A few working observations

Some freelance work came my way recently, which was a nice change of pace. Actually earning money for work is also nice (wink, wink). It reminded me how much I miss defined assignments, and schedules, and paychecks…and it also reminded me how spoiled I have become.

Suddenly, I had to really plan every commitment. I had to skip an activity to meet the deadline. I had to hurry to the computer as soon as the kid was sleeping so I could get busy. One day was rather lovely, and I couldn’t go outside to drink it in. I worked for an hour and, for the first time in a long time, I experienced that old shoulder stiffness and soreness that used to be part of my daily existence. I wondered why my backside ached and why I felt so sluggish, then recalled that I’d sat on that body part for far longer than normal.

I was newly aware of the joys of a more flexible schedule. I was newly short of breath at the thought of sinking back into the life-sucking world of The Office. I was newly cognizant that a huge number of people spend their days sitting and frowning at a pretty little box, arms poised awkwardly and painfully before them, fingers hovering over a little tray of numbers and letters.

I remembered, again, how odd is this world we’ve created for ourselves, where physical suffering and injury is often caused not by hard labor, but by lack of it.

That’s all for now.