TheBanyanTree: Signs of Spring

[Monique Young]

Stardate: February 28, 2007

 

Spring is in the air. You can see it in the big giant snowflakes that were
falling today, if you looked closely between them. If you looked fast. You
can see it on I-90, which had a 50 car pileup today, a dozen of those
tractor trailers, with cars squished around them as if everyone were
enjoying a rousing game of bumper cars. I can say that, a rousing game of
bumper cars, because there were no fatalities. If there had been, my comment
would be tasteless and tacky. 

                Smells like spring. Or is that snow? We're not accustomed to
snow as it is, much less when we were expecting spring. Rain, perhaps. Rain,
no doubt. We're famous for our rain. But snow? 

                No problem for me. I was taking another sick day. I've lost
track of how many sick days I've had this year, which has brought me to this
conclusion: From now, I shall take no more sick days. Instead, I will work
at home every day and if I have to spend part of those days sleeping or
whatever, then I shall. Ta da! No more sick days! It's not as if my company
pays me for sick days anyway, since I employ myself and am notoriously
stingy with benefits. This doesn't differ much, then, from my usual
schedule, except that I've accepted too many clients for on-site work, which
doesn't work well if one wishes to stay at home every day. To my on-site
clients, I say, "away with you! I must take care of myself!" The on-site
client who expects me in four days out of five? They want to know if I can
work remotely, and can my assistant help? Well, sure, that might work. Yes,
I have an assistant - she's on my payroll, part time. 

                I think I've had enough of the days where I get up and
ponder getting myself to an office, which lately has meant possibly several
offices on any one day. I'm perfectly happy with my office being a corner of
the living room, and/or the couch (I work quite effectively on the couch),
with being able to break when my illness causes me to fall asleep, with the
comforts of home around me. And without having to go out in the snow. That's
definitely a plus. Instead of falling in the front door at the usual hour of
6 or 7 or 8, tired and worn out, I can stay home and work remotely and
regain my health and be, overall, happier. I'm becoming quite domesticated,
like a formerly feral cat that discovers that being inside, where it's dry
and there are no other feral cats to fight with, can be quite comforting. 

                It's not as if I have ambitions for my business. I just want
it to generate some income while I figure out what to be when I grow up.
What I want to be when I grow up will also entail working at home just
because I like it here. I like that I can pick up work to do when I feel
like it, and also put it away when I feel like it.

                I was brought up to believe that one had to work hard to get
ahead, and that one had to make sacrifices to be successful, and that one
should just be glad one had a job, no matter the inconvenience, and just
suck it up and do it, like everyone else. I no longer believe this. Of
course, then I'm left with having to prove I'm worthy if I'm busy indulging
myself and not suffering like I should be, but I'm going to discard that
notion too. It's really not useful, nor helpful, and doesn't help me live my
life. Will my income decrease? Quite possibly. Do I care? Not in the least.
Something else will take its place, once I make room for it. It always does.

                Spring may not be in the air yet, at least not today, but
it's still the perfect time to make some changes.