This month, I’m playing along with Project Reverb and Reverb14. There are different prompts every day; I’ll pick and choose the ones that interest me.
DECEMBER 17 / What sort of work did you do in 2014? Was it new to you? Did you take on new responsibilities? Change jobs? Or take on a new task at home?
I’ve done 4 different jobs this year — my “main” job, plus a part-time rotation to the public affairs office (January-June), plus a rotation with the Chief Safety Officer for the space station (May-September), plus a stint as acting lead of my group while our usual lead is off on special assignment (September-November).
It’s been challenging, it’s been fun…and it’s made me ask a lot of serious questions about where my career might be heading and where I want it to go. For the first half of November, I thought I was going to be back 100% to my main job in January and to be honest, I wasn’t really thrilled with that idea. I enjoy it, don’t get me wrong — but after 4 years I kind of have it figured out. It doesn’t challenge me in the same way anymore, and it doesn’t fill all of my time anymore.
But the week after Thanksgiving, I was asked to go support the Chief Safety Officer for another 4 months. I was thrilled! I’m excited to have solid, exciting, challenging work ahead of me through the end of March…
…I’m just trying not to think about the fact that I have no idea what comes after that.
DECEMBER 17 / How can you stop being an a**hole, get out of your own way and make room for more of your magic to happen in 2015?
Ways to stop being an a**hole to myself: No more arbitrary deadlines for what are ultimately my hobbies, and therefore supposed to be fun. (I talked about this with Jess Lively and had my own little “aha” moment.) Also, seriously try to lower my standards for having a tidy, clutter-free house because it’s just never going to happen.
Ways to stop being an a**hole to my husband: Be a more agreeable wife. Sit down on the couch with Jose once in a while and just watch a show with him without simultaneously doing something else. Reinstate Saturday movie night? Also, no more scorekeeping. And also, remember that he can’t read my mind. (Duh.)
Ways to stop being an a**hole to others: Be on time. Don’t hoard information. Don’t say yes-then-no when I should have just said no from the start. Be nice.
