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Friday, September 19, 2008

Sunshine does wonders


I try to remove myself from the office every single day around lunchtime. No matter how busy it is, I try to get outside at least once a day. Today I went outside and it was pleasantly cool and very sunny. I got to have a brief conversation with one of the sales guys at the Starbucks about politics and elitism. Afterward I drove back to the office and read on a park bench for a half hour. I feel much better. Now all I need is a massage.

Sitting outside today I reflected on an idea I had about a year ago regarding the difference between working with one's mind and working with one's hand and where those two lifestyles overlap. Clearly at my job there is no need, nor acceptance of working with one's hands. Replacing the water jug is literally the most physically strenuous thing I could do on any given day. My housemate however is a project manager with an engineering company. He does a lot of work in an office with drafting and other paperwork, but he's also on the road, supervising and even lending a hand to the dudes who build stuff for him. That's kind of cool.

Maybe I'm a little bitter because I'm essentially in a Tech Support role. I'm straining myself to envision where I'd want to go if I stay in my present career path and it's not pretty. I have skills and love to learn as much as possible, but I don't want to become something alien to what I enjoy. The idea of becoming a solar panel installer or wind turbine maintenance tech seems more and more appealing the more I contemplate busting my ass just to move up to another job I wouldn't want. I love to be outside, I love to create and I love to be around people who are passionate about what they do. Apathy breeds stagnation. I want to love my work.

Solar and wind. Solar and wind. Solar and wind. Ohm!

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