We went out to eat with Captain Husband's parents tonight. It was nice, but I got terribly cold and just kind of turned into a shivering turtle after supper was finished. Now we are home in our little apartment and it feels wonderfully warm. I hope that Balls the Cat will be okay tonight, it's supposed to get down to the 20's, but he's got his shelter box. I would let him stay inside if he were around, but he's made other arrangements for the night, evidently.
Captain Husband's parents are very much in favor of the actuary idea. His mother isn't thrilled with the idea of us moving away to find opportunity, but she understands that we would need to do what was best. She and his father have been very supportive emotionally and financially, but it would be nice to be able to stand and prosper in our own right. We've been nest-returners for a long time; maybe in the next couple of years we can be nest-leavers and nest-makers ourselves. It just seems so unnatural to be so old but still dependent on parents. But there hasn't been much option for us. I'm grateful to have had the safety net to fall into.
Captain Husband thinks that he will be able to sit an exam within this year. I have told him that I am going to take someone's wise advice and not mention it in the future unless he mentioned it first, but that I would appreciate updates every now and then to let me know how it is going. I will be supportive and do whatever it takes to facilitate the process. He allowed as how that was reasonable, and said he'd let me know how things were going. I have complete faith in him and I want to keep him encouraged.
Today was long and it was a struggle to stay focused on work. I have to do it, I want to do it, I'm pretty good at it, but it is so very very monotonous. I can live with boring, I don't have to be entertained, but I have never ever had to fight to hard to concentrate on something. It's important to get the orders right, and I really want to do a good job. I have a lot of motivation, but somehow something is wrong about my focus. I've tried coping by taking brief PT (personal time) for a couple of minutes every few calls, to stand up and shake myself and try to get psyched back up. I've started drinking Diet Coke in an effort to caffeinate my way to effectiveness. And I've gotten my work divided into 2 hour shifts with 45 minutes in between, to break things up and give me a change. Surely all of these strategies together will help me pull it together. I have the option of working extra each day, and I have done it some, but today I could only stand it for 30 minutes extra.
I am hoping that tonight, with its meal in a restaurant and my plans to do some fun reading, will recharge my batteries and give me focus and drive.
Tomorrow afternoon at 4pm I will go over to the church and help make gumbo. It will be cooking outside in big pots, so I've been warned to wear warm clothes. Evidently it is a big social occasion, with lots of visiting and a little beer here and there. I am looking forward to it. It would be nice if I got to know more people better and they had the chance to get to know me too.
Dear Jokamo,
ReplyDeleteCaffeine only goes so far in things like this. Please be careful with that, as it becomes a little addictive, and you can get a horrible headache when you miss it. Ask how i know this.
The resting between and other strategies sound good. Have you also tried a little inspiring music playing softly in the background? Or is that allowed by the company?
Glad for parents, i get that too.