The new chapter

Hello my precious, how I missed you and our quiet little chats.

I have survived a full 60-hour work week! The transition from months of unemployment having ample time to live inside my head and explore its contents to a working life of long days, long commutes, new surroundings, new people and new subject material to learn has been very trying. But as with all major changes in life, situations become a whole lot tolerable with an adjusted positive attitude that involves counting the blessings, seeing the bigger picture and not forgetting to live in and enjoy the present moment.

Shu's new routine:

Mondays to Saturdays
4:40 - 5:50 am - Wake up and get ready to go to work
5:50 - 7:00 am - Commute
7:00 am - 5:30 pm - WORK
5:30 - 7:30 pm - Commute
7:30 - 9:00 pm - ME-time
9:00 pm - 4:30 am - Sleep aka, battery charging time

Sunday
8:00 am - 9:00pm - Have a life, tend to hobbies and relax


Let's spill a little about the new job, shall we?

On the downside, there is lesser time for self reflection, blogging, doing volunteer work, going exploring in parks and zoos, sightseeing, watching movies and TV series, socialising with close friends and tending to other hobbies with the long commutes and working hours. But it helps massively to have a phone with mobile internet to stay plugged to the internet (and have a book in the bag for reading pangs).

I am also now in an industry that has a 98% male workforce so it is quite intimidating to a sociophobe who prefers to stay in the shadows and not be troubled in any way. Most of my years until now have been spent living in a largely female-dominated sub-universe where things were quite peaceful, fun and even safe. So there is a lot of adjustment and learning involved to get along and co-exist with this new sub-species that is the male homo sapien.

On the upside, going to work during twilight hours, without the mad morning rush of half-awake people is refreshing. I dodge giant snails in my path and I hear things I usually don't, like water flowing under the manhole covers beneath the pavement and chants from a nearby Buddhist temple. There is a pretty awesome coffee/tea machine in the office that dispenses very high quality beverages so I'm a big huge fan of it. The food court there is by far the best one I have ever had in a work place and it comes with highly subsidised costs for staff.

Other than these perks, I am in a job that actually uses a significant portion of my grey matter unlike my previous desk-bound jobs and my work involves picking up things that are out of order (which can be deeply gratifying to a compulsive, perfectionist grammar-nazi). Best of all, I am paid to do it.

I think I am going to be alright.