It’s starting to finally feel like Spring has arrived in New England! Of course I say that and it’s 50°F (10°C) today, so I guess it really is just New England spring. Either way it’s nice to see the sun again, I’ve been able to start walking in the mornings a couple of days a week.
In addition to actually having time to take care of myself physically, walking, I’ve had time to take care of myself mentally and been able to read books again! And you know why? It’s because I started my new job midway through the month. My body was actually in shock the last couple of weeks going from 50-60+ hours a week to working a normal 9-5/40 hour a week really did a number on me. Thankfully I’m adjusting, it also doesn’t hurt I have my own office to decorate (see photo at the very end).
Books and Bookish Things
I’ve started to be able to read again and it is very needed. I’ve also had time to start blogging again (thus this actually being posted at the beginning of the month). I read four and a half books this month! Two of them were Jane Austen fiction and one is a children’s novel, but still, I’m reading AND blogging again!
- Your One Word – Evan Carmichael
- The Vile Village (A Series of Unfortunate Events #7) – Lemony Snicket
- Jane and the Damned (Immortal Jane Austen #1) – Janet Mullany
- Blood Persuasion (Immortal Jane Austen #2) – Janet Mullany
I’m also famous again 😉 Evan Carmichael responded to my two critiques of his book via Twitter video.
— Evan Carmichael #Believe (@EvanCarmichael) April 19, 2017
And I discovered Thug Notes, which might be the best thing ever. And by I discovered I mean my friend Caroline posted it on my Facebook wall and I loved it.
Culture Corner
A lot has happened from celebrating two friends getting married to a pregnancy announcement and a birthday, but I didn’t take too many pictures. There are the cool 80s bathroom at A4cade in Cambridge (men, women, and general use) and a really cool alley way we found in Downtown Crossing. After that is my new office! I’ll have to take photos once I’ve figured out what to put on the walls.
What’s Next
The first of our two summer vacations is coming up fast. We’re going to England for a wedding with some of my friends from school and then spending the week in London. I’m in the middle of Nick White’s How to Survive a Summer and it’s a bit of a slog. I’m excited to power through the next FOUR novels in A Series of Unfortunate Events in the near future.
Welcome back to the land of reading and blogging – so good to hear you got your mojo back. I shall try and get the UK warmed up a little for your visit …..
Thanks, although it’s once again cold here in Boston so I’m not too worried.
Wow, you’ve been busy! It’s tough to work 50-60 hour weeks. I’m glad you’re in a different job with better hours now.
It really is! I’m surprised I made it as long as I did without collapsing from physical exhaustion. When I left, I was sick for two weeks because my body finally was like STOP!!!!
Yeah, it’s terrible that working such long hours is expected in so many jobs. I feel like our college and graduate level experiences–well, at least mine–groomed us for that kind of abuse by assigning too much work and expecting contact at all hours. I had a school-based externship, for example, where I regularly communicated by email with a supervisor at 2 AM or later. I took those norms with me to my workplace. Ugh.
Anyway, I’m glad you’re in a better situation now!
Thanks! It definitely requires a culture shift for a lot of places! It just got to the point where there was no balance any more in my life and I made the right decision.