Category: work

Date Night

This was a long and very busy work week. I practically ran to the door at quitting time, sneaking out before anyone else could ask me a question, send me an email, or bring anything to my desk. I was more than ready to get our weekend started!

We have a lot to do this weekend, too, but something we always make time for is our Saturday night date night. It’s been a tradition for as long as I can remember. When the kids were little, it was our family evening out. As they all grew up, it became just me-and-him time. It’s nice to look forward to it all week, talking about where we will go, and whose turn it is to pick.

I was curious, and I am a data person, so I looked it up: less than half of married couples go on regular date nights. The couples that do have date nights enjoy significantly happier marriages, better communication, more commitment, and greater sexual satisfaction. No argument here!

Everything

I had a lot of plans for my blog after the new year: a recap of last year, goals for this year, catching everyone up on my little world. But my workplace has had other plans for me.

I am known at work for being very detail-oriented, thorough, reliable. Great, right? Well, sure, until the number of people who depend on me, ask me questions, and send me documents to review became a bit overwhelming.

Yesterday I stayed late to finish reviewing a 60+ page budget for someone else in my department. I stared at numbers, followed table rows, and corrected adding errors until I was damn near cross-eyed. Meanwhile, my own work sat, untouched, because I was interrupted all day long with questions and requests for help. I am flattered that I am considered so reliable and helpful, but I really need a breather and time to handle my own work, too.

I want to think a bit about how to make this blog serve me best this year: how to use it more for accountability, for just getting thoughts out of my head, for recording snippets of my life. I haven’t had much time to ponder that since coming back to work, but it’s churning in the back of my head.

Today is officially one full week into the new year already. I know I can’t make time slow down, but I want to take some time each day to really focus on what is happening around me, from the scattering of clouds in the sky to the feel of the breeze as I sit outside at night, to a new bud on one of our roses, to the sound of my husband laughing at something I said, the way his eyes shine when he is happy, all of it…the small things that are actually everything to me.

Skin Care

I have a co-worker who is in her 30s and who spends a lot of time at my desk, regaling me with tales of her many male suitors, seeking love life advice or just filling me in on her latest adventures. Sometimes I have to ask her to refresh my memory on which fellow she is talking about, and she giggles like I’m senile and have issues remembering, instead of her just having too many gentlemen callers for me to keep up with.

A few days ago, she was at my desk, chattering away, when she suddenly huffed and interrupted her own story to say, “I am almost 20 years younger than you, and I have more wrinkles on my face than you do.” She said it in an accusatory tone, like I was doing something deliberately to affront her.

She ended up asking what I use on my skin, and we got into a whole conversation about skin care. It’s something my mother, from whom I inherited my very fair and easily-sunburned skin, taught me at a young age, and I’m glad I listened. Sunscreen. Sunscreen. Moisturizer. And more sunscreen.

After a long and draining work week, it was a wonderful compliment to hear. I feel tired and worn out, and I know it’s showing on my face, but after her comment, I guess it’s not nearly as bad as I thought.

Still, I will be grateful to leave work today and head home. My husband and I have a busy weekend ahead of us, but it’s still a welcome break from the demands and stressors at work, which have been non-stop this week.

No matter what the weekend brings, I will make time to sit back with a face mask and just relax. Gotta keep impressing these younger co-workers, after all!

The Text

After more than a week off with my husband over Christmas, I was far from ready this morning to get up and head back to work. I thoroughly enjoyed our leisurely mornings, sleeping in, snuggling, starting the day with “What do you want to do today?”

I have been in slow motion today, my mind not really at work at all, and I guess I was not the only one. I had only been at work a few hours when I got this text:

I went outside, and my husband was parked at the curb with the window down. He offered to abduct me from work, and it was quite tempting, but I suppose I should actually get something done today. I will be leaving soon for a few more days off, after all, and we are more than ready to enjoy the hell out of them.

Pictures

I take a lot of pictures anyway, so this isn’t much of a resolution, to be honest. But I like the idea of this, to think about why I am taking the picture and what I love about it.

This morning, heading back to work after a nice, long break, I took this picture:

My husband knows I loves purses and bags (almost as much as I love shoes), and so even though I told him I didn’t need or want anything fancy for Christmas, he got me this tote bag for carrying my work things, and the matching purse. I adore leopard print, so I couldn’t bring myself to fuss at him for spending the money when I love them so much! If I absolutely had to come back to work today, at least carrying my new bags made it a wee bit easier. 

I am actually not terribly interested in designer names or brands, but I know it made my husband happy and proud to be able to treat me to this bag and purse. He smiled and was so proud that they match each other, and he even pointed that out to me, which was sweet. Add in the jewelry he also got me for me, and I felt very spoiled and indulged and beyond lucky.

The Christmas tree is now down, all the lights and sparkle and red-and-green have been packed away, and the alarm clock was back in business this morning. My husband texted me around lunch time and told me that I better not risk overdoing it today, and I should come home immediately. I like the way he thinks!

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