Workday Refreshment: Break Time

Consider this a public service announcement. If I had a megaphone, I might use it, turned up to 11, for this friendly reminder:

Now that Spring appears in the Northeast (as evidenced by the sunshine and green shoots in my yard), remember to step outside at lunch or whenever it's convenient, just for a few minutes. Tree-gazing, flower sniffing, bird-watching, or a quick stroll by the single tree near your office building will do wonders for your attitude and demeanor. Co-workers will think "I'll have what she's having". They may ask whether you've lost weight or had a haircut. You'll have roses in your cheeks and a clear mind. Take a break and refresh yourself - get back to nature, even for five minutes. It'll make your day so much more enjoyable.

Utility Work Ahead

Utility Work Ahead. That is the sign that's been a beacon amidst the dust and roadwork outside my door for the last couple of days. Sweaty workers wearing safety orange vests and hardhats, driving heavy machinery and making noise. A great deal of noise. In fact, they were setting up at seven a.m. and are still working now, at 5:30 p.m. These men (they are all men, as far as I can tell) know they have to finish the job in a timely fashion and, accepting that, just keep working. When it comes to the basics: water, gas, electricity, people won't tolerate outages for long and the utility companies know this.

We should all think this way, whether it is laundry or homework, customer service or learning lines from Shakespeare. If we've chosen this job, whatever it is, we're obligated to get it done the best way we know how and on time. It's better still if we can enjoy the process. Even if the job is to find a new job. Utility work ahead.