Back to Work

My workload has not decreased by much, but I did let myself off the night shift for a few nights to finish the new Harry Potter book. Hard to concentrate on dull programming when that thick green book is winking at you from the bedside table, so I figured I might as well finish it so I could get my mind on something else. Like work that pays for the book habit.

Yes, a major character died in the end. No, I'm not going to spill the beans. Just suffice it to say that my analogy of the plot as following along the Star Wars path remains intact. Figure it out yourself. I had it pretty well nailed by the half-way mark, but kept hoping I would be surprised.

If you are a Harry Potter fan and want to while away some time, visit the official J. K. Rowling site at www.jkrowling.com . I have not solved the mystery of how to open the door yet. Not enough time available to waste on solving games these days.

I've made another change lately and have started getting a regular massage at Bastrop Massage & Therapy Services. Every other week, as long as I can afford it. I'm hoping that eventually we will convince that knot in my back to go away and stay away. Wonder if the folks at Hogwarts have a spell for that?

Working at home two days a week has had many benefits. First of all, I'm saving gas money. That 47-mile one-way trip burns up $2.19/per gallon at an alarming rate. Secondly, I get about double the production in a day at home. You really don't realize how much time you lose being available to folks at the office who find it necessary to call at least once a day to find out how you are doing on their project. I've bitten my tongue many a time to avoid telling them I would be 20 minutes a day ahead if they would let me call them when I'm finished. The addition of email has helped tremendously, but there are still those folks who must use the phone.

Next, I get to spend some quality time with my babies. It's a great stress reducer to sit in bed, working on the laptop, with a little fur-butt snuggled against my hip. They are all for this working at home business. They think it would be a fine idea to make it 5 days a week.

I don't know how long I will keep this schedule going, but I'm already sleeping better and feeling better. It's bad enough to have a heavy work load, but add to that the daily stress of caretaking and sooner or later you end up with a twisted back. Mine was beginning to look like a pretzel, but an hour massage session earlier today with Angie has got me feeling like I might just get some of the program snarls straightened out this afternoon.

Who knows. I'm thinking about yoga next. This stress-reduction theme I have going these days is a good thing.

LSW