Back to Work

For real. I'm going back to work starting next week doing what I did before. Taxes. (Different company.)

I literally applied for this gig voluntarily which is insane. Why would anybody do that?

Why would I do that? I guess, at the heart of it is boredom. I've be out of the work force for three years and I've enjoyed it. Treasured it, actually. While I thought I would write more (I clearly haven't), I did read more and walked more (having completed several half marathons). I picked up knitting and baking and I spent a lot of quality time with my grandkids whom I absolutely adore.

On the other hand, summers can be long and boring here in the southern California desert. When it's 90 degrees outside at 6 am, you just can't go outside for much of anything. That's when I order my groceries online because leaving a car in the sun for even a few minutes drives up the car's interior temperature well above 100. Door handles are too hot to touch. Seatbelt buckles are a hazard. There's not much to do unless you can do it inside where it's air conditioned.

It's not bad for short periods but for months on end, it can get a little tedious. A summer job or a part time job would be great solutions where I'd have something to do and could earn a little money.

But tax preparers are in demand in the Spring. So, what started as a search for something to do turned into a full time job (albeit a seasonal one). Go figure. The job will end just about the time I'll want to find something to do indoors.

I think I'll enjoy the work if I can manage the stress. Knowing there's an end date helps. (The gig is only 10 weeks long.) I've already reached my half marathon goal for 2026 so I can scale that back until next winter. The job is paid hourly and I will be working from home. For those reasons, I'm hoping it will be flexible enough that it won't interfere with my time with my grandkids.

And if it doesn't work out - if it doesn't make me happy - I don't have to do it. That's the beauty of it. Also, gobs of stress does produce some funny material for me to write about so I may end up writing more after all.

Wish me luck.

(I already have a supply of chocolate on hand and plenty of coffee.)