“Remoted - Hybrid” – Day 561 (Tuesday)

It was chilly and gray and perfect sleeping weather this morning, which made it extra hard to get up for work. Once up, the gray and the gloom and the encroaching seasonal darkness required turning on lights in every room. During the morning, thunder rumbled in the distance and the rain came. It was gloomy, but not the deep and extended gloom that seeps into the soul, more like a mild sedative. Luckily, it was a remote home-office day with no need for office appropriate attire and the exhausting effort of wearing the expression of civility and cheer for all the live long day. There really are small blessings everywhere.

Rainy day ramen.

At lunchtime, there was hunger but no cravings and no interest in 99% of the food in the house. Pizza? Had it Monday and will probably bring it to the office for lunch on Wednesday. Mashed potatoes? That was last night’s dinner. Vegetable soup? It was a mystery how long it had been in the fridge and was put down the disposal due to the questionable lifespan. In the end, it was ramen by default, made with half-and-half (for creaminess), cheese dip from a jar (for cheesiness), and gochujang (for spiciness), but lacking mixed frozen vegetables (for healthiness). 

The gloominess of the day was redeemed by research and writing. Of all the varied tasks I handle in my role, my favorite is writing. Today the focus was researching and writing content for the Learning Center tab of our website. I dove into four topics which will be published under someone else’s name and it’s okay because that is how things work in the writing and content world. Two pieces were sent out for the first review, and two need a bit more polish.

Wednesday is an office-office day and will include the full team on site except for the lucky team member out of office enjoying an actual special anniversary vacation at a fabulous destination. I'm not jealous. Much. The only way I can achieve a major anniversary with another human at this point in life will be to find a partner immediately and then hope we both live until I'm about 90. I have a feeling this will never happen. Lone Wolf pity party of one, my table is ready!

Tomorrrow's weather forecast shows morning temperatures in the 50s and afternoon temps in the 60s, so it looks like it's time to bust out the cold weather layers. Wherever those are. Oy, There will also be the need for makeup and interacting with fellow humans. After so much solitude for so long, I always worry about being around people on the front end. Not for health reasons as much as social anxiety. And yet I’m always, always grateful to be with people and the energizing effects of human interaction. Anxiety, my lifelong companion, is a real bitch, randomly planting doubt, insecurity, and nervousness where none should be. I tried to drown the bitch in alcohol while in college, but it didn't work.