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Post by Kapitan on Aug 24, 2021 11:58:53 GMT
Sweet rain! We've had so, so little rain this summer, so it was like a delightful dream to hear rolling thunder and pitter-patter overnight. Even now, there are gusting winds and heavy rains: it would be a blizzard in colder months.
It won't be nearly enough to end the drought, which is one of the worst on record here. But it certainly can't hurt. (I'm tired of walking along a creek that has been more like a dirt road with puddles in it.)
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 24, 2021 16:36:26 GMT
Sweet rain! We've had so, so little rain this summer, so it was like a delightful dream to hear rolling thunder and pitter-patter overnight. Even now, there are gusting winds and heavy rains: it would be a blizzard in colder months.
It won't be nearly enough to end the drought, which is one of the worst on record here. But it certainly can't hurt. (I'm tired of walking along a creek that has been more like a dirt road with puddles in it.) Still raining, as it has been almost all morning (with a few periods of letting up). This is fantastic, except...
...does this mean I'm going to have to mow my lawn this weekend!? It has been probably two months! With the dry weather, the grass hasn't been growing. (Bright side to everything.)
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 26, 2021 18:02:13 GMT
I spent the first five hours or so of the day in the office. What a downer. First, downtown is still shockingly empty for a weekday, lacking typical car traffic, foot traffic of workers, and businesses (due to so many closing). Usually there are a couple coffee shops per block; I specifically prefer Dunn Bros or Caribou, and walked probably four or five blocks before finding one. (Probably 4 I knew of prepandemic were all closed.) I grabbed a Starbucks at long last.
Then the office was, you guessed it, mostly empty. The professional staff has almost all worked remotely for the past 18 months, which means most of the people I'd normally interact with were (expectedly) not there. Our call center and mailroom are still in person, and I saw a few familiar faces, but not many. And of course wearing a mask in the office isn't the end of the world, but it is annoying.
And lastly, I had forgotten how it's frankly kind of a drag to go downtown to work! I don't hate it, but as far as a daily routine, I have MUCH preferred remote work. Getting dressed in business casual clothes, having to be presentable, being "on" in the way you have to be in public, just the whole thing. And of course the commute (which is only about 15-30 minutes for me, depending on traffic, so on the short end thanks to living in the city rather than burbs). It's so much nicer having the relative freedom to be able to just roll out of bed and log in if I want, to be able to go for walks outdoors easily, etc.
I think I'd struggle if we ever had to go back to the office full time.
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Post by kds on Aug 26, 2021 18:09:31 GMT
I actually feel the opposite. I hate working remotely. I've done it a handful of times, but I don't like mixing my home world and work world.
And, with the office being roughly 1/3 full since last March, I deal with far less interruptions than I did prior.
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 26, 2021 18:30:10 GMT
I get that. I know a lot of people who feel more along those lines, like you do.
I'm just not one of them! But I do wonder whether if I had a different job, I'd feel differently. Or even just if I'll change my mind over time. Certainly possible.
I do know that 20-some years ago, when I started working out of college, I would HATE this and want to be back downtown asap. But in those days I was just more interested in the scene of it all, both during the day and of course after work. I've become more of a homebody since then.
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Post by kds on Aug 26, 2021 19:10:56 GMT
I do think if I worked in Downtown Baltimore, I'd probably work remotely more often. But, I have a pretty easy commute.
I'm definitely more of a homebody these days, but I want home to be my happy place.
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Post by kds on Aug 27, 2021 12:21:11 GMT
Well, looking at the weather, it appears today is the last day of our heat wave (these things always seem to end right before the weekend).
By next week, we're looking at highs in the high 70s, and according to the long range forecast, that'll last until at least September 10.
Now, I know Mid Atlantic summers. This is not it. I have no doubt we'll be back in the 80s at some point in mid to late September. But, I was hoping for warmer temps for our last beach trip for Labor Day Weekend. The weather wasn't great when we were down there a couple weeks ago, and my son only got to go swimming for maybe a half hour. Oh well.
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 27, 2021 12:29:43 GMT
We've now had more than two inches of rain in the past 24 hours, with another day's worth apparently on the way. It's been desperately needed, but it is somewhat ironic that we won't get all the benefits of it, as it is falling so fast it's resulting in some flash flooding in spots (the southern Minnesota "I-90 corridor" has gotten 7" in that 24 hours) and so will be largely runoff rather than sinking in to the soil.
The rainy days are aesthetically pleasing and we really do need it. I'm curious to see the official drought designations after it clears.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 27, 2021 12:50:28 GMT
I wanted to chime in on working from home during the pandemic...
For about ten years, I went into the office every day (Monday through Friday). Every day. I'm not pulling the martyr act, but even on those days when we had a foot of snow or icy roads or severe storms or whatever, I felt obligated to go to work. Some days it was just me and the Director (somebody had to open the office and answer the phones). Nobody else was stupid enough to come in I guess.
When the pandemic struck, we were DIRECTED TO NOT come in the office and to work from home. And, at first, I kinda liked it. Frankly, it felt like a vacation. I could get up when I wanted, wear whatever clothes I wanted, and make my own schedule as long as I fulfilled my work obligations. I could start working when I wanted and finish when I wanted. If I wanted to watch ESPN or work in the yard or post on this forum or fall asleep on the recliner - again it didn't matter as long as I got my work done, and my work duties were substantially reduced due to the pandemic. Many of the business I was dealing with were closed anyway! Gee, I could get used to this...so I thought.
However, the longer I worked from home the more discipline I lost. The more I became distracted. The more mistakes I made with my paperwork. The more forgetful I became in dealing with my clients/associates. I wasn't focusing. I lost my focus. Work became secondary to those other distractions. I felt that we were all in this together, suffering together, feeling sorry for ourselves together, and my job took a back seat. I was rationalizing, making excuses, and I wasn't comfortable with that. Like I said above, I ALWAYS showed up for work.
Now, soon, I think anyway, I will be expected to return to the office. It was a done deal until the recent setbacks with COVID. And, after being out of the loop, working my OWN schedule, and losing my discipline to some extent, I'm surprisingly worried about. I know it will be better for me, personally and professionally. It's just that I got so used to the freedom to make my own daily schedule. It's funny how that works, when you have too much freedom...
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Post by kds on Aug 27, 2021 12:55:50 GMT
Our office had planned a return to work for the majority of our remote workers on September 1, but that's been put on hold due to the rise in COVID cases again.
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 27, 2021 15:44:25 GMT
However, the longer I worked from home the more discipline I lost. The more I became distracted. ... I wasn't focusing. I lost my focus. Work became secondary to those other distractions. I have to admit a certain amount of this, as well. But I'm not sure how much of it was the pandemic specifically, as much as just the world in general: even in the past few years in the office, I felt a little like that. I think the more we've "multitasked" (which is really the past 10 years especially), the less we've actually done. As jobs (at least in the corporate-idiot world I inhabit...) became more diverse, and with less administrative support, etc., the lower the quality of work. And the more scatter-brained I have felt. I see it from others around me, too, and again, that is even before fully remote working.
But yeah, being at home has made it harder still. Yesterday, in the office, I was thinking about how odd it felt not to have my kitchen 15 feet away, or a few browser windows open with non-work stuff, music playing, etc. Granted, I'd often had my phone playing music or podcasts quietly in these recent years anyway, but now I'm used to just openly doing it.
And like you, Sheriff John Stone, I always was one of those "ALWAYS HERE" guys. Back in my insane-early-career days, I was working literally every day, first one in, last one out. I've long since cooled on that approach, but I've still always been in the office, almost never taking a sick day, totally dependable. So my own occasional scatter-brainedness is disappointing to me.
But at the same time, I wonder how much is a kind of reaction, revolution, even, against the direction of corporate life. Work responsibilities have even just in my couple decades grown significantly; expectations around being available anytime have grown exponentially; and especially since the 2008 collapse, raises and bonuses have become fewer and further between (even as corporations keep making higher profits). So maybe it's just rebellion against that big squeeze. Or maybe I'm just rationalizing for feeling lazier.
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Post by carllove on Aug 27, 2021 18:31:47 GMT
However, the longer I worked from home the more discipline I lost. The more I became distracted. ... I wasn't focusing. I lost my focus. Work became secondary to those other distractions. I have to admit a certain amount of this, as well. But I'm not sure how much of it was the pandemic specifically, as much as just the world in general: even in the past few years in the office, I felt a little like that. I think the more we've "multitasked" (which is really the past 10 years especially), the less we've actually done. As jobs (at least in the corporate-idiot world I inhabit...) became more diverse, and with less administrative support, etc., the lower the quality of work. And the more scatter-brained I have felt. I see it from others around me, too, and again, that is even before fully remote working.
But yeah, being at home has made it harder still. Yesterday, in the office, I was thinking about how odd it felt not to have my kitchen 15 feet away, or a few browser windows open with non-work stuff, music playing, etc. Granted, I'd often had my phone playing music or podcasts quietly in these recent years anyway, but now I'm used to just openly doing it.
And like you, Sheriff John Stone , I always was one of those "ALWAYS HERE" guys. Back in my insane-early-career days, I was working literally every day, first one in, last one out. I've long since cooled on that approach, but I've still always been in the office, almost never taking a sick day, totally dependable. So my own occasional scatter-brainedness is disappointing to me.
But at the same time, I wonder how much is a kind of reaction, revolution, even, against the direction of corporate life. Work responsibilities have even just in my couple decades grown significantly; expectations around being available anytime have grown exponentially; and especially since the 2008 collapse, raises and bonuses have become fewer and further between (even as corporations keep making higher profits). So maybe it's just rebellion against that big squeeze. Or maybe I'm just rationalizing for feeling lazier.
You know, when you get a 2 to 3% raise per year, and the difference between you, the employee that has had one sick day in 3 years and answers phone calls and emails on weekends and 10:00 at night, and that employee who can't be bothered to go above and beyond, or show up to work if they are having a bad day, is 1%, you do start to wonder if it's worth it. Then again - I just got a 9.2% raise, and I wasn't even due, so I have felt a bit more motivation, lately. Bad thing is, my paycheck is almost the same, because now I have more taxes taken out. I know what you mean about the scatter brain thing though. I just learned that I have to write EVERYTHING in my planner. I don't think it is all my age - it truly is such a great variety and scope of tasks to accomplish. I still find myself waking up in the middle of the night, remembering things I forgot to, or need to do. The fact that three people used to do my job might also have something to do with it. There just aren't people to hire. It's really bad in my field right now, because so many have chosen to retire and there aren't enough replacements coming out of school. The great thing is, wages are finally going up. It's about damn time! I tried to work from home this morning, but my cats kept trying to send emails, and I had a lot of data to get entered, so getting on a laptop dock at one of the locations that I cover, was a better option. I'm at my second location today, the closest to my home and no one is in the office, so thankfully I can listen to more Feel Flows!
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Post by kds on Aug 27, 2021 18:43:47 GMT
In addition to cooler weather moving in this weekend, the weather for tomorrow doesn't look very good. I'd slated the day for mowing the lawn and, later on, grilling dinner. I can still do the latter with my canopy, but the lawn does need a mow, and we're out of town next weekend.
Sunday looks better but......much to my chagrin, I have a party to attend. Granted, we won't be there for very long, but it's right in the middle of the damn day.
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Post by carllove on Aug 27, 2021 23:26:34 GMT
In addition to cooler weather moving in this weekend, the weather for tomorrow doesn't look very good. I'd slated the day for mowing the lawn and, later on, grilling dinner. I can still do the latter with my canopy, but the lawn does need a mow, and we're out of town next weekend. Sunday looks better but......much to my chagrin, I have a party to attend. Granted, we won't be there for very long, but it's right in the middle of the damn day. The older I get, the less I like to attend parties. I finally told my husband that we needed to stop having family over because my job requires me to decompress on the weekends. Maybe it’s because I’m an introvert (which none of my coworkers or friends believe, because I’m great at socializing thanks to my college sorority), or maybe I’m just becoming a cranky old woman (I can relate to the “Get off my Lawn” thread). Thankfully my husband is the same way. We like to hole up on our acre of bliss, by ourselves. I do have to admit, when my neighbor came by and hung out on our patio/firepit area, we had a blast, but that involved no preparation. He is also a musician and cool as hell.
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 27, 2021 23:43:22 GMT
I relate to a lot of that! OK, not the husband part. But I've often been seen as some extrovert because I was in music and theater in HS and college, I played in bands after college, at work I've led trainings of up to hundreds of people at a time, and I do enjoy that kind of thing. But it isn't something that energizes me AT ALL; it drains me.
Parties or other social events are the same. OK, sure, I can do that. But increasingly as I age, I don't like to because it's the same kind of performance as a, well, performance. In some situations, with some friends, it is different. There is no performance.
Colleagues don't understand why I don't want to do the "fun" parts of work events, like if we have a few days of meetings but social aspects after hours in between. To me, they are the last thing I'd consider fun. I don't want to attend my actual friends' parties, I definitely don't want to spend my free time with colleagues whose company I don't necessarily enjoy to begin with--so I sure don't want to listen to bragging about their golf games or their kids' boarding schools or (God forbid) just more work! (No, I do not tend to like or relate to my colleagues...you my have guessed that.)
Anyway that's my grouchy comment!
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