Auspicious Week's End

I don't get to say this too often, so I am going to relish it. Like relish made from the tomatoes at right, which are found ON MY DESK, which is AT MY WORK PLACE. That's right kiddies, I have been working at the actual workplace for three days this week. I'd begun to think they'd never let me back in the building. I like working from home, but it is easier to ingratiate yourself if you are in the room with people.

So yeah, I even got some tomatoes. Wow. And two free lunches. I will be in the office all next week, too. It sounds like, at last, things are coming together so that I will be able to earn enough to not just get by, but make it--pay off the repairs to Tuba Boy's car, and such, and maybe even SAVE. My fingers are crossed for a real job with those mythical benefits, but this one picking up a bit is the next best thing.

We have also gotten a lot of little bits of good news that have lowered the stress levels around here. Small mix-ups with the college seem to have been taken care of--and Tuba Boy did a lot of it himself. Beccano did his first week of summer school, and that was not as bad as he had feared, either.

Lee has strong prospects of good news about work, too, so our fingers, toes and imaginary other appendages are all crossed. Plus, it appears that his dad's situation may get taken care of by his niece and her husband buying out the farm and living there. His dad would have someone to take care of him, and they'd have some income to supplement their other work. That really does sound like a good plan to me. Who knows how it will all work out, of course, but at least things are looking up!

I'm not giving up my blog for Facebook, by the way. You get to share more deeply and be a bit more coherent on a blog. I love the immediacy of FB, and I am especially grateful to have re-connected with some old friends (and made new ones) there. But, I won't be giving this up any time soon. Now that I feel a little better about things, I may be writing more, too.

Happy Wedding Week!

I can now go enjoy my pre-wedding week with my wonderful friends and family, because I am not losing my job at this time! My boss asked if that sorta counted as a wedding gift, which I said, of course it did. The stress reduction alone is quite a gift.

What Humans Want

On Huffington Post I saw a little piece by Dennis Whittle, where pointed to work by game theorist Jane McGonigal. He said:

"She pointed out (and I agree) that the following was particularly compelling:

What humans crave:

1. Satisfying work to do.
2. The experience of being good at something.
3. Time spent with people we like.
4. The chance to be a part of something bigger."

Yes, I say to all these. Since I left the nonprofit job, I often felt like I was not a part of something bigger. But, I have found other ways to volunteer and help out, so I am feeling much more connected these days. I am glad I have knitting, where I help others and get to be good at something, and school volunteering, which helps me see myself as part of the bigger world.

My work is more satisfying than it was for 2007 and early 2008, so that part is better as well.

And I certainly get to spend time with some great people! My wonderful Lee, my dear kids (especially Tuba Boy who texted kind things to me yesterday), and all those friends who are helping make this such a fun time.

Another thing this human wanted was for Flickr to work again the way it used to. I guess they finished whatever they were doing to the servers, and I can see images on my blog and Ravelry again. Woo! To celebrate, I share today's photo, which is one Lee took of our hanging rose plant.

In home improvement news, the inside of the house was painted yesterday, and the front door sanded. The patio in front looks awesome, and just needs its final grouting. I cannot wait to see things in the daylight after the clean-up is finished! Then, sigh, hours of rearranging stuff that we had to move is to come. Oh well, it is a small price to pay.

Why'd I do that?

Why did I post tons and tons of details from a period of a few days? I know it's just daily living in my odd little household (I hope some day it becomes a little less odd, but it will never be "normal."

I think perhaps it was just to remind myself of how much good there is in every day, so I will stop thinking about the challenges so much. I do dwell on challenges a bit.

I did leave out some details, like backing into a freshly painted cabinet and ruining a pair of jeans (old), how cute Rose the puppy has become, and what wonderful, reassuring conversations I have with my dearest friend in the world late at night.

In any case, I'll try to be a bit more concise. But, hey, it's my blathering.

Thanks to my lovely coworker for taking the nice photo of me and Lee on the Solstice, an important day to us. You can see how pretty and festive my cubicle was, too.