Out of the Zone Again

 For the past two years (give or take), I've been working from home.  It has been many things.  It has been strange.  It has been stressful.  It has awkward.  It's also become comfortable.  It wasn't at first, but it most definitely has become a place where I can comfortably get work done.  In fact, I'm confident in saying that I've more productive here than I would be in an office setting.  Since I had nowhere to go, I easily turn on my computer early in the morning and get a fresh start often before 7.  It's when I feel I am at my best and see things most clearly.  Of course, if I see that a question or an issue has come up after I've had dinner, I often address that too.  

However, I am being pulled out of my comfort zone and I'm not too happy about that.  (Who would be?)

It's not about returning to an office.  It's about commuting to a new office which presents challenges that I had not have before.  It's about my lack of control (which I know is just an illusion, but I like my illusion!) in the direction which my work life is taking me.  It's about my reluctance to "suck it up."  It's also I realize, a (relatively) privileged whine.

One of the benefits of working remotely/from home is that there is no commuting cost.  With the price of gas being higher than ever returning to commuting will take a bigger chunk out of my income.  I would be willing to "suck it up buttercup," however, I am not returning to the office that I worked in when I was hired until March 2020.  That office was closed.  Management made the decision to consolidate offices (which makes sense) and set up a new base in Newark, NJ.  

Now distance wise, the commute to the new (not yet opened office) is about the same for me.  What is NOT the same for me is the additional cost:  parking.  In my former location there was a nice big FREE lot.  Not so is the case in Newark, where the cheapest I could find per day was around $20.  (Although that would be lower if I purchased a monthly pass.)  To show how old I am, $20 is a good chunk of change in my book.  (Before you ask:  “Consistent with our T&E policy, travel from an employee's residence to a home office/normal place of business is treated as a commuting expense and is not reimbursable.") To avoid that, I can pay approximately $7 a day (again this would be lower if I purchased a monthly pass) and take a bus to the light rail station in Newark and then take the light rail into Penn Station in Newark.  This option is not as convenient as having a car (you are at the mercy of public transportation and if you read my post back in January 2020:  https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2020/01/illusion-of-control.html and https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2020/01/out-of-control.html) and is more time consuming.  Add on anxiety (which is completely stupid and irrational, but there it is) on doing all this and I so want to crawl back into my comfort zone and never come out.

Finally, while I have yet to see the unfinished office in person (which is the reason I am heading to Newark tomorrow; to check it out), from the photos/drawing I have seen there are no cubicles (I LOVED my big, safe cubicle :) 

  Plus it had a really cool view!  

Instead I will be alloted a "work station" that looks something like this (with NO windows):
In an endemic world (we are not out of the woods yet), this set up seems uncomfortable to me.  (To say the least).  Furthermore, I don't think my neighbors are going to be thrilled with the daily scheduled calls I make.  (Heck, my husband isn't thrilled and we share a larger home office space.)

Of course, I'll admit I'm jumping the gun here.  I haven't actually seen the space.  I don't know how many days I will be required to work in the office.  (And I will be required:  "we believe we are a better Company when employees are working together in an office."  Never mind the fact that the people that I interact with on a regular or daily basis will not be based out of this office.  In fact, prior to the pandemic, there were months where I was the only one in the company/division in the office suite.  Most days there were less than a dozen people in the office and although there was definitely social interaction we had no actual business to discuss.)  Maybe this won't be so bad, but...

 Tune in later this week to see if pessimistic Bfth has reason to be Debbie Downer or will she have a sudden change in heart.  (Don't count on it folks.)  No matter what happens (laugh or cry), you KNOW that there will be something to post about.  Until then... say a prayer and wish me luck!


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