Category Archives: The Life of the Historian

What to Do with an Extra Day?

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What do you when the Gregorian calendar gives you an extra day?

Well, since it’s a Wednesday, you’re probably working like me. But due to a bit of a coincidence, I actually do get a truely free “extra” day. It just happens to fall over this coming weekend, not mid-week. Because all extra days are best over the weekend.

The reason I’m getting an extra day is that my work schedule is changing. When I was hired, I was hired to work Tuesday-Saturday. However, since the whole reason they were hiring me for that shift was to have someone here on Saturdays, they couldn’t really have me work that shift until I were fully trained. After 2 weeks of formal training and 4 weeks of asking a lot of questions, I’m deemed “ready.”

So to make the schedule shift, I have a 3-day weekend this weekend, leaving my Monday-Friday life behind on Friday and starting my Tuesday-Saturday life next week. I’ll happily take a free day, but I don’t really feel I need it. I’ll actually miss being at work, since I really do enjoy my job and my co-workers.

So to get back to my titular question, what to do with an extra day? Well, I’ll be taking care of a few things I’ve been putting off: cleaning the apartment, doing a friend’s tax return, etc. Hopefully I will get some good reading and crocheting time in as well. Nothing particularly special, but a special day nonetheless.

My Date with Myself

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I’ve been wanting to see Phantom Menace in 3D and not having any Star Wars-loving friends in Raleigh, I decided I would go myself.

Yes, I like Star Wars; so? I do see the ridiculousness of paying $13.50 to see a movie I’ve already seen a half dozen times, but I did it anyway. As the first movie ticket I’ve purchased in over 6 months, it’s really not that extravagant of a purchase.

Anyway.

I started making my plans on Monday. I originally had hoped to see a matinee next week when I was off for President’s day (I’ve never had President’s Day off before), but when I was offered good pay to work it anyway, I took it. I’ve only been back at work for 4 weeks after a 3 month break, so I’m not really in need of a holiday.

Since a matinee was out, I decided to go on a week night so it wouldn’t be busy. Tuesday…why not?

Oh yeah, Tuesday was Valentine’s Day. I’m comfortable enough going to the movies by myself (though this was a first), but not comfortable doing so on Valentine’s Day.

So I postponed my “date with myself” a night, going out on Wednesday. Which also turned it into a celebration of thankfulness as I got my first “real” paycheck in over 3 months that day, too.

I enjoyed it, though I must say I don’t know if 3D really adds too much in the experience. And watching it in the movie theatre didn’t allow me to do something else during the pod races, like I usually do. I don’t really find watching a fake sporting event where you already know the outcome particularly interesting. I’m still glad that I went, though.

Top Ten Books That Broke My Heart A Little

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How about that for a Valentine’s Day topic?

Here are some of my “crying” books, books that left me crying in a good way.

I didn’t set out to make this a list of classics, but that’s what it became.

1. 1984 by George Orwell

When I think about books that make me cry, this one immediately comes to mind. On the most recent re-read I didn’t cry, but every other time it left me in tears.

2. House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

The ending shocked me the first time, but it makes the book.

3. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

The whole Kitty-Levin story line totally gets me, in a good way. But not Anna…I don’t cry for her.

4. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

I can’t help but feel sad for the monster. I don’t shed a tear for Frankenstein though…he reaps what he sows, and sadly way too many others were ruined because of his actions.

5. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen 

I must admit that I really pity Willoughby at the end. Yes, he made his choice, but it’s sad to see people face the irreversibility of their actions.

6. Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier

What a tragic, twisted story! I’m not sure that I feel sorry for any of the characters, but the story is tragic anyway.

7. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I recently re-listened to this and made the mistake of running errands on the day Beth died. I cried each time I got back into the car…

8. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Oh, but what a sweet story of making the best of what we have.

9. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

I think every high school student can understand why I would add this to this list. I certainly hope so…too many high schools go easy on their students and might not make them read such a long, hard book.

10. Othello by William Shakespeare

I’ve never included a play on any of these lists, because I’m actually really against the idea of reading plays. Watching (good) plays, though, I really like, and this is perhaps my favorite. The story definitely qualifies as one that breaks my heart.

Check out more Top Ten Tuesday lists at Broke and Bookish

30 Before 30 Update

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Okay, okay, I just updated you 2 weeks ago. But that update was only through the end of December, so really, this update is a month later. And really, I’m doing this for me anyway.

I didn’t finish any more goals this month, but I did make progress to some.

1. Read the Bible twice through. 946/2378 chapters = 40%

5. Publish The Journal. Completed 12/26/2011

6. __________. (find a new job) Completed 12/28/2011

9. Read 160 books. 49/160 = 31%

10. Read 5 classics. 4/5 = 80%

I really thought this would be harder, but I forgot to consider audiobooks. I’m not sure I’ll ever read a classic with my eyeballs again.

12. Work a polling place during an election. Completed 10/11/2011

13. Sell 100 copies of The Journal. 9/100 = 9%

I really doubt I’ll sell 100 copies, unless you all make a run on them. That’s okay…I’ve enjoyed the process and have given away a lot of copies.

16. Make an author website. Completed 12/20/2011

17. Fast 16 days. 1/16 = 6%

Need to stop putting this off.

19. Spend time on Yom Kippur fasting, praying, and thinking. Completed 10/7/2011

20. Decorate my apartment for Christmas. Completed 11/25/2011

21. Meet my niece. Completed 12/27/2011

22. Write in my journal 100 times. 80/100 = 80%

I’ve been journaling every day this year, so this will be done next month.

23. Make a baby blanket for Bean. Completed 11/9/2011

29. Walk 4 miles on the treadmill.

I’m up to 2 miles right now. I’ve been getting on the treadmill about 2-3 times a week this month, but hoping to double that.

View the full 30 Before 30 list here

First Week Update

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Well, my first week at the new job went well! It’s a big change of pace from my last job, but more importantly, it’s a big change of pace from unemployment. I came home from my first day SO exhausted! Each day has gotten easier, thankfully.

A few observations:

  • Working for a tech company kinda feels like coming home. I’m definitely not the nerdiest person in my department. I’m not sure I’ve ever worked with fellow nerds before. I mean, our printer’s name is “Alderaan.” I didn’t even know that was how it was spelled…
  • Speaking of coworkers: they make the job. They’ve all been incredibly helpful and proactive in helping me to understand everything (or everything I’ve been able to absorb so far!).
  • There’s a lot to have to learn (the software and all its functions as well as the solutions to a lot of the more common errors), but the learning is going well. Already know WAY more than I would have thought possible to learn in a week.
  • I’m thankful to be trained alongside another newbie. It’s nice to have someone else to bounce questions off of. And we aren’t the only newbies…two more people will be starting in a week, so soon I won’t even be the least experienced!
  • So yeah, we’re growing. So much that our department is moving to an office across the street today to a more permanent temporary location until they find a place large enough to bring the whole company back together. I only had my desk for a week, but I’m going to miss it.
  • Or not…I was right next to the kitchen with free snacks, drinks (Diet Dr Pepper!), and where people frequently congregate. Probably not the best place to be long-term. My new desk is farther from the action, I think.
  • Pretty much everyone I work with is in the same age bracket as me, which leads to interesting conversations. When asked what snacks and drinks we’d want at the new place, one of the guys said, “Surge!” Hadn’t thought about Surge in a long time…
  • I love my new schedule. I’ll actually be working an hour earlier (7 AM!) when I’m fully trained, but I’m going to like it. Getting up before the sun is weird for me, but I’m getting used to getting up and exercising in the dark and then getting into work before everyone else. (Yes, I used “getting” 3 times in that sentence, but I’m too lazy to fix it.)

All that to say, I’m very thankful for my job. It’s amazing how much more you appreciate something when you did without for a while. But even if it wasn’t for that, this is a great place to work and I think I’m going to enjoy what I’m going to be doing.

Going Postal in the Post Office

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I’ll get to more details about my first week soon, but for now, let me tell you a little (embarrassing!) tale of my last week unemployed.

One day a week or two ago I may have been frustrated to the point of tears at the local post office.

The details aren’t particularly important. I think we could all tell tales about how illogical and unhelpful post offices can be. That’s not what this post is about.

It’s about me…or more specifically, my sinful heart. For really, when I say I was “frustrated,” I’m just painting my sinful anger in a socially-acceptable light. I wouldn’t say that I’m a person characterized by anger, but this situation brought out what was in the dregs of my heart. If it wasn’t there in the first place, how could it have come out?

What surprised me about this incident was not what came up (I’ve long since realized my own sinfulness) but how easily it came out. I’d like to think that I’m much more holy than that.

Umm, yeah.

I’m thankful for the postal service and the God who used it to remind me that He’s not done refining me yet.

First Day

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The apartment is clean, my purse is packed with plenty of Lipsmaker, and my first-day outfit is pressed (just kidding…I don’t even own an iron). What could that mean?

It’s my first day of my new job!

I’ve been looking forward to this day for a while. Sure, there is some anxiety of the unknown, but I’m hopeful and excited to see what new challenges and friendships are in store for me here. I’m excited to be able to grow with a company and learn new skills.

When I get a chance, I hope to give you reflections on my first day/week. After being able to set my own schedule for almost 3 months, I know my first week will be especially exhausting, but in a good way.

Final Reflections on Unemployment

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Well, after two and a half months off, my unemployment ends Monday. So what I have I learned during this season?

1. God is definitely sovereign. He kindly overrode my own plans for my life, giving me something better.

2. Planning is good and necessary, but don’t be married to your own ideas for your future.

3. I can live on less income than I thought. Going to take advantage of this in the next couple of years to save up for long-term plans.

4. I thrive on a schedule and am rather helpless in forcing myself on a schedule without concrete items on my calendar.

5. Just because you have more time to read doesn’t mean that you will. I can almost guarantee I’ll read more in my first month at work than in the last month of unemployment (four books read).

6. My time is not my own, so I shouldn’t selfishly spend it on myself. Same is true of money.

7. Blessings freely given by God are more precious than anything you can try to grasp for.

I’m incredibly thankful that this season is over, but I wouldn’t want it to be different if I had a do-over. I can honestly say I’m closer to God and to others than  I was two and a half months ago.