The first full week of staying and working at home has ended here. It has been strange, five days that seem like ten, not because they’re bad, because they’re different. I’ve seen cheeky expressions on Facebook about the tough things we’re being asked to do during the Covid19 crisis: stay at home and do nothing, stay away from people – an introvert’s dream come true. I do enjoy being at home and don’t mind being alone. Here is the desk I sit at as I write these posts.
Home, Monday thru Friday, is now the office of a newspaper executive and a graphic designer production artist. They work regular office hours, beginning around 8 a.m. and finishing at dinner time. My husband sits at our dining room table, the center of our home and family life. Here is Dave in his new office with a view, an upgrade from the windowless office in Wheeling.
When son Kyle leaves for work, he heads down to his basement bedroom to use his own computer, now linked to his office desktop screen. The work he is doing here can be seen on his office computer screen by anyone who is in the room where over twenty designers used to sit. During his two years at the Ogden ADS Center, Kyle has entertained his co-workers with displays of favorite movie characters and treated them with fun snacks. Yesterday was the 10th anniversary of the Dreamworks animated movie, How to Train Your Dragon, so Kyle worked up a display featuring the dragon named Toothless and e-mailed this photo to his supervisors and fellow workers-from-home.
He immediately received an e-mail expressing disappointment that he didn’t offer curbside pickup of dragon related snacks. At lunch time, Kyle comes up to the kitchen, fixes his usual packed lunch and takes it back downstairs. I fix something for Dave and I, and he moves from his “desk” to his seat at the table across from me.
This week has given me a deeper understanding and appreciation for what these two good men do for a living. While I go about my tasks, Dave often has his phone on speaker so he can access information on his laptop. He talks with men and women from many different locations, answering questions, giving instruction, putting heads together about best practices in these challenging circumstances. At times, a call begins with the slightly raised voice of someone who is struggling with a tough situation or technical problem. I admire how my husband listens carefully and responds thoughtfully. He deals with his own challenges and frustrations with patience.
Late yesterday afternoon, when Dave was struggling to locate a communication from a colleague, I was pleased to hear the other voice calmly say, “It’s been a long day, Dave.” Near quitting time today, a caller expressed how tired he is, not getting much sleep, with anxiety from multiple sources. I’m not the only one who is feeling tired, partly just from observing what a day at the office is like. Welcome, Weekend!