Working from home
A couple of weeks ago there was an article on MSNBC about how telecommuting just one day a week can make a big difference in your weekly fuel bill. I drive about 25 miles round-trip every day to work — I do try to run errands after work so I don’t have to make extra trips on the weekend, but it sure would be nice to save a little gas each week. So… my colleagues and I pitched it to the boss. We made a schedule where the three of us would each work from home one day a week, available via forwarded telephone and email, just not physically in the office. I really thought it would go over; each of us works from home as needed anyway. Alas, he did NOT go for it. His first “inclination” was to say no, and knowing the boss, that’ll be his only inclination.
That’s fine. This week I got to work from home anyway… the parking lots at work were so flooded that only essential personnel were required to stay in the building. Everyone else was sent home, and since I have the ability to log on remotely, I won’t have to take a PTO day. For now, until he agrees, we’ll just keep operating the way we have been.
Filed under blues, nablopomo, work | Comments (3)Home
I did sign up for NaBloPoMo for June, but of course I’ve already missed the first two days. The theme for the month is home, and while I thought that sounded easy enough, I’ve had a dreadful time trying to think of things to write about!
I thought today I would write a little about my home. About seven years ago I decided to build a house. Interest rates were low at that time, and even on my single income, my house payment was going to be less than what I was paying in rent. I wanted out of apartment living — I wanted room to spread out, to have a yard, to be able to paint any room any color I wanted without having to obtain permission first. I found a cute little house plan I liked, a neighborhood I liked, and I moved in a few months later. It’s just a little one-story ranch, and it’s easily one of the smallest houses in my neighborhood, but I love it. It’s just me, the cat, the guinea pigs and the rabbits, anyway.
In six years I haven’t done much to the house. I have plans — I want to put in wood floors, I want to paint, I want quieter, more energy-efficient appliances. I’d also really love to have real, grown-up furniture. I’d like to make it as cozy as possible for as long as I’ll be here.
Filed under nablopomo | Comment (0)5 Favorites : Music Edition
More sharing today. I don’t know that it’ll give you any insights into my soul, but I’m doing it anyway.
I thought today would be a good day to share 5 of my favorite artists and/or bands. I love music of all kinds — I dislike most rap and jazz, but other than that my CD and iTunes collections have always been sort of a free-for-all. There are certain artists, though, that I’ll stop everything to listen to; certain favorite musicians that show up on my XM radio’s TuneSelect list, and that give me a little thrill. Here, in no particular order, are 5 of those:
- Dave Matthews Band: All-time favorite. I share a love of Dave with my brother, and we’ve spent many a summer night listening to DMB under the stars at the local outdoor concert venue — some of the best memories of my life have been set to DMB. I haven’t seen them in concert for about 4 years, but this year, I AM GOING NO MATTER WHAT. Tickets go on sale this Saturday.
- Harry Connick, Jr.: I’ve been in love with Harry since I was a teenager. My grandmother saw him on Leno or something about 17 years ago, and thought he sounded just like Sinatra. I was going through my big band phase at the time, and he fit right in. It helps that he’s smokin’ hot… and incredibly talented. Two of my very best college friends also loved Harry, and we bonded over our sadness at his marriage. Ah, those were the days.
- Dixie Chicks: It took me a long time to come ’round to the Chicks. I love listening to them when I travel — I travel alone most of the time, 12 hour drives to Georgia, and their music is so easy to sing along with and harmonize to (I prefer to sing harmony whenever possible). I think Fly was my favorite album, though Home would be a close, close second.
- Jars of Clay: I think I first heard Jars of Clay when I was about 14. My brother and I went with our friend from across the street to a Michael W. Smith concert, and they were the opening act. They played “Love Song for a Savior”, and it just embodied everything I was feeling. To this day I cannot hear that song without getting completely choked up and verklempt, despite the fact that I no longer attend church or attempt to be spiritual in any way. Just makes me think it’s still there, deep down, even if I try to keep it from the surface.
- Mindy Smith: I found Mindy via XM, and I love her. Like the Dixie Chicks, she sings songs that are easy for me to harmonize with, so I listen to her a lot when I travel. I don’t listen to a lot of country music, but bluegrass and country-alt are making their way into my playlist more and more often.
