How are you doing working from home? Being a teacher? Multi-tasking perhaps like never before? Starring in your own Zoom videos? I find myself thinking back to when I first received authorization to work from home, when it was called telecommuting. I was working for Verizon in the Arlington, VA, regulatory compliance office (part of the legal department in a suburb of Washington, DC). On a good day, my commute was 40 minutes each way if I went in to the office from my home on the west end of Fairfax Co. Let’s just say there weren’t many good days. This was between 2004 and 2006.
At first, I was so worried about getting distracted and not remaining focused on my work, that I would stay nose to computer until 7 PM or later! Not good for eyes, back, brain, or much of anything else. These days I find myself going in sort of the other direction. With the need to somewhat isolate myself now, I rely pretty heavily on home delivery for groceries and other necessities. Early on, I was checking the availability of TP and bottled water every time I submitted an order. All set now, so no more panic!
As I spend more and more time at home, in a house that is aging (only 13 years, but still), I begin to notice things that need attention. Some things I can do myself, but not drywall repair and painting (if I want to keep it off the carpet), electrical work, things that require climbing up a ladder, and so on. This is why DIY places are doing so well these days. But I have done the stuff I can do myself and am moving beyond to the things that are write-a-check-please!
If I’m not writing a check, I’m ordering random things from Amazon. It’s true—if it’s not on Amazon, you don’t need it! If it’s on Amazon, you still may not need it. I learned that if you buy a Dell laptop that is five years newer than your work one, none of the connecting cables fit. Good luck finding the exact ones by looking at the pictures on your phone! I think I have everything working now.
Then it’s on to ebooks. People magazine put out a list of books to read while sheltering at home. I tore out that page, finished reading the magazine, then got on Kindle and downloaded samples for all of them that looked interesting. Why not? Kindle samples are free. So far I have actually bought and read some of them, but I discovered one is the third in a series. So I have to decide if I want to get the first two. This working from home for the rest of the year is going to wear me out!
Here’s one that will make my mother proud—she has a green thumb and always had the most beautiful flowers at their home, wherever we lived. Me, not so much! But spending more time at home, I am watering my flowers almost every day. They are flourishing, at least so far, and I am proud (knock on wood)! Of course, I only buy ones that I have found I can’t kill, so that helps.
Another task I have been putting off is properly disposing of some of the outdated files I brought home when I moved out of one of the offices earlier in the year. I am looking at my really nice shredder that I bought a couple of years ago. It handles up to 16 pages at a time, does credit cards and CDs. At the time, I justified the cost by promising myself it would keep me from letting my shredding pile up like it did with my much smaller shredder. I am also looking at the really attractive decorator box sitting in front of it that I use to hide the pile of shredding that I haven’t done yet. Now that I have shared that little secret, I suppose I should refer us all back to my first blog entry (ACCOUNTABILITY) and make my entry for “S” about SHREDDING! That will be fascinating, for sure.
IN CLOSING
Thanks for reading. Looking forward to your comments and connections, both virtual and in person in the not too distant future. Until next time . . . . stay safe and healthy and remember, this too shall pass.
Barb's Boomer Blog 