Lollygagging on a Tuesday (pics)

What a difference a year makes.  I feel as though I have been able to really enjoy life again.  In September 2012, I quit my job at Williams-Sonoma after being with the company for 8 years.  That's a long time if you are only 30 years old.  I felt a sense of loyalty and allegiance to not only (most of) the people I worked with, but the company as a whole.  But after years of being underpaid, overworked, and commuting a minimum of an hour and a half each day, I made a change.

It was so scary.

I knew I was fully capable of working for another company, but I was afraid that I wasn't going to be any happier.  But, so far, this story has a happy outcome.  I work 40 hour weeks, I feel as though I make a difference at work, I'm home by 8pm at the latest, I never set my alarm for 4:30am, and my commute is half the distance.  Sure, there are some new challenges that come with a new job.  But the only way I miss my old job is like how I miss ex-boyfriends.  There are good memories, but there is a reason that it now just part of my past.

Why delve into this? Because I forgot what it was like to have free time.  I have time to run without it feeling like an extra burden.  I can bake and cook.  My house gets cleaned.  I get to see Adam with his eyes open and have actual conversations with him every single day.  I can take an hour long lunch and see an old friend (which I did yesterday!).  I can do my work AT WORK and not spend my days off doing it. 

This week I had associate reviews to do which coincidentally I was working on the same exact week last year at my old job.  I went back and read a blog from March 7th of last year and I was doing reviews at home.  After working 13 hour days.  Ugggggh!!!! This year, I completed them all at work and stayed only late an extra hour to get them all done.  Woot!

I woke up and did the crossword:



I ran 2 miles (lame, I know, but it's taper time).

I had time to stop and smell the:

Okay, they are daffodils, not roses, but hey, it's a little early for that just yet.
I cleaned the bejesus out of my house today.  Less exciting, but necessary.
Then I baked:

Then I got around to important tasks.  Like catching up on Loop posts.  Sweet!

I don't want to jinx myself since I do have to work tomorrow and I was just lollygagging around today on my day off.  I could be in for a horrendous day without even knowing it!  But all this happiness that my new job has given my personal life has made me less stressed in general.  Methinks this happy Carissa is pretty freakin' fantastic!!!!!!!!