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| The Potomac, from George Washington's back yard, 28 November 2014. |
I know, of course, that each year is the same length as all the others, plus or minus one day. So they all go by at the same rate, it's only our perception of how fast (or slow) time passes that changes.
We've all had that day at work which felt like it would never end. Each of us has, after what felt like an hour, glanced at the old time piece to discover that only five minutes had passed since the last time we checked. Those days drag on and on and seem to last for weeks. But intellectually we know that that day lasted precisely as long as that last day on vacation.
You know, the one where you wake up thinking of having this one last day before you have to go back to work and...
Beep, beep, beep...
The alarm goes off and you have to go back to work. Now. Vacation is over, fini, am Ende. Back on your heads, etc., etc.
Time passes slowly or quickly according to what we're doing and how much we're enjoying ourselves. Human nature I guess. As is whining about elections.
Sorry, couldn't help myself. Not gonna talk about that. At least not today.
Truth be told, I'm exhausted and looking forward to the holidays. Days in which I will (for the most part) not have to get up early. I really don't like getting up early. It's not that I don't like mornings, they're pretty nice actually, it's the "you have to get up" thing that I don't care for.
During a week off, I might get up early just because I'm not sleepy anymore and it feels like I want to get up. So I do. It's easy when there are no schedules, no deadlines, no pressure.
Am I looking forward to retirement (for the second time)?
Yes and no.
I'll miss the pay and the people (most of 'em) that I work with. Yes, I'll miss that.
I won't miss the nine to ten hour days. The days where nothing goes right. And the days where the damn phone won't stop ringing.
Won't miss that, not at all.
Oh, here's a little secret of mine, I really don't like talking on the phone. Not sure when that happened but I am not a big fan of Mr. Bell's invention.
It probably happened when I was in the Air Force. If your phone rang it was usually one of two things. Something was broken and the caller wanted me to fix it, or there was some sort of perceived problem which the caller somehow thought I knew something about.
Which I would handle with great grace and aplomb...
So Paul, that's why I haven't called. Telephones are my kryptonite.
No, really. We hates them.
Nasty stinking telephoneses... We hates them! Gollum, gollum.
I don't particularly hate the telephone.
ReplyDeleteThere are some folks I actually look forward to hearing.
But, for the most part, it is an infernal device, particularly in the hands of people with a database
Heh, infernal device, good way to put it.
DeleteI hate any phone conversation that takes longer than 2 minutes.
ReplyDeleteNot having to wake up at any particular time is the best part of retirement; That and doing new stuff.
I guess being retired would give me time to do new stuff. Provided it doesn't start too early.
Delete:)
2 minutes is about right. Speak up, then shut up.
ReplyDeleteRoger that.
DeleteMost of the time I don't even answer my phone. I figure if it's important they will leave me a message. I used to
ReplyDeletesay that they would have to chase me out of the college when I'm in my late 80's because this has been such a great
job but things have changed so drastically in the last 8 years that I'm ready to pull the plug! I'm going to start
that long, extended vacation next May and am definitely looking forward to it.
For me it depends on the project I'm working on, love the one I'm on at the moment.
DeleteThere have been some projects that were like having six-month long root canals. Only less fun.
I really hate the phone during election season. It rang probably 20x per night- either pols begging for money, robocalls asking for my vote, or pollsters trying to do their job. I'm just glad the election is over. It's been relatively peaceful since then!
ReplyDeleteIndeed it has. The phone has been relatively quiet since the 8th. Praise the Lord!
DeleteI concur, Sarge, about the telephone.
DeleteI don't mind talking to people (well.....except for stupid people). I don't mind email, or notes, or snail mail (I don't text). I just hate talking on the phone.
I can look at the number , see that it's an old friend with whom I haven't spoken for ages, & that can alleviate it, but when the infernal device rings, I consider shooting it rather than answering. I'm pretty taciturn to begin with; maybe that's the reason.
--Tennessee Budd
Face to face I can handle, with your caveat firmly in mind.
DeleteI can talk to family on the phone, no problem. But I start getting antsy after about five minutes.
I guess I'm not alone.
Thanks for letting me know why you haven't called. Makes me feel better that it's not just me, it does.
ReplyDeletePaul L. Quandt
It's not you, it's me.
DeleteOh wait, that sounds bad doesn't it? Yeah, I really have a thing about telephones. I think I was frightened by our party line when I was a child. (I couldn't grasp why someone would be on the same line, though with a different phone number.)