My parents are about to get their first great-grandchild. Well, in a few more months that is. And technically not really. It's complicated, as so many families are these days.
Linnea is my brother-in-law's child from his first marriage. One of two kids in fact. They have been part of our family since my sister married their father almost 20 years ago. Although my sister never formally adopted them and they are not then legally related, they are family in all the ways that count.
Linnea married Jason a few years back. She couldn't have done a better job. And now they are going to be parents and give my parents a small child to dote on. Finally.
You see, none of my parents' children ever had children. So Chris' kids became the only grandkids for my parents. Of course, we would have loved them anyway - they are awesome people - but since they are the only members of that generation, that makes them all the more special. And now there will be another generation.
The funny thing is that Linnea and Jason's child will be the same generation as my cousin Steve's kid. It's a little confusing. Basically my dad is the oldest in his family. Steve's mom is the youngest. Chris is a few years older than my sister and had his kids reasonably young. As a consequence, my father's nephew, my cousin, ended up in the same generation as Chris' oldest child. Weird how that happens.
Steve and his wife Tamorah had their first child about a year ago. Linnea and Jason's child is due early next year. So they will be about 16 months apart. That generational gap just jumped.
But the thing is, really, these generations are not related at all. My cousin's child is not related to my stepniece's child by blood no matter how you slice it. Even if they will grow up going to family functions together.
Like I said, technically that's all true. But then there's love. And how family is really defined. And in that world - the one that really counts- these two children will be related.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Why Did I Get Into Rescue?
Today, the cat volunteer coordinator for Lost Dog and Cat Rescue asked the cat volunteers how and why they got into animal rescue. Here was my answer. I think some of this has been said here before, but hey, since I already wrote it....
Why did I get into animal rescue? A whole bunch of reasons. Starting with an opportunity to be around dogs again. I grew up with dogs, but my lifestyle just doesn't work for dogs. Working 10-12 hours a day just doesn't work with dogs. And until about 10 years ago, I was living in condos and apartments. I know lots of people who have dogs in such environments, but I just couldn't imagine doing it. But I also can't imagine life without a pet, so that's why I have cats.
But I missed dogs. There's a certain irrepressible quality about most dogs that cats just don't have. Bounding and circling from excitement are not qualities one usually sees in cats either.
I also wanted to find a way to give back, to volunteer. I've never been much of a joiner, but I do believe in giving of oneself. Especially as I got older. So I looked into volunteer opportunities, but many wanted a set commitment. Given that schedule I mentioned for work, and given that my work often involves working weekends as well as workdays, I couldn't commit to a particular schedule for volunteer work. Or I could have said I'd do it, and then had to break that schedule with some frequency. That didn't seem like a very nice thing to do. So I need volunteer work that involved a flexible schedule. Not easy to find!
As I said, I have cats. I have long been a PetSmart shopper. I saw various rescue organizations in my travels to pick up cat food and litter. I started looking into rescue volunteering. I had rescued my cats through a rescue organization, but the ladies who run that organization are a little loopy (so I won't say which one). As with some rescue organizations, they seem to have gone a little too far in the direction of protecting their rescues from the world. While I value animals and life in general, I have a practical streak a mile wide. And I tend to look at people as basically good, not as out to hurt animals.
In the process of researching animal rescue organizations, I ran across Lost Dog and Cat Rescue. I liked that they helped both dogs and cats. And not a particular breed, but all kinds of rescues. I liked that I could sign up as often or infrequently as my schedule allowed. I liked that the interviewers cared about making sure that the adoption was going to be a success, for both sides of the equation - adopter and adoptee. And that that sometimes meant allowing someone to adopt under not-quite-ideal circumstances but because the adopters ultimately had the right quality for that adoptee, whatever that intangible quality might be.
So I signed up to "play with dogs" as I called it. Every week, I'd get the email about volunteering and be able to make a determination whether that particular weekend was going to work out for me. After a few months, I occasionally functioned as a volunteer captain - training new volunteers and generally helping out with the logistics of the whole thing. I was impressed with Barb, Pam, Paul, etc. Their commitment was/is amazing, but they are practical too. They work with the adopters to find the right combination of dog and new owner.
Then one of the rescue emails said LDCRF was looking for kitten fosters. By this time, I was in a townhouse and had some space to be able to foster kittens in the spring when there are so many. That first year, I asked Dot a lot questions. I had only two kittens. The first time I dropped them off to potentially be adopted, I wasn't sure if I was going to be happy or heartbroken if they actually got adopted. That's the challenge of being a foster. Loving your foster without becoming so attached that you become a foster failure. That first time when I left my kittens, I volunteered as a dog handler. The next time I brought them, I stayed with them during the adoption event and got to participate in the interview when one of them got adopted. It helped with the separation knowing that the kitten was going to a great home. And so I became a cat volunteer while I had my fosters.
I've since fostered kittens four times. And become a cat volunteer and eventually a cat adoption interviewer. I still only volunteer about once a month, but I now know pretty much all of the rescue leaders. It's a great organization doing great things. And I'm proud to play my part.
Why did I get into animal rescue? A whole bunch of reasons. Starting with an opportunity to be around dogs again. I grew up with dogs, but my lifestyle just doesn't work for dogs. Working 10-12 hours a day just doesn't work with dogs. And until about 10 years ago, I was living in condos and apartments. I know lots of people who have dogs in such environments, but I just couldn't imagine doing it. But I also can't imagine life without a pet, so that's why I have cats.
But I missed dogs. There's a certain irrepressible quality about most dogs that cats just don't have. Bounding and circling from excitement are not qualities one usually sees in cats either.
I also wanted to find a way to give back, to volunteer. I've never been much of a joiner, but I do believe in giving of oneself. Especially as I got older. So I looked into volunteer opportunities, but many wanted a set commitment. Given that schedule I mentioned for work, and given that my work often involves working weekends as well as workdays, I couldn't commit to a particular schedule for volunteer work. Or I could have said I'd do it, and then had to break that schedule with some frequency. That didn't seem like a very nice thing to do. So I need volunteer work that involved a flexible schedule. Not easy to find!
As I said, I have cats. I have long been a PetSmart shopper. I saw various rescue organizations in my travels to pick up cat food and litter. I started looking into rescue volunteering. I had rescued my cats through a rescue organization, but the ladies who run that organization are a little loopy (so I won't say which one). As with some rescue organizations, they seem to have gone a little too far in the direction of protecting their rescues from the world. While I value animals and life in general, I have a practical streak a mile wide. And I tend to look at people as basically good, not as out to hurt animals.
In the process of researching animal rescue organizations, I ran across Lost Dog and Cat Rescue. I liked that they helped both dogs and cats. And not a particular breed, but all kinds of rescues. I liked that I could sign up as often or infrequently as my schedule allowed. I liked that the interviewers cared about making sure that the adoption was going to be a success, for both sides of the equation - adopter and adoptee. And that that sometimes meant allowing someone to adopt under not-quite-ideal circumstances but because the adopters ultimately had the right quality for that adoptee, whatever that intangible quality might be.
So I signed up to "play with dogs" as I called it. Every week, I'd get the email about volunteering and be able to make a determination whether that particular weekend was going to work out for me. After a few months, I occasionally functioned as a volunteer captain - training new volunteers and generally helping out with the logistics of the whole thing. I was impressed with Barb, Pam, Paul, etc. Their commitment was/is amazing, but they are practical too. They work with the adopters to find the right combination of dog and new owner.
Then one of the rescue emails said LDCRF was looking for kitten fosters. By this time, I was in a townhouse and had some space to be able to foster kittens in the spring when there are so many. That first year, I asked Dot a lot questions. I had only two kittens. The first time I dropped them off to potentially be adopted, I wasn't sure if I was going to be happy or heartbroken if they actually got adopted. That's the challenge of being a foster. Loving your foster without becoming so attached that you become a foster failure. That first time when I left my kittens, I volunteered as a dog handler. The next time I brought them, I stayed with them during the adoption event and got to participate in the interview when one of them got adopted. It helped with the separation knowing that the kitten was going to a great home. And so I became a cat volunteer while I had my fosters.
I've since fostered kittens four times. And become a cat volunteer and eventually a cat adoption interviewer. I still only volunteer about once a month, but I now know pretty much all of the rescue leaders. It's a great organization doing great things. And I'm proud to play my part.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
The Realities Of Dream-Land
Last night, I had a dream about an old crush. No, this will not be an X-rated post. It wasn't that kind of dream. But it did remind me that I haven't had a crush in a while. The fact that I dreamt about a crush who has long since moved away, even if we do keep in the occasional touch, is a sign that there just hasn't been anyone of interest in my life lately.
I've never been one to dream about the truly unattainable. The famous, for example. Given the opportunity, I'd love to meet George Clooney. Last night, I watched two "chick flicks" with Jude Law and Will Smith in the leading roles. Romantic leading men who say all the right things and sweep the leading ladies off their feet. But I can't remember ever dreaming about such a thing. Even my dream-land is based in reality in that regard. I only tend to dream about people I've actually known.
And my imagination rarely, if ever, includes fantasies that could have but didn't happen. Call it dreamus-interruptus. More often, my dream-land reality mirrors my real reality, with wishes and hopes and fantasies about how I might convince a crush to become more than that. But in dream-land, as in the real world, they turn me down. Or I wake up.
Which I find fascinating for many reasons, not the least of which is that I'm an incurable romantic. You would think that I would be able to suspend disbelief in my dreams and attain the unattainable. I guess my pragmatic side just can't step aside long enough for that.
I'm sure Freud and Jung would have much to say on the subject. But for me, it's not all bad. It would be hard to regularly dream about things I can't have. I get enough of that in reality.
I've never been one to dream about the truly unattainable. The famous, for example. Given the opportunity, I'd love to meet George Clooney. Last night, I watched two "chick flicks" with Jude Law and Will Smith in the leading roles. Romantic leading men who say all the right things and sweep the leading ladies off their feet. But I can't remember ever dreaming about such a thing. Even my dream-land is based in reality in that regard. I only tend to dream about people I've actually known.
And my imagination rarely, if ever, includes fantasies that could have but didn't happen. Call it dreamus-interruptus. More often, my dream-land reality mirrors my real reality, with wishes and hopes and fantasies about how I might convince a crush to become more than that. But in dream-land, as in the real world, they turn me down. Or I wake up.
Which I find fascinating for many reasons, not the least of which is that I'm an incurable romantic. You would think that I would be able to suspend disbelief in my dreams and attain the unattainable. I guess my pragmatic side just can't step aside long enough for that.
I'm sure Freud and Jung would have much to say on the subject. But for me, it's not all bad. It would be hard to regularly dream about things I can't have. I get enough of that in reality.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Guess My Citizenship Papers Are Good
I'm back in proposal world. I didn't really get out of it, but for the past few years, I've been straddling proposals and marketing. In my new job, I'm fully in proposal world, though, playing both a capture and proposal role.
Those who don't do government proposals don't really understand what those of us who do mean by "proposal world". So let me offer a few insights to clarify why you need a passport (and a healthy dose of sanity).
1) Proposal world means playing catch-up. In the perfect world of proposals, the one they train you on, the company has advanced knowledge that a Request for Proposals is coming and has an opportunity to "shape the deal." The proposal team may even gather before the RFP comes out and start figuring out the solution and getting teammates onboard. And may have several weeks, or months even, to get it down. In a perfect world, rare for proposal world. Those generally aren't the kinds of proposals I work. The RFPs I work on are usually the "extras" or the "this just dropped" ones. They haven't been shaped. They are opportunities we may or may not have identified, but ones that, once they came out, were opportunities that we thought we could win. So with imperfect information and with less time than we'd like, we jump into proposal world.
2) Proposal world means working long hours. Everyone who has ever worked on a proposal knows that, no matter how prepared you think you are, the hours it takes to get one done are significant. Even with the longer schedules for the bigger deals, in the last few days or weeks, time becomes a factor. In the proposal world I live in, where the RFPs are "pop-ups" with usually a 2- or 3-week schedule from RFP date to proposal delivery, the hours can become even more insane. If you have more than one going on at the same time, long days can become more the rule than the exception. And weekends have a tendency to go out with the bath water, too. For those who only visit proposal world, it's the anti-vacation. For those of us who live here, delivery day is a mixed blessing. It's often a VERY long day the day before a proposal is due. But, if you're lucky as I am today, after delivery you get to take some time off. You've usually already put in your hours.
3) Proposal world can be full of cranky people. If you take a look at #1 and #2, you can understand why. No one likes to feel as though they have to work long hours just to catch up and then work more long hours to get it done, especially when they weren't expecting it. And most people working on a proposal don't have just one job. Most people working on a proposal have at least two. Even those of us who do proposals for a living. The people providing the technical solution usually have billable, "real" jobs to do, and the proposal is something they do in the "offhours" after the clock has stopped ticking for their customer's work. That means evenings and weekends. The people who do proposals for a living rarely get to work on only one proposal at a time. And even if they do, they have to manage the schedule, the other cranky people, feed the management chain the information for approvals, get in-house reviews done, write pieces of the documents, edit the documents, work the graphics to tell the story, and generally tell people they need everything done yesterday and perfectly. Like I said, more than one job.
And yet...there's a certain satisfaction that comes from working on proposals. Yes, people can be cranky, but often there's a spirit of "we can do this if we work together", which isn't always the case in every job. You don't get to stay in proposal world long if you're an "it's all about me" kind of person. Or a backstabbing kind of person. The residents will eat you up and/or kick you out.
And proposals are kind of a big puzzle. There's the "how are we going to get this done" part. There's the "what's the right solution part". There's the "what does this customer really want" part. There's the "oh my god, it's due in 2 days" part. Figuring out all the parts and getting a proposal together that looks good and smells right - well, it's a good feeling.
Proposal world also mean jobs and revenue. Shareholders appreciate that. Your boss appreciates that. Your fellow employees appreciate that.
If you do it right, you win more than you lose. If you do it really well, you get a pat on the back, even for just doing your job.
And who doesn't love a pat of the back for just doing their job.
Proposal world. It's an interesting place to live. Guess I'll stay here for a while.
Those who don't do government proposals don't really understand what those of us who do mean by "proposal world". So let me offer a few insights to clarify why you need a passport (and a healthy dose of sanity).
1) Proposal world means playing catch-up. In the perfect world of proposals, the one they train you on, the company has advanced knowledge that a Request for Proposals is coming and has an opportunity to "shape the deal." The proposal team may even gather before the RFP comes out and start figuring out the solution and getting teammates onboard. And may have several weeks, or months even, to get it down. In a perfect world, rare for proposal world. Those generally aren't the kinds of proposals I work. The RFPs I work on are usually the "extras" or the "this just dropped" ones. They haven't been shaped. They are opportunities we may or may not have identified, but ones that, once they came out, were opportunities that we thought we could win. So with imperfect information and with less time than we'd like, we jump into proposal world.
2) Proposal world means working long hours. Everyone who has ever worked on a proposal knows that, no matter how prepared you think you are, the hours it takes to get one done are significant. Even with the longer schedules for the bigger deals, in the last few days or weeks, time becomes a factor. In the proposal world I live in, where the RFPs are "pop-ups" with usually a 2- or 3-week schedule from RFP date to proposal delivery, the hours can become even more insane. If you have more than one going on at the same time, long days can become more the rule than the exception. And weekends have a tendency to go out with the bath water, too. For those who only visit proposal world, it's the anti-vacation. For those of us who live here, delivery day is a mixed blessing. It's often a VERY long day the day before a proposal is due. But, if you're lucky as I am today, after delivery you get to take some time off. You've usually already put in your hours.
3) Proposal world can be full of cranky people. If you take a look at #1 and #2, you can understand why. No one likes to feel as though they have to work long hours just to catch up and then work more long hours to get it done, especially when they weren't expecting it. And most people working on a proposal don't have just one job. Most people working on a proposal have at least two. Even those of us who do proposals for a living. The people providing the technical solution usually have billable, "real" jobs to do, and the proposal is something they do in the "offhours" after the clock has stopped ticking for their customer's work. That means evenings and weekends. The people who do proposals for a living rarely get to work on only one proposal at a time. And even if they do, they have to manage the schedule, the other cranky people, feed the management chain the information for approvals, get in-house reviews done, write pieces of the documents, edit the documents, work the graphics to tell the story, and generally tell people they need everything done yesterday and perfectly. Like I said, more than one job.
And yet...there's a certain satisfaction that comes from working on proposals. Yes, people can be cranky, but often there's a spirit of "we can do this if we work together", which isn't always the case in every job. You don't get to stay in proposal world long if you're an "it's all about me" kind of person. Or a backstabbing kind of person. The residents will eat you up and/or kick you out.
And proposals are kind of a big puzzle. There's the "how are we going to get this done" part. There's the "what's the right solution part". There's the "what does this customer really want" part. There's the "oh my god, it's due in 2 days" part. Figuring out all the parts and getting a proposal together that looks good and smells right - well, it's a good feeling.
Proposal world also mean jobs and revenue. Shareholders appreciate that. Your boss appreciates that. Your fellow employees appreciate that.
If you do it right, you win more than you lose. If you do it really well, you get a pat on the back, even for just doing your job.
And who doesn't love a pat of the back for just doing their job.
Proposal world. It's an interesting place to live. Guess I'll stay here for a while.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Art Vs. Craft
Years ago, during one of my father's attempts at retirement (there would be several), he tried his hand at being what he called an itinerant artist. He has an ability that I envy. He can draw a building - interior or more often exterior - and with a few strokes of a pen, make something that looks like a building. He's an trained architect, which is why the focus is on buildings, but it's still remarkable to watch. During this period, though, when he was trying to sell his drawings, he was told that his drawings were "craft" not "art" I suppose because they were renditions of actual things. I have always taken exception to that. I believe his drawings are art. They require a talent that most of us do not possess. He can draw a few hashmarks and suddenly it's brick. The eye that knows how much needs to be there to create that illusion is an artistic one, not craft.
In the same vein, I have considered my cross stitch work to be craft. I don't create the patterns. I follow someone else's creativity to make something from nothing. It's not original. And it's something that a lot of people can do, with a little patience and a lot of time.
I was just reading an article in Newsweek about creativity. In it, the authors discuss that creativity requires both the right and left brains. Not just the left as conventional wisdom has thought. One side sees patterns, the other turns them into something new. Or the one side searches for something similar in memory, and the other side figures out how to apply it to this new situation. That's creativity. Apparently we as a nation are starting to lose that creative spark. Why is the subject of debate. But that's not what got me thinking.
What got me thinking is the article combined with a conversation I had in a bar recently about a book I've thought about writing for years. It would be about how my ordinary life has been touched by some extraordinary people and events, from the famous to the infamous to the obscure.
But would such a book be autobiography - and craft? Or more than that - and art?
In the same vein, I have considered my cross stitch work to be craft. I don't create the patterns. I follow someone else's creativity to make something from nothing. It's not original. And it's something that a lot of people can do, with a little patience and a lot of time.
I was just reading an article in Newsweek about creativity. In it, the authors discuss that creativity requires both the right and left brains. Not just the left as conventional wisdom has thought. One side sees patterns, the other turns them into something new. Or the one side searches for something similar in memory, and the other side figures out how to apply it to this new situation. That's creativity. Apparently we as a nation are starting to lose that creative spark. Why is the subject of debate. But that's not what got me thinking.
What got me thinking is the article combined with a conversation I had in a bar recently about a book I've thought about writing for years. It would be about how my ordinary life has been touched by some extraordinary people and events, from the famous to the infamous to the obscure.
But would such a book be autobiography - and craft? Or more than that - and art?
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Top Ten Reasons I Love My Garage
10) It has a good-sized storage room. Since I don't have a basement, that's pretty much the biggest storage space I have.
9) I can put my garbage in the garbage can so it doesn't stink up the rest of the house.
8) There's a place to hang all my gardening and lawn care tools.
7) In typical Washington summer weather, I left the house the other day in beautiful sunshine, and it started pouring the drive back home. With a garage, I don't care - I didn't need an umbrella because I was already indoors when I got out of the car.
6) The car is protected from the elements at least half of a given day. Since I'm working from home these days, sometimes it's even more than that.
5) Corollary: A car wash lasts much longer than it used to.
4) I won't have to clean the snow off the car before I can go anywhere. I'll still have to shovel the driveway, but only half of it!
3) I can leave the top down overnight and not have to worry about dew or other moisture.
2) There's nothing better than carrying in groceries without dealing with the weather - hot, cold, rain, or snow.
1) Black leather car seats.
9) I can put my garbage in the garbage can so it doesn't stink up the rest of the house.
8) There's a place to hang all my gardening and lawn care tools.
7) In typical Washington summer weather, I left the house the other day in beautiful sunshine, and it started pouring the drive back home. With a garage, I don't care - I didn't need an umbrella because I was already indoors when I got out of the car.
6) The car is protected from the elements at least half of a given day. Since I'm working from home these days, sometimes it's even more than that.
5) Corollary: A car wash lasts much longer than it used to.
4) I won't have to clean the snow off the car before I can go anywhere. I'll still have to shovel the driveway, but only half of it!
3) I can leave the top down overnight and not have to worry about dew or other moisture.
2) There's nothing better than carrying in groceries without dealing with the weather - hot, cold, rain, or snow.
1) Black leather car seats.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Work-Life Balance
I am becoming a teleworker. That is, I not only work from home, I will no longer have an office in any of the buildings - and there are many - that my company uses. Instead, when I go to an office for something other than a meeting, I will use hoteling space. They've set up a website to reserve these spots, though I'm not sure how often people actually use it.
It wasn't my choice to become a teleworker. The company is trying to cut down on facilities costs by asking people to work from their homes. I suppose there are some who would choose to be a teleworker or telecommuter (the difference being telecommuters have an office, they just aren't there much and may share it). Parents of young children. Folks, like business development types, who aren't in their offices much in the first place.
It's an interesting experiment, but one of the benefits is supposed to be improved work-life balance. The idea being, I suppose, that you can flex your time more around other things in your life.
The problem is that, for me at least, what it means is that I'm available to work 24x7. Yesterday, I last dealt with a work issue at 11:00 pm. I started working this morning at 7:30. That's not much of a work-life balance. Granted, I can do laundry and work at the same time. I can accept packages, too, which has been handy as a new homeowner. But working proposals is hard enough without adding the fact that my computer is up and running almost all the time.
This extended work schedule may ebb and flow. Right now, I'm in the middle of a proposal that's due in a week, so we are putting in a lot of hours for that. Many of which would probably have been put in whether I was at work or at home. Although I'm not sure I would have started work at 7:30 am if I was going into an office. I'm so not a morning person.
Other interesting changes to my lifestyle. I used to have my home's thermometer set to turn up the temperature during the day in the summer and turn it down in the winter. Since I'm here during the day, I've had to change that. Not sure what that's going to do to my energy bills yet. And not sure what the impact might be on the environment, though my fuel consumption is presumably less than an entire building's worth if they reduce the company's footprint sufficiently.
My cats are quite confused. They are used to not having me here all the time. Now they are getting used to having me here. And I'm not sure whether that will ultimately create anxiety on those days when I am in an office for most of a day. We'll see how that goes.
It's strange to go through the day only talking to people on the phone, via chat, or via email. It's weird to have days when I don't leave my house except to get the mail or go for a run.
On the plus side, I listen to music during the day, something I've rarely done in an office environment. It's also nice not to have to dress up every day, though I'm of two minds about that since I do like to wear nice clothes. But working in a t-shirt and shorts when it's 90 degrees outside does have its advantages.
I worry a bit about the things I may be missing in hallway conversations and the like. But a bunch of the people I work with are telecommuting or teleworkers, too, so it's not quite as bad as it might be.
I just have to master the art of turning off the computer and the Blackberry. Of not feeling like I have to respond to everything instantly. Even though I can.
And making sure that life isn't subsumed by work.
It wasn't my choice to become a teleworker. The company is trying to cut down on facilities costs by asking people to work from their homes. I suppose there are some who would choose to be a teleworker or telecommuter (the difference being telecommuters have an office, they just aren't there much and may share it). Parents of young children. Folks, like business development types, who aren't in their offices much in the first place.
It's an interesting experiment, but one of the benefits is supposed to be improved work-life balance. The idea being, I suppose, that you can flex your time more around other things in your life.
The problem is that, for me at least, what it means is that I'm available to work 24x7. Yesterday, I last dealt with a work issue at 11:00 pm. I started working this morning at 7:30. That's not much of a work-life balance. Granted, I can do laundry and work at the same time. I can accept packages, too, which has been handy as a new homeowner. But working proposals is hard enough without adding the fact that my computer is up and running almost all the time.
This extended work schedule may ebb and flow. Right now, I'm in the middle of a proposal that's due in a week, so we are putting in a lot of hours for that. Many of which would probably have been put in whether I was at work or at home. Although I'm not sure I would have started work at 7:30 am if I was going into an office. I'm so not a morning person.
Other interesting changes to my lifestyle. I used to have my home's thermometer set to turn up the temperature during the day in the summer and turn it down in the winter. Since I'm here during the day, I've had to change that. Not sure what that's going to do to my energy bills yet. And not sure what the impact might be on the environment, though my fuel consumption is presumably less than an entire building's worth if they reduce the company's footprint sufficiently.
My cats are quite confused. They are used to not having me here all the time. Now they are getting used to having me here. And I'm not sure whether that will ultimately create anxiety on those days when I am in an office for most of a day. We'll see how that goes.
It's strange to go through the day only talking to people on the phone, via chat, or via email. It's weird to have days when I don't leave my house except to get the mail or go for a run.
On the plus side, I listen to music during the day, something I've rarely done in an office environment. It's also nice not to have to dress up every day, though I'm of two minds about that since I do like to wear nice clothes. But working in a t-shirt and shorts when it's 90 degrees outside does have its advantages.
I worry a bit about the things I may be missing in hallway conversations and the like. But a bunch of the people I work with are telecommuting or teleworkers, too, so it's not quite as bad as it might be.
I just have to master the art of turning off the computer and the Blackberry. Of not feeling like I have to respond to everything instantly. Even though I can.
And making sure that life isn't subsumed by work.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Pitter-Pat, Pitter-Pat
A couple of day ago, I experienced rain for the first time in my new home. Funny how rain is different in each house. The way it falls on the roof and the sound it makes. Does it hit the windows? Front of the house? Back of the house? What about the deck? Does the patio get wet?
This house has almost no trees around it, so no chance of branches hitting the house in a storm. That's different from my previous home, and a source of some comfort. I was always a bit afraid that one of the branches would come in the window in a bad storm. The only tree around this house is next to the back fence, and if it was to uproot or lose a branch, the only thing it would hit would be the deck. Not that that's ideal, but it's better than my bedroom window.
This particular rain was a light one. Just a steady rain - no dramatic flashes. It was a soothing rain. The kind that they record for relaxation CDs. The pitter-pat on the roof made for a calm night. Yawn!
This house has almost no trees around it, so no chance of branches hitting the house in a storm. That's different from my previous home, and a source of some comfort. I was always a bit afraid that one of the branches would come in the window in a bad storm. The only tree around this house is next to the back fence, and if it was to uproot or lose a branch, the only thing it would hit would be the deck. Not that that's ideal, but it's better than my bedroom window.
This particular rain was a light one. Just a steady rain - no dramatic flashes. It was a soothing rain. The kind that they record for relaxation CDs. The pitter-pat on the roof made for a calm night. Yawn!
Friday, July 9, 2010
The Age-Old Question
No, it's not "Why me?" though that's a good one. It's not "Why are we here?". It's not even "Why is there air?" - one of the best Billy Cosby routines and albums ever. In my mind, the age-old question is "Which is better - cats or dogs?"
Don't get me wrong. I may own cats, but I love dogs too. In fact, I started in animal rescue as a chance to be around dogs again. A chance to "play with dogs" as I called it. In the past few years, I've mostly been involved on the cat-side of the house, but that's just because our rescue skews toward the dog lovers. Someone has to love the cats. :)
Anyway, back the age-old question. For me, it's not a matter of which is better. It's a matter of which you prefer. They both have strengths and weaknesses.
PROS:
Dogs: A dog will greet you at the door, bounding with love. This makes you feel appreciated, and who doesn't need that! Dogs can learn and do tricks - from learning to sit on command to catching a frisbee and other toys. Fun! Dogs can sleep with you and keep you warm - where do you think the name "Three Dog Night" comes from, anyway?
Cats: Purring is one of the best sounds in the world. Cat's fur is not quite as soft as rabbit's fur, but generally softer than dog's fur. Cats clean themselves and almost never stink up the place, except maybe their breath. Cats can be left for a couple of days with just food, water, and a clean litter box.
CONS:
Dogs: You can't leave a dog for days without some serious problems arising, unless you happen to have a dog that uses a litter box (some of the smaller breeds). Dogs bark. Even if you love it, others might. A cat might meow, and loudly sometimes, but generally not so loud the neighbors can hear.
Cats: Cats are almost never affectionate all the time. They're too independent for that. Cats' litter boxes are NOT a pleasant odor. So you may be able to leave them for a day or two, but you might come home to a stinky house.
But in general, the age-old question is answered best with "Both!" The love of a pet - and learning how to care for one - is a great thing.
Don't get me wrong. I may own cats, but I love dogs too. In fact, I started in animal rescue as a chance to be around dogs again. A chance to "play with dogs" as I called it. In the past few years, I've mostly been involved on the cat-side of the house, but that's just because our rescue skews toward the dog lovers. Someone has to love the cats. :)
Anyway, back the age-old question. For me, it's not a matter of which is better. It's a matter of which you prefer. They both have strengths and weaknesses.
PROS:
Dogs: A dog will greet you at the door, bounding with love. This makes you feel appreciated, and who doesn't need that! Dogs can learn and do tricks - from learning to sit on command to catching a frisbee and other toys. Fun! Dogs can sleep with you and keep you warm - where do you think the name "Three Dog Night" comes from, anyway?
Cats: Purring is one of the best sounds in the world. Cat's fur is not quite as soft as rabbit's fur, but generally softer than dog's fur. Cats clean themselves and almost never stink up the place, except maybe their breath. Cats can be left for a couple of days with just food, water, and a clean litter box.
CONS:
Dogs: You can't leave a dog for days without some serious problems arising, unless you happen to have a dog that uses a litter box (some of the smaller breeds). Dogs bark. Even if you love it, others might. A cat might meow, and loudly sometimes, but generally not so loud the neighbors can hear.
Cats: Cats are almost never affectionate all the time. They're too independent for that. Cats' litter boxes are NOT a pleasant odor. So you may be able to leave them for a day or two, but you might come home to a stinky house.
But in general, the age-old question is answered best with "Both!" The love of a pet - and learning how to care for one - is a great thing.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
When Turning On The Lights Is Scary
Last night, at close to midnight, long after I had gone to sleep, a light came on. Randomly. Strangely.
I have said many times that I'm a really light sleeper. My usual way of describing how light a sleeper I am is to say that my cats wake me up when they walk in the room. Sad, but true.
But you know what? My new description is going to be that a light turned on down the hall woke me up.
Woke me up and scared me to death. How could a light just turn itself on? Was there someone in my house? But if someone was in my house, why would they turn on a light? Not logical. But in the night, when woken up from sleep, the rationality of that escaped me. Instead, I was convinced there was someone in the house. If not, why did the light come on?
Are there some kind of timers? Motion sensors? I still have no idea why the light came on. Scary.
I have said many times that I'm a really light sleeper. My usual way of describing how light a sleeper I am is to say that my cats wake me up when they walk in the room. Sad, but true.
But you know what? My new description is going to be that a light turned on down the hall woke me up.
Woke me up and scared me to death. How could a light just turn itself on? Was there someone in my house? But if someone was in my house, why would they turn on a light? Not logical. But in the night, when woken up from sleep, the rationality of that escaped me. Instead, I was convinced there was someone in the house. If not, why did the light come on?
Are there some kind of timers? Motion sensors? I still have no idea why the light came on. Scary.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Independence
Yesterday, the United States celebrated our Independence Day. July 4 is officially the day that the U.S. declared itself independent from the British. And went to war to make it real.
Since then, Americans have been practicing our independence every day. I don't know how it's done, but the reality of being American is being independent. It's just part of our culture. Part of the American dream. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and all that. Depend on no one put yourself anymore than you have to.
The funny thing is that, even people like me who don't need to pull themselves up by the bootstraps, still get that independent spirit inculcated into ourselves. That desire to strive for more. Even if it's not financially based.
How does that sense of independence get passed from generation to generation? I'm not sure. Perhaps it's that our heroes fit that type. Perhaps it's the history we all learn in school. Perhaps it's just a theme in our pop culture that gets perpetuated as the American style.
Regardless of how it happens, it's a national trait. Independence. To be celebrated. And more than just one day a year.
Since then, Americans have been practicing our independence every day. I don't know how it's done, but the reality of being American is being independent. It's just part of our culture. Part of the American dream. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and all that. Depend on no one put yourself anymore than you have to.
The funny thing is that, even people like me who don't need to pull themselves up by the bootstraps, still get that independent spirit inculcated into ourselves. That desire to strive for more. Even if it's not financially based.
How does that sense of independence get passed from generation to generation? I'm not sure. Perhaps it's that our heroes fit that type. Perhaps it's the history we all learn in school. Perhaps it's just a theme in our pop culture that gets perpetuated as the American style.
Regardless of how it happens, it's a national trait. Independence. To be celebrated. And more than just one day a year.
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