Extracurricular Activities

[Meadow at Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge; 8/7/12]

Part of the transition back to working from home is adjusting to solitary life during the week. When I worked from home for many years prior to working full time, I had housemates, dogs for company (my own or my housemate's), and I made time to get out and have a social life - getting in my car to go see friends or meeting locals for happy hours. (I also wasn't working nearly enough.) I wasn't in a relationship and I lived in a rural town so getting out of isolation once in awhile was necessary for my sanity. Then I got a full-time, exhausting job. I moved closer to the big city. And I met D, who came to fulfill a lot of my social needs, though I made time when I could to see my friends. I worked hard all week and was usually too exhausted to do much socializing between weekends. I did have work colleagues and, though we mostly all had our noses to the grindstone all day, we did have some social interaction. Now I'm still with D on weekends, but weekdays I'm home alone all week. And it's so-o nice to be home! I used to rarely see my apartment while awake. I love being home. But there are times when I miss people.

[Great blue heron, Great Meadows in Concord MA]

All of which is to say that I finally got out on Tuesday to meet up with an evening walking group I've been following online for a long time but hadn't managed to hook up with for various reasons. We met at the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge's Concord unit, about 12 miles from my house. It was a lovely spot, and people were nice, so I'm hoping to do more with them. Of course right now it's still light in the evening but that won't last long into the fall. I'm not sure what they do in winter - will have to see.

I had coffee with a former colleague on Monday morning, and tonight I met up with a friend to walk for an hour before dinner. Tomorrow is Friday and I'll see D in the evening and for the weekend. Then back to work a busy workload starting Monday.

[Sundown, Great Meadows]

Comments

[Relatively Retiring]

Living alone is a skill that has to be learned.
How about a reading group for the winter? We started one here in the immediate neighbourhood, and it's been going for over three years now. We all love it, even though not everyone manages to read every book.

[Leslee]

RR: Good idea for the book group! I have thought of it before - I should see if I can find out. Although I still need to get out walking - I spend way too much of my time sitting!

[Jean]

Such very beautiful photos! And of course your words here speak to me very much, since I'm going through a similar change of life/work style.

[Leslee]

Thanks, Jean. Yes, it takes time for these transitions to sort out, doesn't it?