Update on First Two Weeks of June

I apologize for the two week lag in postings, but remember my dear readers - you are supposed to be happy for me when my life is so busy that I don't have time to write.

So, first, I resigned from my job at the foster family agency and spent two crazed weeks trying to tie up all the lose ends. I had a fabulous "No More Walden" cocktail celebration with my girlfriends, and then I jetted off to Utah, where I enjoyed a low-key week of vacation. Unfortunately, despite a multi-year drought in Wasatch Valley, it rained heavily each and every day of my visit. During the few hours of sunshine, I enjoyed doing yard work in Katie and Will's garden and at the Sandcastle Ranch. I did not enjoy being consumed by the enormous mosquitoes while gardening, but I will just have to consider my nasty, bite-covered legs to be evidence of my love for digging in the dirt.

I began a new job with Head Start on Monday, and I have spent the past week trying to get acclimated. Environmentally, it is a big change for me. In my previous position, I had a gorgeous corner office with two walls of windows, a comfy papasan chair, and lots of plants. I now have a cubicle with four foot high walls, no sunlight, and lots of exposure to chatty people (today I had the fortune of listening to a woman explain in detail how her daughter has a "bum rash" as a result of ingesting too much watermelon).

At my new job, I am mandated to take a one hour lunch break. Hmmmm. . . Lunch break? This is a foreign concept to me. As is true for most social workers, I have spent years eating "lunch" (i.e. whatever remnants I locate in my desk) while typing out a report, driving to a home visit, or sitting in a meeting. Therefore, in this job, during the first two days in which I had a lunch break , I only took 30 minutes because I had no idea what to do with myself! However, I am quickly beginning to like the idea of an hour break in the middle of the day. On Wednesday, I went to Walden for a visit with my old work friends. Today, I went to Starbucks and sat in a comfy chair outside, drank a latte and read my book. Tomorrow, I will get a pedicure. I am fairly certain that I can get used to this aspect of the job.

As most of you are aware, I am very accustomed to managing my social life during work hours. I am talking about managing everything - dinner plans, updating my blog, organizing large-scale Young Dems events, scheduling pilates sessions and acupuncture appointments, booking airfare - during my work day. Balancing my work and social life keeps me on my toes and in a generally good mood. But at my new place of employment, I am blocked from nearly all websites necessary to manage my life (I do get limited access to Google, but it is pretty much just Google Earth. Too bad my social life isn't more oriented around maps). As you can imagine, when I discovered this absolute lack of internet access, I nearly hyperventilated. No internet coupled with the cubicle situation (and the resulting lack of privacy/ability to use a cell phone) caused me to experience intense panic as I imagined my social life coming to a screeching halt. Friendships would be lost (both real and Facebook-based). Events would go unplanned. I would become a hermit - a person who has no idea what is happening with Jon and Kate Plus Eight. With my relaxation breathing, I was able to calm my panic, but I still worry. This situation has the potential to become quite dire.