Cabin Fever and Other Monday Morning Musings

This is the view from my office window.
While I’m stuck here at work, writing a summary of an advisory board meeting (yes, it’s as dull as it sounds), this diabolical tree is reminding me of the beautiful fall day that I am missing out on. By the time I leave this building, it will be dark and all outdoor activities will be discouraged. Mind you, I still intend on running 3-5 miles outside tonight because, quite frankly, running on the treadmill at the gym is about as boring as writing an advisory board meeting summary. Still, the sparkle and flash of a fall afternoon will be replaced by darkness, dead leaves blowing eerily across the empty street, and the uncanny feeling that someone is waiting in the bushes to accost me—hey, running at night has its risks.

I try very hard to be grateful of the blessings in my life (stop rolling your eyes, I do!). I try to appreciate the fact that I have a roof over my head, loving family and friends, a steady job, and enough in my bank account to pay for all of my Needs and a few of my Wants. Honestly, we’ve all been in the job market, and not having a job when you need one is SIGNIFICANLY worse than having one. And given my recent marriage debacle, I am all the more grateful that I’m in a warm, loving, supportive relationship with a man who I truly admire and respect.

But on days like today, I can’t help wonder what could have been if I had steered my career in a more active, outdoor direction. Does everybody struggle with the nine-to-five blues? Do most people feel that their best hours are spent in a job that does not quite match their personality? Am I the only one who feels like I don a mask and costume when I come to work, successfully playing the role of a responsible corporate adult when inside I just want to strip naked and run across a meadow (sorry, TMI…). Sometimes I look at my coworkers and wonder if they’re wearing a disguise as well, or if they define themselves by their office job. For some people, it’s obvious that they’re playing a role. For others, well, I’m not so sure. I look at some individuals and the office is reflected right back at me. And that makes me sad. Nobody in this environment should *be* their job. Teachers and firemen and artists are different. But in cubicle-land? Nobody should be defined by their grey-fabric walls and humming laptops. At least in my opinion.

But I’ll get off my soapbox now. In other news, the 5k was a wash. Brian’s roommate’s barking dogs kept me up until 3am, and in my book, 4 hours is NOT enough sleep to run a 5k on. So I’ll be looking for another 5k in the area – hopefully I’ll run one before Thanksgiving, so I can stay motivated and have the self control to avoid eating 20 lbs of turkey in one sitting.

And since my blog has been a little low on the LOLs recently, here’s a joke that was emailed to me by my sister:

Q: What do you get when you cross a donkey with an onion?
A: A piece of ass that brings tears to your eyes!

.....

I know….truly awful. That’s 5 seconds of your life that you’ll never get back. My apologies.

Now, back to writing this meeting summary - or watching paint dry. I'm having a hard time deciding which more exciting.