to be completely honest and open. It was as nice for me to listen as to be heard, which was a bit of a surprising realization, but probably good for my personal growth.
I am getting to dive back into childhood arts and crafts as I am learning about different projects to teach in my future classroom. As I am picking up crayons again and a recorder for the very first time I am thrilled to have an excused to learn and create every weekend. I am particularly proud of my drawing of a mouse ... Mike will tell you. It's awesome.
The Bad:
They make me dance. Thankfully it isn't the hip-hop or musical numbers of my painful-to-recall high school dance career. Eurythmy is much more movement (less "steps"), less memorization, and actually much much more intellectual then my experience of dance before. I still find my blood pressure going up before that class each Saturday knowing I'll soon be singled out for being SO very terrible.
Since this post is the length of a short novel I hope this makes up for the fact that I have been away for a while. I will try to get back to writing regularly soon. What have you been up to the past few weeks? Any big changes in the works?
~Claire Out.
The major highlights are (in no particular order)
1.) I moved to a new apartment with Mike.
2.) I went to Hawaii with my family to celebrate my Mom's birthday.
3.) I started taking a teacher training course on the weekends.
All of these things are thrilling and exciting and new, but they are also have made me wildly busy. Since things could easily get a little out of control talking about all of these topics, I've decided to describe a few moments about each of these events.
The Move
The Good:
The first moment I got to see the apartment was actually after I had already signed the lease. I was so relieved. I had seen the craigslist add, and a detailed video that Mike filmed, but with my full time job/ impending trip to Hawaii/saturday classes there was absolutely no way that I could be there myself before then. It took so much trust to sign up to live in a place for a YEAR site unseen. But if you can't trust your fiancee who can you trust? He earned huge brownie points for taking the lead on finding us such an amazing apartment.
Just as I began to stress out about where I would find a washer/dryer at an affordable price a great offer dropped into our lap. (Washer/dryer hookups! I told you Mike chose well.) Our neighbor happened to be moving out of the apartment next door the same weekend we were moving in and offered to sell us his at a good price. We didn't even have to move them over ourselves since he already had movers hired for the day. Sometimes things just work out.
The Bad:
The busy schedule that kept me from seeing the apartment until after I signed the lease also prevented me from packing and organizing for the move. I found myself two weekends in a row drenched in sweat (obnoxiously it was 100+ degrees each moving day) moving heavy furniture until my arms and legs literally stopped working. I remember being stuck holding up my end of a couch halfway up an external staircase knowing for sure I would not be able to make it to the top, sweat running into my eyes and mixing with the tears welling up there. (Don't worry the couch absolutely made it inside the apartment. Though I am afraid to admit several swear words were probably uttered in the process.)
The Trip
The Good:
If you have ever been to Hawaii, or been on a vacation in a gap between two stressful weeks, or been reunited with your family after too much time apart, then you will understand how tricky it is to pick just a few good moments when I was lucky enough to have all three happen at the same time. Here goes.
We went out to one of the biggest, most delicious, richest, dinners I have EVER had. (And I am somewhat of a big delicious rich dinner enthusiast.) The conversation was great. We all reveled in what a treat it was to be all together and in Hawaii. It is always special when you can take a moment to consider just how blessed you are in the moment. We had far too much wonderful food and just enough wonderful wine and had an unforgettable dinner together.
To celebrate my Mom's birthday (I didn't say the number mom... you're welcome) we had another very special dinner. A chef came to cook at the house we were staying at, something new for all of us. I tried Ahi Tuna for the first time as part of a yummy tuna tar tar dish. I had the most rich & creamy / bright & citrus-y Avocado soup. Yummy mushroom ravioli. (mushroom ANYTHING is always a huge hit with me). A main course of fish and salad that was some of the best I had ever tasted. And for desert a super chocolate-y chocolate cake with PORT FLAVORED ICE CREAM. I'm realizing that this good thing has just turned into a list of things I ate, but each one was delicious and just far enough outside of my comfort zone to be exciting without being scary. It was a dinner to remember. And my Mom managed to weasel the ice cream recipe out of our chef. :D
On my final night in Hawaii I went swimming in the resort pool with my parents and brother. The four of us had the whole pool to ourselves. We could hear the sound of waves from the ocean and swam around in the warm water talking about nothing too important. It was a surreal moment reminding me of all the wonderful times I've spent with my family in all sorts of wonderful places over the years, and how much has changed between all of us and how much has stayed the same.
The Bad:
After an hour and a half on my plane ride home the captain announces that one of the external windows broke, and we would have to turn around and land in Honolulu. I then worried about our safety while listening to the elderly woman sitting next to me complain loudly about her lot in life. The movie was "The Three Stooges".
The Class
The Good:
Learning about a conflict resolution technique called "Council", we went around in a circle one morning and checked in with each person. I gained so much from listening to every other person in the room being so open and so generous with sharing their emotions. I really felt like I was among 'my' people. People who were willing to sound a little silly in a group, perhaps behave a little 'childishly' and to be completely honest and open. It was as nice for me to listen as to be heard, which was a bit of a surprising realization, but probably good for my personal growth.
I am getting to dive back into childhood arts and crafts as I am learning about different projects to teach in my future classroom. As I am picking up crayons again and a recorder for the very first time I am thrilled to have an excused to learn and create every weekend. I am particularly proud of my drawing of a mouse ... Mike will tell you. It's awesome.
The Bad:
They make me dance. Thankfully it isn't the hip-hop or musical numbers of my painful-to-recall high school dance career. Eurythmy is much more movement (less "steps"), less memorization, and actually much much more intellectual then my experience of dance before. I still find my blood pressure going up before that class each Saturday knowing I'll soon be singled out for being SO very terrible.
Since this post is the length of a short novel I hope this makes up for the fact that I have been away for a while. I will try to get back to writing regularly soon. What have you been up to the past few weeks? Any big changes in the works?
~Claire Out.
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