The Pros...And Cons...Of Telecommuting

I'm working my second winter at home. Since last winter was my first, there was a lot of "trial by error" learning going on. I had never before spent a significant amount of time in the basement during the winter--I knew it was cold (since it's unheated...), but I didn't know just how cold.

Now, we're not talking below freezing or anything close. I mean, we have insulation in the ceiling and some of the walls. But, that first winter, it was cold. It was so cold there were times when I had to wear coats and fingerless gloves.

I'd like to think I learn as I get older. When it comes to my work situation, I learned a lot. The single biggest thing I did to improve the working conditions was to move my desk. Before, it was in the middle of the room. Now, it's up against two walls in the basement. I have a single space heater tucked under the desk. I had the same heater last year, but the new configuration has helped immensely. This year, when I'm close to the heater, I don't even know how cold the rest of the room is--I'm toasty warm.

So, a few pros and cons of my telecommuting situation. 

Pro: ninety second commute time

Con: have to supply my own treats at my desk--no snaking from others

Pro: being able to work a full shift even when office workers don't have to come in until noon

Con: having to work a full shift even when office workers don't have to come in until noon

Pro: don't have to dig out my car to go to work in bad weather

Con: surrounded by food storage and not fun co-workers

These are just some "off the top of my head" thoughts. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Life is a balance of give and take, of advantages and disadvantages, of pros and cons. Today, it was a little chilly, but I also didn't have to risk climb in my car and take my chances on the road. For me, the pros totally outweigh the cons, even in an unfinished basement in the winter.

Presidents Day, 2018...

I was one of the fortunate ones to not work today. It's Presidents Day, the last holiday, from which I get work off, for quite a while. I am very lucky. Most people in the world had to work as most people who have ever lived on this Earth have had to work every day just to survive.

It's easy to forget just how amazing a time we live in. I was able to stay in my home, protected from the much-needed snow that fell most of the night and day. I was warm, well-fed, and happy. And, through the miracle of modern technology, I was able to watch sporting events taking place on the other side of the globe after watching one of the biggest movies from 2017, Wonder Woman. Good flick.

I was also able to do the family's laundry and a load of dishes. Had I wanted to, I could have driven to a local furniture store and saved a good 15% on a refrigerator, a big screen TV, a recliner, or a sectional. Apparently many people do. If I had lived a hundred years ago, my day would have been much much different.

Today we celebrate the leaders of our nation. There have been forty-five since 1789, 229 years. They've come from all different walks of life, different backgrounds, all men. They all had strengths and weaknesses, joys and pains. Like armchair quarterbacks, many non-presidents say what they would do if they were presidents--some may have good ideas, but I imagine most of their brilliant ideas are anything but. That responsibility--that mantle--is a heavy burden to bear. Just look at a photo of an American president at his inaugural and then how the same man looks four or eight years later when his successor takes that mantle away. Sure, none of us look the same after four or eight years, but for those men, it seems like it took a much larger toll.

This morning I walked into the kitchen and saw my daughter reading a book, snow falling gently outside, one of our cats sat contented behind her. I took a few pictures. It's a simple picture--similar pictures are taken by fathers of their daughters everyday all over the world. Now, the photo doesn't scream "Presidents Day," but for me, it's a reminder of this amazing place and how blessed I am to live here. I hope your Presidents Day finds you healthy and loved.

Snow Day...Church Canceled...Not Your Average Sunday

The text message hit just after 9am. Had this happened two weeks ago, we'd have been sitting in the chapel at our usual spot on the back row. But, since we have changed church starting times with the changing of the new year, all of us at our home were sleeping in.

Turns out we could have slept in a lot longer.

Growing up in the Rocky Mountains we've seen some extreme winters. One thing we haven't seen a lot is freezing rain. Maybe it happened growing up--I just don't remember. Thinking back, I remember that when it snowed, the snowplows weren't as efficient as they seem to be today and everyone drove slower when it snowed. At least, that's the way I remember it. If I could travel back in time, I'm sure I'd see snowplow operators doing excellent jobs and people being just as insane behind the wheel as they are now.

Canceling church--that's something that never happened.

Wait, I take that back. A few years ago we were hit with a monster wind storm. Hurricane-strength winds ripped through out neighborhood so instead of going to church, we were asked to don our bluejeans, grab our working gloves and chainsaws and do a little service. Today was different; we weren't asked to do anything but spread the word (I suppose when we go to church we're asked to spread the good word, but today, it was just the word...). I'm sure if people needed us to engage in physical labor, we'd come out in force with snow boots, gloves, and show shovels.

We stayed home and celebrated my wife's, Elvis's, and David Bowie's birthdays (actually, just my wife's, officially...). I wonder if this canceling church thing is something we'll get more of in the future. Time will tell.

Someone Needs To Remind Me...Trains Are Sometimes Late On Snow Days, Too

I knew the bus would be late this morning because of the terrible roads. And I was right. I even arrived at the bus stop a few minutes late, so if the bus had been on time, I'd have missed it. A fellow commuter checked her phone and said the bus was a town away.

I did a little calculating.

That meant the bus and the train would be arriving at about the same time. Usually, the bus gets there fifteen minutes before the train. While we waited we saw the bus exit the freeway. Soon we'd be inside a heated vehicle and out of the cold. But something told me I ought to catch the train. I had no idea how bad the roads were leading to work and I didn't want to be stuck on a bus for an hour or more in case it slid off the road or got in an accident.

I crossed the bridge and joined the others waiting for the 6:10am southbound train headed to Salt Lake. I watched the bus pull up to its stop and pick up the fellow rider and make its way back to the freeway.

No worries--the train should be pulling up any moment now.

That's when the guy waiting with us on the platform checked his phone and saw that the train was going to be late. Bummer. I mean, trains are supposed to be the reliable alternative when the roads are crappy. That's what I thought when I decided to take the train instead of the bus this morning.

And I should have known better because it wasn't the first time it happened. The second the guy said the train was going to be late, I remembered the same thing happened last year. A storm hit--I thought the train would be the fastest way into town, but the train ended up being almost an hour late. If I had remembered that five minutes earlier, I'd have been in a warn bus instead of freezing with the others.

In the end, it wasn't that bad. The train was late, but I arrived at work only thirty minutes past my normal time. The best part of the morning was when I got off my train and took the short walk to my building, the bus I passed on drove by, meaning it took the bus just as long to get into town as my late train. Had I taken the bus, I would have been warmer, but I'd have had to find something else to write about tonight.

Snow Day...

We've had bigger snow storms, much bigger, but this one was greatly appreciated. I speak for myself only...I'm sure those people who slid off the road or made contact with another car while driving which caused many a call to an insurance adjustor didn't appreciate the snow. And I'm sure there are those who disagree with the snow just on principle...

 

 

I came home and took some pictures of our little pine tree out front decked in Christmas lights. It looks pretty good (again, my opinion...).

 

I thought the front steps adorned in white were photo-worthy, too. The snow looks fake in the picture. I can assure you, it is not.

 

One reason I was so glad for the snow is the valley's air will greatly improve once the storm passes. The valley looks beautiful with a blanket of white on the ground and a sky of blue overhead. Let's see what tomorrow brings...