homeplaceofthefuture daily log 5534

During the pandemic I have learned a lot about how weird my neighbors are and I know for sure they know I'm odd too -- I know my neighbor writes down how often I cut the grass on his calendar, ask me how I know. Boredom comes in many ways and I cut the grass a few times a week because I'M BORED!

In all my years being at home before it was cool, I can personally vouch that I've never waited for the trash cans to empty by standing in my driveway and waiting for the trash man to come. I only do that for the mail!

homeplaceofthefuture daily log 5375

I have so much to say about this quarantine and the new trend of working home, but last night I laid awake thinking if anyone from Family Matters is still living off of that Family Matters cash.

I'm concerned about my mental health.

homeplaceofthefuture daily log 5343

My quarantine face after a little over a week of hearing friends, family, broadcasters, late night TV hosts all saying the same thing:

They enjoy working from home

What I find ironic is I've been giving my monologue everyday in the comfort of my home since 2005. Of course my monologue is saving the world one conference call at a time, but honestly put me in coach - I'm been prepping for this for 5343 days!

This past week we've celebrated one year of having an official landing page for the homeplaceofthefuture and all the fun it has included. The traffic is looking good, I've got a list of ideas/topics to tackle and I'm working on some branding assets to get a nice package around the blog content -- all good things while we build this empire on the side. I'm also about ready to throw the switch on some social media experiments, watch out world.....the homeplaceofthefuture is coming and you better be ready (to make fun of it).

Working from home can be a drag and just having a release with a little bit of acknowledgment is a nice perk of knowing we're part of this new community in this digital age. Have laptop will travel -- how's the wifi?

homeplaceofthefuture daily log 5089

Is it really Friday? Someone smack me....oh wait no one else is here! Okay it is Friday and Fridays are particularly more exhausting on a re-entry week. 

What's a re-entry week, you ask? It's the first full week back in the office after a holiday and/or vacation. 

5 full days in the homeplaceofthefuture dealing with hundreds of emails and hundreds of out of office messages from my European colleagues. I often feel that in the summertime the Americans (me) are keeping the world running while the rest of Europe takes a 5-week vacation to some random coastal city we've never heard of. I generalize of course, but you know its true. Here in the US we take a 4 day weekend and worry about how many emails have piled up or if we'll even have a job when we return on Monday. The Europeans and especially the Dutch, yes the Dutch just don't care. I had a Dutch colleague who in the middle of a large re-platform project (that she was running) decided she needed a 4 week African safari -- and not the chintzy ones that you drive through, she took a legit 4 week vacation in the jungle and left us all hanging! I hated her and envied her at the same time. 

Where am I going with this? I don't know, but please for everyone's sake if you have vacation time USE IT! Regardless if you get 2 weeks or 8 weeks, take it all.

Anyways......it is Friday and I'm exhausted. I find myself already blocking my calendar to avoid any calls and most likely I'll start compiling my to-do list for next week. Not saving live here, but it sure felt like it this week.

​Cheers to a summer weekend!

homeplaceofthefuture daily log 5065

If you were having coworkers over to your house, would you hide the bottles of booze that normally sit in your office? 

I'm asking for a friend of course.

homeplaceofthefuture daily log 5015

At times the virtual lifestyle needs a break. My kids were recently home for spring break and some testing days and my schedule was out of whack. I have an office with doors (yes doors), but having other breathing bodies in this home made for an easily distracted week last week.

Today was the first day where EVERYONE (except me) was gone. I had the house to myself and all I could think about was leaving - weird, but I had to leave. I worked from the library for awhile (that's another post) and then I went to Taco Bell. In my 4 decades here on Earth I am 100% convinced that Taco Bell is meant to be eaten in your car. Once you get it home it doesn't taste so good.....trust me!

I pulled into a parking lot and parked FAR AWAY from everyone. I just wanted to eat my Taco Bell where God intended.......in the front seat of my car. Of all the parking lots and all the days someone decides to park next to me really, really far away from the store's entrance and I could feel the heat of their eyes on me while I scarfed down and I got self conscious and it ruined my lunch. 

How does this relate to working from home? I don't know, but sometimes being home alone all day still makes you desire Taco Bell as fresh as it could be (in your car).