For most of this week, I will be alone at work. Because of a screw up in HR, most everyone is taking off this week because they’d lose their time otherwise. Because I am paid through a different program, this didn’t affect me. I still have all my vacation time. So while everyone enjoys a week off, I will be holding down the fort. We do have one part-time employee that the HR error didn’t affect. She may be in some of the week, but she might be working out of the office too. Even so, most of the week, I will have the office to myself. I have a few minor projects to work on, but nothing to keep me busy the whole week. I will definitely be doing some reading while everyone is gone.

In yesterday’s blog…

Susan wrote:

While an understandable emotion in this situation, in fact you have nothing to feel guilty about. You stated you love your job so the issue is its non-permanence. Anyone in this predicament would seriously consider trying to find employment elsewhere. No employer can or would expect an employee to work under the threat of eventual job loss. If your leaving would put them in a bind, then perhaps they should reconsider the status of your position. Good luck with your search. ❤ 

Anonymous wrote:

The shortness of your blog entries and the lack of any enthusiasm for life in small town New England makes clear that your present job, while it rescued you in the nick of time, is not what you want or need. If the funding for your position is at risk, then you have a full justification for looking for another post of the same kind, for which you now have experience. 

The above were my two comments from yesterday’s post entitled “Guilt.” Let me address Susan’s first. I know I shouldn’t feel guilty. I’m a loyal person though and it bothers me that I may disappoint my current coworkers. However, my job is uncertain at this point and who knows where I will be in two years. This job came open and I had to apply. In my opinion there was little choice in the matter. Besides, I just need to get over myself because the other job may not even consider me a worthwhile candidate.

As for Anonymous’s comment, it is true that my blog posts have become shorter since I moved here. There are several reasons for that. When my friend died 18 months ago, I lost my muse. He was very good at giving me suggestions to write on or sparking something inside me to compel me to write about that. Now that muse is gone. Second, small town New England is quite boring. There just isn’t that much going on, and to be truthful, though I love my coworkers, they aren’t a really exciting bunch. There are topics I could go on and on about such as Donald Trump or what I miss about the South, but then my blog would have a negative feel to it and I don’t want that. I would miss a few things about up here. For one I love how close I am to Montreal. I’ve only been once but I’ve been planning to go back. I have some vacation time I need to take.

Anyway, there you have it. I’m off to Boston this morning. I won’t be back until tomorrow, but I’ll post something for tomorrow’s blog.

This week, I applied for a new job. I love my job, but I wish it was closer to home. Also, my job may turn out to be a temporary project, so there is no guarantee that I’ll have a job in a few more years. So I applied for a new job closer to home. It would be at one of the best universities in the South. I don’t know why I feel guilty about applying, except I’d leave my current employer in a major bind. However, I may not even be considered for the job I applied for. In the meantime, I’ll probably still feel guilty until I find out one way or another about this other job.

It’s going to be a busy week. Today I have a meeting in the afternoon and then I have to leave early to get my rental car for a trip Tuesday. Tuesday, I’m driving down to Worcester, Mass. for a workshop. Wednesday I will be driving back from Worcester and returning the rental car which should get me to work sometime around noon. I’m not sure what’s in store Thursday or Friday, but if the first part of the week is any indication, then it should be busy also.

Are Mondays anybody’s favorite day? It means we return to work after the weekend off. At least that’s the way it is for most of us. I’ll be honest, I’d rather have another day off. Thank goodness there is coffee. At least that will give me a little boost. I’ll need that little boost to get through the day. There is a lot going on at work today, so I need to be at my best.

I have today off because I have to work Saturday. Since I have today off, I’m sleeping in. There isn’t much more to write about, so I’ll leave it at that.

I wish I could be Mr. Happy, but I got some potentially bad news about my job yesterday. It’s only potentially bad news, but it was enough to trigger my depression again. I had my depression under control, but occasionally there are setbacks and yesterday was one of them.

I would say that it’s been a long week, but it hasn’t been. With the exception of yesterday, the week has kind of flown by. Yesterday was a bit of a snore. I had a few things to do, but I accomplished them fairly quickly, far quicker than I’d expected. That’s the only problem with my job. I have things to do. I do them. They don’t take that long, and then I have nothing to do. Unlike my colleagues who have more than they can do, I have things that take relatively little time. There are a few things in the works and once we meet certain goals, I will be much busier. Until then though, I get my work done and then discreetly look at Facebook, read the news, or go gossip with a colleague. Just fifteen more interviews and I will be busy, busy, busy working on the book that will come out of these interviews. I can’t wait to get started.

Several people have asked how my interview last Friday went. It was a pretty important interview and it went really well. My interview subject got off topic a few times but I was able to guide him back to where I wanted him to be. It was a good experience. I have another interview today. This guy seems very talkative, so it should be a good interview. Fingers crossed.

Luckily, I have had a string of interviews in the new year. I’m hoping for a few more so that I can travel a bit and see more of New England. While I can easily go on my own to explore New England, it’s nice when someone else is payin for it. Anyway, things are good at work. I love when I get to do research for various projects. My writing skills are actually valued. I really don’t have any major complaints.