This week’s theme is WINTER. Boo! Hiss!

1. Where have you been that could best be described as a winter wonderland?
We had a crap-ton of snow here last year, so… New Jersey!

2. In what way might you describe this as the winter of your discontent?

While the yoots blog away about the quarter-life crisis I’m careening toward the middle of my life and most certainly the middle of my working life. When I took my job in 1999, I wanted to innovate, to design, to cultivate and grow the company’s website. But as the years passed, all of the design decisions were taken over by the corporate office. Leaving us here with heaps of data entry, no design input and really precious little infrastructure input. And no marketing money to fight off the competition. While I don’t agree with those decisions I understand why they were made.

So I’m thinking: is this where I want to work the rest of my days? Do I toss away my desire to “make a difference” so I can stick with my 4 weeks vacation & 3 personal days per year? Don’t forget my unpaid furlough week to be taken in March.

Now, take a look at stories about the newspaper industry (or read between the lines of the furlough comment above) and you’ll understand that this decision on whether or not to continue here may not even end up being my decision to make! I could be out on the cold streets pounding the pavement with a flash drive full of nothing. Then won’t I be sorry?

Speaking of which, a large chunk of what I do now will be taken over by the corporate office in March. (nervous laugh)

Aren’t I a buzz-kill?

3. What was the last wintergreen-flavored thing you tasted?

Wint-O-green Lifesavers. Eat’em in front of the bathroom mirror with the lights out and they spark!

4. Is there anyone in your life who could be nicknamed Old Man Winter?

WM is quite fond of cold, snow, and the absence of sunlight.

5. Now that the holidays have passed, is there anything good about the winter that remains?

NOTHING! BRING ON THE SUMMER! I hate this crap! I HATE WINTER!

This week’s Friday Five topic is one near and dear to my heart: SLEEP. I love my sleep. I am a champion sleeper. I can sleep pretty much anywhere and through anything. It’s a gift!

Away we go!

1. How many hours’ sleep do you need in order to be at your best, and what’s the minimum you can get on a regular basis and still be functional?

To be my best, I’m an 8 hour girl. Used to be 10. But in order for me to get that 8 during the week, I have to be in bed by 10:30 and I’m usually wide awake at thet time, so I usually get about 6.5 hours.

The bare minimum I can have and be functional is 4 hours. I’ll be functional, but unhappy.

2. What’s your favorite sleeping position?

On my right side, with two artfully stacked pillows. I don’t like to be flat…ideally I’d be like this __/ but I don’t have bed pillows with enough gumption to get me to that angle. I sleep better on the sofa, if you can believe that.

3. What was the cause of your most recent difficulty sleeping?

Worry.

Sunday night I worried about getting back to work after furlough. Monday afternoon I received a call about some blood work I had done – my “thyroid” is “low” (that’s all I was told) and I have a followup appointment with my doctor this coming Monday. I don’t WANT to have a bum thyroid. I don’t WANT to have to start taking medicines to regulate it. I’m AFRAID to start mucking around with my body’s basic functions. I feel FINE. I AM fine. So I’ve been worried about that.

Also, I have two teachers in my life whom I care about greatly. One can’t find a teaching job and the other might be affected by the statewide cuts to school districts. I worry about both of them. I have a huge project I’m supposed to be working on at work that I can’t find the time to work on due to other things on my task list.

I am one writhing ball of worry right now, Mister Friday Five. It is a wonder and a marvel that I can actually converse with people right now.

4. When you can’t seem to drift off to sleep right away, what are some things you do to bring about sleep?

I love visualization. I imagine floating out of my window and down the nearby major road, looking down at all the little shops. I imagine being back here. I imagine the action-movie screenplay that’s in my head that I’ll never write because I have no idea how to write a screenplay. But it’s kick-butt.

5. When did you last doze off at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate place?

Days before I quit being a manager here (still the right decision) I had to go to our corporate office for a meeting. It was 2006 and I was dealing with the separation/divorce & the impending job change. The meeting was held in a large auditorium and I dozed off in my seat. One of my manager buddies woke me up. It was VERY embarrassing!

***

Wt: 164.0. Down 16.4 pounds.

Dream: I woke up to find a coworker in bed with me. I had no idea he was there, as he snuck in after I went to sleep and nothing happened. WM was not pleased. Nor was I.