Washing Down by the River

Today I have a furlough day. This is what the government calls a forced day off. It's almost like a real day off, except there is no pay. Also, because it is a government furlough day, you are "not allowed to do ANY work" on this day. No checking e-mail, no checking voicemail, no processing applications or cases of any kind. Absolutely no work may be done on this day. It's like a holiday on crack.

And is any of it really necessary? I mean, honestly, this isn't a law firm. What would I spend my day off thinking about work for? What's to think about?

I actually like this job however. People laugh.

No, really. People laugh. We have meetings every morning at 8:15 a.m. It could probably take about 4 minutes but people actually joke a bit so it takes more like 7 1/2 minutes. And they actually like each other. They'll randomly make snacks and bring them in. People will answer questions and invite you to go walk with them on breaks. And you get breaks. And a lunch hour where you are expected, get this, not to work through it. And everyone is done at 5:00 p.m. The parking lot is apocolyptically deserted by 5:02.

As my last job was at a fairly upscale law firm (for a Rocky Mountain state with less than 1 million people), I am amazed. It was expected that I would show up by 7:00 a.m. and stay until 7:00 p.m. It was almost a requirement to work the weekend. I even worked on Christmas and New Year's. There was very little laughter, and that bordered on the slightly hysterical. No one invited you to walk. Who walked? Everyone was chained to the desk. One of the "Big Three" pushed alcohol at you at every lunch or firm event, despite the many 'no thank you's', 'i do not drink's' and 'it's against my religion's' you gave. People were incredibly cut throat. And if they didn't like you, they either refused to give you work (the death knell for any associate) or worse. So a place where people actually like each other and try to support each other is strange. And it's hard for me to wrap my head around, but I'm sure I'll make the adjustment.

Know why? Because although this isn't my heart's desire, it is sometimes nice to do a job that allows you to breathe easy and smile every day. And since that is our challenge, I thought I would mention it. It won't be a job I stay at til the day I die, I'm not sure that is a realistic concept in this day and age, but for while I'm here I will do my best daily and enjoy it. And that's okay.

In the meantime, today, I am washing my down comforter (seriously one of the best buys ever), hopefully getting moss off the roof, dishes, baking a chocolate cake, and shopping for running/walking shoes. We'll see how far we get on the list.