Weeknotes: 2022, week 12
[21–27 Mar]
I spent Thursday at the office and, once again, the change in setting felt quite pleasant and productive.
The day was rainy, and with all the extra traffic the bus took a bit longer to show up at my stop, and then a bit longer to get to my destination. But with an e-book reader, a phone, and earbuds… WHO CARES. I've always enjoyed short and occasional commutes[1] so much that very often I'm kind of hoping there'll be a traffic jam, that the train will be delayed because of heavy snow, or something like that. If I have something to read, something to study or write, or something to listen to, I'm content. Over the years, on trains and buses I've listened to podcasts, studied languages or university courses, read technical books or manuals, and so on. Actually looking forward to 30′ or 45′ in public transit because I'll have the opportunity to make some progress with volume III of “In Search of Lost time”, to refresh my kanji, or to finish listening to a podcast about some episode in the life of Leonard Cohen is quite irrational: in theory I could simply carve out that same time for those same activities before the beginning and after the end of my work schedule when I'm working from home! I haven't resolved that absurdity yet.
I enjoyed meeting colleagues, the social aspect of being in the office, the pauses and the little pleasures of casual conversations around the coffee machines, sharing lunch in the kitchen, etc. I think I'm more productive, too — or at least I make up for the time lost in commuting and in the aforementioned social disctractions: the time I'm sitting at my desk I can focus better. This week I also learnt that I got a raise, effective retroactively last January, supposedly to adjust for inflation. I like it where I work.
This week for the first time the kids stayed at the nursery for ~8 hours each day, and had their afternoon snack there too. They seem to have adapted quite well. That's it: this is the final plan my wife and I had that would allow us to juggle our respective full-time occupations, a little child, and a baby. This arrangement with private daycare is still demanding at times (and it's quite expensive for us), but we're now in cruise control: if it works, we made it.
On Monday, my wife and I walked to the Škoda dealer nearby to see an Enyaq iV 80 — again. In the evening, we did some more “research” into the pros and cons of owning that kind of car. By Wednesday, we (mostly I) had decided that we would buy it. And on Friday we came back and actually ordered the thing. No wonder all the hesitation: it's going to be our most expensive purchase to date. Just “my half” of the car alone is by far the most money I've spent on anything, ever. In fact, I have “broken” a few of my own rules about frugality on this one.
Over the weekend we met family and friends, and went to the park together. We took Miss Entropy to the public library again, where she borrowed another book. She had a running nose, with thick green snots and irritated nostrils, by the way. She can't breathe well at night.
My wife and I considered some new flats that are under construction (due around summer or autumn this year) in a town close to where we live, but in the end decided they are not what we need.
Toot of the week:
[1] I say “short and occasional commutes” because I prefer not having to go to an office five days a week. More so when the commute is long (an hour or more each way). And especially if I have to drive or ride my bike instead of taking public transport (at least sitting or standing inside a carriage one can read!).