Random Thoughts, Day 3

What one gift would you like for yourself?

It's so appropriate that I landed on this question at the prompt generator. Events of this week have spelled out exactly what four-letter gift I'd like for myself: TIME.

I already felt like there weren't enough hours in the day or week or month. And then this week, we got called in to the boss, who informed us that the finance department doesn't think we're working hard enough. So we all have to work an extra 5 hours a week until at least the end of the year. It's only one extra hour a day, but we're also being scrutinized about what we do while we're at work. We have been told we can't charge anything to overhead...it all has to be "productive" work billable to specific projects/clients.

Nothing like being told you've been a total slacker up to now.

I feel like I've had five hours of time yanked from my family AND from myself. Less knitting, less blogging (not that I've been all over that much), less reading, less time to relax, less time at the gym, or maybe in order to continue doing things I love...much less sleep. I suppose one thing that's making it all worse is that our dogs have been escaping our rotting fence, so we've been forced to walk them on a leash every time they need to go out while we get estimates and get someone to come build a new barrier. It's not bad exercise, so that's a plus, but what a big fat hairy pain. I also feel bad for the dogs, who get no chance to romp. I'd take them to the dog park but...you guessed it. No time.

I can't really complain about my job. I like it. It's not my life's dream. But it pays the bills. And I really can't expect anything different than this new mandate. We're salaried employees. They could make us work 60 hours a week for no more pay. I guess we're getting off easy with five extra hours.

While I was lamenting the extra work I would have to do each day, Henry came up with a plan. He said, "Mom, I know what you can do. You can sit down with me every night and do your homework while I do my homework."

What a thinker. It's moments like that, that keep me smiling. I hope I'm around enough to keep experiencing them.