Passing Time (Reprise)
At the time of writing the original entry of this name I was seeking to provide explanation for how a person with lots of spare time can fill it. Now in this entry I am hoping to describe how I intend to fit too much into a working week. My desire to do the latter is in a sense the product of the former - I have a particular set of expectations that I am hoping to still fulfill while working in an office five days a week.
In seeking to have a full and well-rounded week I have formed in my mind a model of standard week. Naturally this is a bit ambitious, as life never conforms entirely to even the best of plans. Circumstances, family and friends all complicate things. The long-distance relationship I am conducting does likewise. Things happen. As a result I am yet to have even one week that confirms my model despite having been in the new job for over a month now. But onto my imaginary standard week.
Sunday - This is a day of sleeping in. It is both a luxury and frequently also a necessity if I have had too much fun the preceding night. Then it is also a day of visiting Clayton shops for both swimming at the new pool (housed along with a new library in a rather impressive rust-toned community facility). This has become a way for me to see my Dad and for him to revive his old passion for swimming. I will do my biggest grocery shopping at this time. Then in the evening I can see the new Doctor Who. I will also have a lovely long phone conversation with Petra (we do so at other times but this is a guaranteed time for it).
Monday - The evening following work is a time for resting at home and possibly watching satirical cartoons on SBS with housemates. I am deliberately including slack nights into my routine and this is one such time.
Tuesday - In the evening following work I travel directly to Campus for dinner and rehearsal with MonUCS. I will have to decide on a concert-by-concert basis just how much I can commit to staying all evening (including post-rehearsal pub or coffee) on a weeknight. Just starting on a new program now so I will see what I think of the music and my energy levels.
Wednesday - The evening following work is a time for resting at home and possibly attending to things like blogging or writing letters-to-the-editor or making new playlists.
Thursday - In the evening following work I can spend some time at home then go onto a small gathering of Korner friends who bring craft projects and gossip at one of two local housees.
Friday - In the evening following work I have the inclination (like many others) to go get some fun despite my overall tiredness. And thankfully one group or another of friends are likely to provide just that in the form of visiting a restaurant or cinema or whatever. And even if I am free I can even do my own thing - such things as fast food and movies can be fun alone. And my work location puts me even closer to the colour and movement of City.
Saturday - This is a day of sleeping in. It then can be one of a long walk along the local Scotchman's Creek or of visiting Mum and taking a similar walk along her local Yarraman Creek. And then it is very likely that I will have a party of some kind to attend in the evening.
In putting all this together I have made an effort to get the balance right. There are both solitary and collaborative forms of recreation. There is rest. There is both creativity and exercise. And there is something to look forward to in every day. There are plenty of other things that fit into the routine but are too mundane to warrant naming (like all those chores that both work and life necessitate).
There are also things absent that were present in that older entry - things like attending meetings of the ADs or NFA or SESFC. It would be very difficult to fit these things in now even if I wanted to. For now my holding of voluntary positions or making a face-to-face contribution to civic life is a thing of the past. For some time I have been pulling back and it seems now the space has been filled as I had half-hoped and half-planned.
So this entry describes how work has affected my non-working life. Some aspects of the new job has been affecting my perceptions of competence and confidence. With any luck I will both get on top of it and keep that work-life balance thing happening.
In seeking to have a full and well-rounded week I have formed in my mind a model of standard week. Naturally this is a bit ambitious, as life never conforms entirely to even the best of plans. Circumstances, family and friends all complicate things. The long-distance relationship I am conducting does likewise. Things happen. As a result I am yet to have even one week that confirms my model despite having been in the new job for over a month now. But onto my imaginary standard week.
Sunday - This is a day of sleeping in. It is both a luxury and frequently also a necessity if I have had too much fun the preceding night. Then it is also a day of visiting Clayton shops for both swimming at the new pool (housed along with a new library in a rather impressive rust-toned community facility). This has become a way for me to see my Dad and for him to revive his old passion for swimming. I will do my biggest grocery shopping at this time. Then in the evening I can see the new Doctor Who. I will also have a lovely long phone conversation with Petra (we do so at other times but this is a guaranteed time for it).
Monday - The evening following work is a time for resting at home and possibly watching satirical cartoons on SBS with housemates. I am deliberately including slack nights into my routine and this is one such time.
Tuesday - In the evening following work I travel directly to Campus for dinner and rehearsal with MonUCS. I will have to decide on a concert-by-concert basis just how much I can commit to staying all evening (including post-rehearsal pub or coffee) on a weeknight. Just starting on a new program now so I will see what I think of the music and my energy levels.
Wednesday - The evening following work is a time for resting at home and possibly attending to things like blogging or writing letters-to-the-editor or making new playlists.
Thursday - In the evening following work I can spend some time at home then go onto a small gathering of Korner friends who bring craft projects and gossip at one of two local housees.
Friday - In the evening following work I have the inclination (like many others) to go get some fun despite my overall tiredness. And thankfully one group or another of friends are likely to provide just that in the form of visiting a restaurant or cinema or whatever. And even if I am free I can even do my own thing - such things as fast food and movies can be fun alone. And my work location puts me even closer to the colour and movement of City.
Saturday - This is a day of sleeping in. It then can be one of a long walk along the local Scotchman's Creek or of visiting Mum and taking a similar walk along her local Yarraman Creek. And then it is very likely that I will have a party of some kind to attend in the evening.
In putting all this together I have made an effort to get the balance right. There are both solitary and collaborative forms of recreation. There is rest. There is both creativity and exercise. And there is something to look forward to in every day. There are plenty of other things that fit into the routine but are too mundane to warrant naming (like all those chores that both work and life necessitate).
There are also things absent that were present in that older entry - things like attending meetings of the ADs or NFA or SESFC. It would be very difficult to fit these things in now even if I wanted to. For now my holding of voluntary positions or making a face-to-face contribution to civic life is a thing of the past. For some time I have been pulling back and it seems now the space has been filled as I had half-hoped and half-planned.
So this entry describes how work has affected my non-working life. Some aspects of the new job has been affecting my perceptions of competence and confidence. With any luck I will both get on top of it and keep that work-life balance thing happening.
Labels: Life Experiences
posted by Dan at
19.6.08
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