Working from home

So one of the benefits of the new gig is that I get to work from home. It's a nice benefit, that actually increases my work day a lot more than I thought it would. Every day I'm in front of the computer around 7:50am, and sit there until 5:30ish.

Currently I'm set up at my kitchen table while I'm still cleaning up the basement office. It's convenient - the coffee pot is 5 steps away, the light from outside is perfect, and the house is quiet. I also get to look outside and watch the birds at the feeder.

It's weird, as much as I enjoyed taking hikes with my family while growing up and viewing the nature that was around, it's just not something that stuck with me. I'm too much a Gen X'er in the suburbs to want to go sleep on the dirt. I prefer my conditioned air, my mattress, my refrigerator, and oh yeah, my internet connection.

But I love watching the birds. The way they flitter around, always paranoid.

As I type this up there are 2 pairs of cardinals up and down on the feeder. The males will fly up, briefly fight with each other, then knock a bunch of seed down onto the ground for the females. This type of cooperative existence is inspiring in some kind of strange way. Working together to ensure everyone gets what they need to make it through the day. It's something simple that we all can learn from.