Note to Self: What I’ll Miss if I Return to a Day Job

I need this reminder — just in case

I compiled a short list to remind me of what I’ll miss if I get back to a routine-driven dawn-to-dusk full-time job.

Coffee

Yes. That’s top on my list. Unless I am working from home, and have time to brew my own coffee, I will miss this the most. Right now, I have the luxury of perfectly handcrafting my morning and evening coffee just the way I want it — down to the last centimeter of froth on top. Yup, I’d miss that.

Birds

Oh, how much they chatter all through the day. They have so much to say to each other. So many stories to share. If only I could understand, I’d tweet the stories out too. But it is such fun to listen to their urgent chattering. A regular job in a corporate building made me tone-deaf. I only heard the constant thrum of all the computers.

Space

I don’t mean space as in outer space. At my day job, I could not afford the time or the luxury of simply staring into space. If I were to be caught doing that, people might have branded me as a work shirker, a procrastinator, and who knows what else. So, no, I never indulged in space staring at work. But now…

Sunsets

Oh yes! I will miss those stunning sunsets that I have been blessed enough to see. Every evening, I’ve been able to catch the most amazing sunsets one can hope for within a crowded city skyline. I even managed to capture the beauty of Uttarayan, the Sun’s northward movement.

In all my years working full time, I might have seen a few dozen sunsets during weekdays. I simply cannot afford to miss any more splendid shows!

Old songs

Sometime during the mid-morning, my father-in-law comes over to have a cup of my yummy coffee. During this time, he asks me to play some old favorite songs of his — just a couple. Sometimes these are Carnatic classical melodies and sometimes we play Tamil movie songs from long ago. Regardless, these are songs I’d never think to listen to by myself. For those 10 minutes, I am transported to a happy time from long ago — when I was in school and my parents were young. Sigh!

Fresh food

I used to carry lunch to work. I did heat it in the microwave before eating. But that only made it hot, not fresh. At home, I have the luxury of eating just-cooked food. That is nothing short of a blessing. I will surely miss that if I return to corporate life.

And more

I am sure there are other things. I’ll probably keep this list open and add to it regularly. I must remember to come back and read this often lest I go astray and get myself a real job! 🙂