Hat on Top, Coat Below
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Not a Weekly Check-In
December 22, 2003
It’s Monday, so I should be reporting on how I did on last week’s goals. I’m not going to. I’m cutting myself some slack. It’s Christmas time and I’m giving myself the present of not stressing about how I’m doing on my goals. I’m still working toward them, but I’m not going to make myself crazy about it.
Instead, I’m making myself crazy about the new office. I’m worried about the commute. The drive in this morning was not bad at all, but I didn’t have to report until noon because I was on the unpacking crew and the trucks weren’t going to arrive until late morning. Even though I stopped for about five minutes to buy thread (I can be very efficient in a fabric store if I have to be) and missed a turn after I got off the freeway because I’d never approached the new building from that exit before, it took me only as long as it would have to get to the old place, right around an hour. That’s at the upper end of my personal limit of commute time, so if it were like that all the time, that would be fine. Except I know it won’t be like that all the time. I don’t know how early I’ll have to come in to avoid the rush. I’d rather come in later, except then I’d never get to see Mr. Karen because I’d have to stay later, too. Maybe I’ll have to demand to go part-time. Maybe I could get Purple Systems to pay for DSL and let me work at home two or three days a week. I’d like to think I’m worrying about nothing, but I’ve seen the backups nearly every morning along the first part of the route I’ll now have to take.
Then there’s my actual office. I don’t like the layout of the built-in furniture at all. If I want to use the integrated keyboard tray, I’d have to setup my PC facing a corner with my back to the door. That sucks. It feels like punishment– go sit in the corner. I think it’s also bad feng shui, and I need all the good chi I can get to deal with the disturbing green wallpaper. If I keep the PC where I put it this morning so I could see out into the hall and not have people sneak up on me, I’m afraid I’ll have problems with my hands due to poor ergonomics. I guess I can always try to install an aftermarket keyboard and mouse tray if I’m willing to give up my shallow desk drawer that’s currently in the way. And then there’s the three feet wide by seven feet tall window by the door. It sort of takes away the advantage of being able to close one’s door when doing so affords no privacy at all. I’m amusing myself by thinking of all the ways I could cover the window. I think mini blinds are going to be the most acceptable, though I like the idea of painting an aquarium scene on the glass. I’m going to have to do something about the light situation, too, because the fluorescents give me a headache and the lamps I had in my old office aren’t going to work here.
The good thing about the move is I didn’t have to do anything hard today. I unpacked some stuff in the kitchen and set up my PC and answered some e-mail and helped my boss with his unpacking and when my one crate finally showed up I put that stuff away. I cleaned my keyboard, which really looked disgusting in the glare of these fluorescent lights; four years of eating lunch at my desk really showed. I ate some cookies leftover from Friday’s party. It’s nice to have a day (well, half day) like that every now and then.
A year ago, I wrote about planners, which reminds me that I haven’t yet gotten my 2004 refills. I wonder how long I have to wait before they go on sale.
