Time
- Two Fridays ago I spent an hour having virtual coffee with a friend, one with whom I can share laughs, frustrations, and anxiety about the work world. We work in the same field, and have frequent off the record conversations, probing tough questions, juggling our personal biases and beliefs with what we are required to implement in the work place. I always feel like I am better at my job, better as a colleague, and better in general after she and I meet. While not the same as in person, it really was better than just a phone call. We set one up for tomorrow as well.
- Two Saturdays ago, I spent over two hours between spreading out far and wide on blankets and taking a long walk with my mom friends. These are the moms, I became friends with as our daughters (DD2) became friends. Even though some of the girls, while friendly, do not really hang out as their lives evolved, these four ladies keep me young as they are all several years my junior. We're planning something similar as soon as we get the mix of free schedules and nice weather. I know-still hard to plan.
Resources
- We had to put the heat back on for a bit when it got cold this past weekend. However, we kept it to 65 and have grabbed a sweater or slipper socks as needed. We won't use air conditioning until the humidity kicks in.
- Used the rest of a bag of potting soil from last year, and all previously owned pots for my flowers. I do have a bit more left in the bag.
Money
- I did some on-line shopping at Kohls for baby gifts, future birthday presents, a Christmas Tree bag I eyed up in December, but didn't buy, and a couple long sleeve shirts for myself. All was on clearance, free delivery, and a bonus 30% off. While I didn't save $242 as estimated because I would never have paid the full price, I stayed under budget on two gifts, by $10 each, and I was in real need of the t-shirts. I wear them under suit jackets or sweaters, and cooler mornings.
- Our youngest received $200 from the college CARES funds. It's taxable, but will help off set her loss of work study/dining services job and can be used towards a book or two. If you have college kids, look and see if they were eligible for $200-$700 based on Expected Family Contribution. We knew she would be on the lowest end, but it will help.
- I used a free 8 by 11 print coupon at Walgreens to finally get a family picture form the Eiffel Tower made. It's not the best picture, but it was taken our first night in the city of lights.
- My MIL got a late e-mail from the grocery store that in efforts to help not waste dairy product from farmers, they had bags 5 pound bags of mozzarella for $5.99 while supplies last. I bought one for both of us. There was not a limit, but it was only 5:00 and I knew the supply they had would be go fast and didn't want to be greedy. Locally farmed and made cheese for $1.20 a pound is an incredible price, but sad that is happening to our producers.
The resources and money cross over each other. When I save resources, I'm not spending money, most of the time. On occasion doing the options that saves a resource will cost more, but not this week. I try and track the ones as actual savings or money to deposit into our accounts.
While the guidelines of today are to be loosened up a bit but still intend to limit any trips outside of our home to just essentials, part of this I think I can get behind long term. Is it really necessary to stop at stores 2-3 times or more a week, or wouldn't it continue to be a better use of my time, reviewing what we really need, and shop with lists. inorder of the store and get in and out quickly? Shouldn't I always be conscious of how much food and other product waste, maximizing every resource we have? Should people that are sick and would spread germs to others ever be made to feel guilty or be threatened with losing their jobs for staying home? Doesn't it make sense now to always offer a virtual meeting option rather than have people drive 10-20 minutes across the city for a one-two hour meeting? For our statewide meetings, can we save folks driving time by limiting to only one live meeting and all others webinar style? As for gathering with people, to me it makes sense to spend what time we have with people that make us happy. This time has made me realize who those pople are, and who I am fine with continuing to limit spending time with. That might sound a bit witchy, but true. What new ways might you be trying to keep in your life?
I am curious to see how much of the virtual meeting/work at home culture will continue when this is done.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure what it is like in your state, but here in Ontario we teachers have had many years (over my 20 year career) of "work to rule", where we limit our activities during difficult contract negotiations. One thing that usually happens is we will no longer cover for admin so they can go to meetings. Their meetings therefore become virtual. Guess what happens as soon as the job action ends? The meetings go back to being in person and taking the admin out of the building. I think fewer resources could be used if we would incorporate a bit of this into our regular lives. Our school board is a decent size (two hours drive from one end to the other) so a lot of time gets spent driving to the board office and money spent on travel expenses. I know there are times where meeting in person is important, but it is not always necessary.
I'll be very curious to see how much we can shift to remote work as well. I manage a global team, and am in the same time zone as about 1/3 of them. As it is, all of my international team is meeting remotely, although some of them sit together. I can now more definitively see there are things that are very useful in person, vs those things that can be handled via quick video calls. I hope we'll do a better job in the future of making those distinctions.
ReplyDeleteI agree with much of what Christy says above-the old ways may just come back. I too though am hopeful we all can make those distinctions of when it is value added to meet in person. I miss being able to do some in person old school work like white board drawing and visualizing things. I haven't mastered that virtually yet, but maybe.
DeleteI agree with Christy. When I worked in HR oh the bloody meetings!!! And I have NEVER been as busy as when I was in HR and we really couldn't afford the time for those meetings, particularly when a lot of it could have been handled in just minutes rather than hours. My oldest son actually works for WHO in Geneva and about a month ago helped put together a virtual meeting for over 700 participants who would, otherwise, have flown in from all around the world. He said it cost just 240 Swiss francs for the zoom app. Of course meetings can't always be done this way but a helluva lot of them sure can!
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine the cost savings-I'm trying to do the math in my head of 700 times the travel costs-has to be at least $1,000,000 US dollars! Even my state team meetings cost no less than $1,500 for a day long meeting,not to mention the travel time for some that lose up to eight hours just in driving.
DeleteI know. Plus hotels, plus per diems etc. It's not always possible because they need interpretation and so on but I have to admit that was my first reaction too!
DeleteWhen I worked, (H.R, btw, Treaders) I can't tell you the number of times I'd walk in the door griping to my husband "Another day of meetings which could be handled with a single memo."
ReplyDeleteI do hope that when the schools reopen, there will be less of a push on the behalf of parents to pop their sniffling, sneezing, goopy nosed kids on the bus and off to school with the thinking "it's just a cold." As it stood in our district, if a kid is absent for more than two consecutive days, excused or otherwise, the district's attendance office would automatically send a "nastygram" to the parents' house, explaining the importance of attendance. I always found these wasteful, and downright insulting, frankly. That said, I DO NOT want to see a move to virtual schooling. If that is the case, I think the schools are doomed. Already, my friend who is tracking in our district, has received several dozen intent to homeschool forms for fall. Can't blame these parents, really. If they are going to be responsible for their kids' educations, they are going to do so on their own terms.
We all have had different and varying degrees of experiences, and those with kids still in school have had a tremendous change and pressure. That said I am getting quite weary of general dumping on the school system, who are doing the best they can with the resources they have. No one wants children to have sub par educational experiences. Granted, there is a lot that can improve, pre/post pandemic, with the the education system. Certainly distance education planning has fallen short for many students and their families and disparities have risen. I'd like folks to remember those same people are dealing with the impact of a global pandemic on budgets, resources, while needing to plan for different degrees of affluency and poverty, and family structures within their communities. This, while also being human beings themselves, who may have different levels of personal impact.
DeleteI am with you sister, why spend time with people that frustrate you. Oh that would be my husband, I forgot:) That is a great price on cheese. I feel bad for farmers that are not able to get there milk and other foods out. Here is is potatoes.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes am ashamed to think that I have not missed my husbands family really at all. I miss my siblings, I miss my friends, of course I miss my son, but I'd have not seen him now anyway. I know the food banks were the first to be able to access the low cost cheese, so will be distributed to families and individuals in need.
DeleteI paid $2.99 for 8 ounces of Kraft Chunk Cheddar. So, that is $5.98/lb. I would love to get any cheese for the price you paid.
ReplyDeleteGreat price, but sad reason for it being available.
DeleteI decided some time ago my time was better spent with people I really enjoyed being with. I did make exceptions for things that were important to my husband, and he did the same for me. It worked for us.
ReplyDeleteSusan
As I said to Kim above, I haven't missed my husbands family. I'm sure he has, but he too can only tolerate his siblings in small doses as well. They're OK people, just with different sense of priority, and views on life.
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