The Other Half of the Day

Having just started my job a little more than 2 months ago, I have obviously been very focused on making a good first impression, settling in, and doing my work well. I have learned a lot in the short amount of time I've been there and want to continue to be focused on making my way towards my own client. However, recently I have realized that there is the whole other half of my day that I have been neglecting a bit - my home life.

I have neglected it because when I get home from work I am tired, I want to just sit and relax, and I have been gone many weekends so I haven't really been able to just thoroughly enjoy my apartment. The last couple of weeks I have set out to do just that.

Now I have been hampered just a bit with this enjoying business - right now it's about 85 degrees inside my apartment, and though a cool front is coming tonight it doesn't seem to be coming soon enough for me. You see, some crazy thing is wrong with my air conditioner and though I was able to catch it yesterday, the part they need to fix it won't be available until tomorrow (Monday). So bummer for trying to enjoy it because a hot apartment is a bit less than comfortable, but this is just part of an apartment or home - stuff breaks.

So, due to my lack of focus on my apartment living, I decided to go to a community meeting last Thursday. Several from the apartment complex gathered to speak to the manager and the three courtesy security officers that are present to help with issues at any time. I enjoyed the meeting because it was an opportunity to understand what kind of security is offered here, as a single girl can't get enough of that, but it was also an interesting view of some of the residents.

Here we had several complainers bring their grievances to the meeting. They were quite amusing (to me and several other residents) after a while. Their bitching went on even though the security officers had explained what the problem was or how they were going to take measures to fix it. But I think the most amusing thing was how out of touch one woman was about security and apartment living. She wove an elaborate web of encounters, she's just certain that all sorts of drug deals go down here at night, but then changed up her story and said that it was all hearsay. She wanted people to volunteer and take 1 hour shifts to patrol the complex. It was pretty obvious that she didn't get out a lot and I realized how caught up people can get in one thing.

Aha, a lesson. Though I'm not as in touch with the apartment complex as that woman, perhaps I can dial it up a bit. I do need to be aware of security issues and it made me feel safer just going to the meeting and learning what the security officers can do for me if needed. But it does feel nice to have many, varied outside interests instead of focusing on just one. It can't be just work, not just my apartment, not just thinking about friends and family - they all kind of swirl around, buzzing in at different times of the day. It's about striving for balance.

So I'm going to watch out for any crazies, as always, but do that in many different atmospheres ('cause crazies are everywhere!). :p