Archives for : work

Separating work from play and Open Lab 2011

It’s amazing.

Last month, when I blogged about all the things in my life that have been keeping me away from blogging consistently, I was determined for that to end. I was steadfast in my attempts to continue to blog, even in the presence of other distractions such as work and friends.

However, that did not work out as well as I had hoped, and for that I deeply apologize.

I found it surprisingly difficult to work up the type of mental stamina and drive needed to blog after a whole day of writing and editing. By working in the editorial field all day, it becomes difficult to disassociate the writing process from feeling like “work.”

So, instead I’d cook, go shopping, go for walks, catch up on television, come home for the weekend to see friends and family and even clean my new apartment.

Therefore, I have decided to make writing for this blog one of two New Year’s resolutions that I plan to maintain.
Most people, myself included, do not have a good track record committing to resolutions. But, I managed to stick with all of the ones I made last year, and I plan to do so again.

If I do not continue to update this blog, and I have some great ideas that I’m working on for you, you all have permission to POLITELY remind me via whatever means you deem necessary (within reason).

Lastly, while most people who know me well have been told in person, those who I do not speak to regularly may not be aware of one particularly delightful piece of news.

A guest blog that I wrote for scientific American earlier in 2011 has been awarded a place in a collection of the best scientific writing published online of the year, entitled “Open Lab 2011,” to be published in fall 2012 by Scientific American. The post, entitled Mirror images: Twins and identity focuses on what it is like to grow up as an identical twin and how important it is to carve out your own individual identity. Practically every single person I meet for the first time, when they learn I am a twin, will ask one of two questions: “Who’s older?” or “What’s it like having a twin?”

Writing that piece was one of the most enjoyable writing experiences of my career thus far, as not only was it an exploration of something that people find immensely fascinating, but it was also a highly personal experience to try to get people to understand what it is like having someone who is closer than a sibling or a significant other around all the time.

I am honoured, privileged and beyond thankful for the editors and judges who selected my piece of writing to be included in this collection. Thank you very, very much.

If you’d like to see the selection of the other articles/posts being included in the collection Open Lab 2011, please see the post here. They are all amazing writers and I feel extremely fortunate to be included among them.

Julie, Julia and Joe, and Feeling the Love at Work

*YAWN!*

It’s been a rough day for your Musings Master. Hell, it’s been a rough week and summer.

Let’s start from the beginning, as I’ve kept the humorous events of my life hidden for the past week.

I saw two movies over the weekend, Julie & Julia and G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra.

Joe was an interesting movie, and not in the good way. It was your standard popcorn high-action movie, with guys running fast, stupid dialogue (ex/ the standard, “hit it again, bitch!”), guys with their shirts off and women in skin-tight costumes. Well, that last one isn’t that bad! lol

The acting was sub-par, but some of the action scenes weren’t bad. It was a decent time waster, as I like to say.

The better movie was Julie & Julia. I saw it because I love Meryl Streep and I LOVE Amy Adams. Despite the estrogen to testosterone ratio being very out of whack and weighed heavily to the estrogen side, it was a very good movie. I really enjoyed it. It had some humour, some heart-warming moments, put a smile on your face, and made you quite HUNGRY (it is a movie all about cooking, after all).

I stick by this statement I told my Mom.

“Julie & Julia was a funnier movie than Apatow’s Funny People.” Doesn’t that seem illogical?

And at the end of J&J, people clapped. I see a lot of movies, and this is a very rare occurrence. When is the last time YOU remember clapping at a movie?

I have only done so a few times, as I only do so when a movie far surpassed my expectations or was simply amazing.

Spider-Man
Jurassic Park
Iron Man

As for the rest of the week, work has been slowly lurching towards its inevitable conclusion on Friday, like a wounded gazelle trying in vain to escape a lion who just took a large bite out if its thigh. Who I am in that comparison, I do not know.

And now for the ULTIMATE work story.

My last day at work is tomorrow (Friday), and I booked off the afternoon of Thursday (today) as I needed to go to school and get some forms, hand in others and obtain all my camera equipment. I booked off from 12:30 pm – 4 pm a few weeks ago. Remember this, it becomes important later.

There is an assistant who is not the best at her job because she constantly makes little mistakes and ask people to do parts of her job for her. When I had to hand in some completed articles at around 11:15 am today, she asked me if I was free for lunch, and this is how to conversation went:

Me – I am actually having lunch at 12, as I need to leave here at 12:30 pm.
Secretary – So, you won’t be here at 3 pm?
Me – No, I need to get all my camera stuff from school, and then get a refresher course with the camera
Secretary – So, no?
Me – *laughs* Yeah, no.
Secretary – Ohh, that’s bad.
Me – Why’s that bad?
Secretary – Well, we had a surprise farewell party for you at 3 pm. *pause*
Is there any way you can come after?
Me – Not really, 3 pm is when I am picking up the equipment, and then I need to check that it all works. And then bring ALL the stuff home.
Secretary – What about after that?
Me – I have no idea how long it will take to do all that. And then I’ll need to walk and take the bus all the way back to work, which will take around 40 minutes, for a party that would be over? Sounds a little pointless.

She then said she was going to speak to the boss and see if we could move it up.

About 5 minutes later, she walked into my cubicle and told me that the boss is super-busy (which is true), and cannot move it. So, there is nothing she can do.

So, to sum up, my work planned a FAREWELL PARTY for me, but neglected to see if I was even free at that time. But, they had it anyway, when I wasn’t even there. And there was going to be cake!

When asked if I could have a piece, the response I got back sums up my experience this entire summer.

“If we remember and don’t eat it all, we’ll try to save you a piece of your own farewell cake.”

Can’t you just feel the love?