jchrisobrien (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
jchrisobrien) wrote2003-09-10 10:44 am
jchrisobrien) wrote2003-09-10 10:44 am
My 30 day review date is looming near
This Friday to be exact.
I'm discovering lots of new things about the company that make my work experience more enjoyable. A small joy is the upcoming holiday shutdown. The entire business closes between Christmas and New Year's. It does use up 4 of your vacation days, but it takes away some of the hassle of the holiday season. You can travel to visit relatives w/out worrying about who will cover what shift, or you can just sit at home and do sweet F.A. I'll mostly likely make my pilgrimage to New Jersey to visit my aunt for our family reunion.
Our mom's family is all I have left for local family. My dad's brothers and sisters are scattered through Pennsylvania and Georgia, with a few out in California. My mom's family are all within Pennsylvania or New Jersey, which makes these yearly reunions possible. Last year my Uncle showed us a scrapbook/presentation he had put together. It covered my grandfather's marriage, the birth of his children, and their life up through high school. It was filled with old photos, report cards, notes from friends and teachers. The fact that all of these documents were fifty years old ors was even more amazing. It was a window back in time, you could tell by looking at my mom's face, the light in her eyes. She and my aunts spent the entire night pouring over them, as did I. It was a good way to reconnect with a family that I'm largely distant from. Fifty years ago might as well have been one hundred and fifty, the way things were and the way things are seem so much different. I wonder how my children will look back at the records from my day. I imagine they'll just do a web search on it, finding references to mailing lists and live journals.
A larger benefit to my job is the location. Even though we're just off Rt. 495, there's a lot of nature around the building. A stream winds around the side and back of the building. You can see ripples from landing insects, see shadows of fish sliding under the water. And the skies! That unending electric blue color, with not a high rise or electric wire in sight. I've taken to doing a lap around the building in the morning and evening, to escape the harsh light of my computer screen and fluorescent lamps and feel the breeze on my face, the warmth of the sun. I walk outside eyes raised to the sky, watching the clouds smeared like pulled cotton candy in some places, algae or fish scales in others. White feathers overlapping, slowly curling and pulling, layered and bunched together. You can stand in one place, eyes up, and turn in a circle and see nothing but blue skies. It's breathtaking.
I'm discovering lots of new things about the company that make my work experience more enjoyable. A small joy is the upcoming holiday shutdown. The entire business closes between Christmas and New Year's. It does use up 4 of your vacation days, but it takes away some of the hassle of the holiday season. You can travel to visit relatives w/out worrying about who will cover what shift, or you can just sit at home and do sweet F.A. I'll mostly likely make my pilgrimage to New Jersey to visit my aunt for our family reunion.
Our mom's family is all I have left for local family. My dad's brothers and sisters are scattered through Pennsylvania and Georgia, with a few out in California. My mom's family are all within Pennsylvania or New Jersey, which makes these yearly reunions possible. Last year my Uncle showed us a scrapbook/presentation he had put together. It covered my grandfather's marriage, the birth of his children, and their life up through high school. It was filled with old photos, report cards, notes from friends and teachers. The fact that all of these documents were fifty years old ors was even more amazing. It was a window back in time, you could tell by looking at my mom's face, the light in her eyes. She and my aunts spent the entire night pouring over them, as did I. It was a good way to reconnect with a family that I'm largely distant from. Fifty years ago might as well have been one hundred and fifty, the way things were and the way things are seem so much different. I wonder how my children will look back at the records from my day. I imagine they'll just do a web search on it, finding references to mailing lists and live journals.
A larger benefit to my job is the location. Even though we're just off Rt. 495, there's a lot of nature around the building. A stream winds around the side and back of the building. You can see ripples from landing insects, see shadows of fish sliding under the water. And the skies! That unending electric blue color, with not a high rise or electric wire in sight. I've taken to doing a lap around the building in the morning and evening, to escape the harsh light of my computer screen and fluorescent lamps and feel the breeze on my face, the warmth of the sun. I walk outside eyes raised to the sky, watching the clouds smeared like pulled cotton candy in some places, algae or fish scales in others. White feathers overlapping, slowly curling and pulling, layered and bunched together. You can stand in one place, eyes up, and turn in a circle and see nothing but blue skies. It's breathtaking.
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holy crap that's a weird thought.
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Also, it sounds like quite a lovely job you've gotten for yourself. That's wonderful. And what a good idea to take a walk outside every morning and afternoon. I think sometimes it's so easy for us to forget that there is a world outside our houses, or jobs or selves. And what you've chosen to do would be a nice reminder. Plus, what a positive way to destress.
And if you ever manage to visit your mom's family in Georgia, feel free to visit ames and me:).
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Most smokers take at least 3 or more breaks in a day for a cigarette. I figure no one will miss me for 2 "non-smoking" breaks. ;)
Hopefully I'll be down for DragonCon next year, and we can hang out!
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Oooo, yay! That'd be awesome! Just keep me posted, let me know and I'll be there (or you'll be here...or something *g*). Either way, fun!
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I may even get a digital camera for Christmas and start taking my own pictures. But only if I've been good!