8 Days a Week

On Day 11 of 30 Days of Blogging, I'm taking on a topic suggested by my friend and former staff member, Jen:

A day in the life of Joel

I thought about this a lot, because I couldn't decide which day to pick. I don't really have a normal day, which is one of the things I love about my job. On a base level I guess I do, in that five days a week I go to work, eat lunch, and go home, but usually every one of my days is a little similar and a little different at the same time. With that in mind, here's a look at my week, instead, as I think a survey of several days will better convey a typical one.

I went in to work early two days this week. One was to get some stuff done before the phones in the office could start ringing, and one was for a breakfast meeting.

I stayed late four days this week. Two were for evening programs, and two were because I just needed to finish some things before I left for the night.

I fell asleep on my fainting couch while watching television twice this week. I've missed the last three episodes of "Bates Motel" because Monday just seems to leave me exhausted. I have no idea why, because Monday wasn't any more strenuous than any other day.

I went to two candidate interviews this week, to help fill a position for another office. I would have had three, but one today cancelled.

I had thirteen scheduled meetings this week. At one I was elected to a co-chair position for next year, one was for a student I know to interview me for his class project, one was a tour of the new residence hall opening in August, and one was scheduled for one purpose but turned out to be something else entirely because a need arose and we already had the time blocked. This tally does not include other meetings that I was pulled into, or unscheduled meetings where people dropped in at my office or I dropped in at theirs. I'm happy to work at a place where, if we need something from another office nearby, we all feel comfortable just walking down the hall instead of having to call or email someone to schedule something.

I found out that I was nominated by a student for an award this week. This doesn't happen on a typical day. I was honored. I'm not sure when I find out if I won.

I went to Kroger twice this week. I have become utterly incapable of writing a grocery list that will carry me through more than four days, which is why I always seem to need milk or bread right at the moment that snow is supposed to come.

I ate lunch five times this week. One was with a coworker, three were alone with a book, and one was a sad, soft even though it was toasted Tennessee bagel at my desk.

I had sandwiches for dinner twice. I can't remember at all what I had for dinner one night this week. I may not have eaten.

Today I answered 22 phone calls at work. I also returned three from yesterday. This is pretty average for the school year. In summer there are more.

I sent 321 emails this week from my account. This does not include automatic emails that I send daily from the department account. These are emails that I type myself, and which can involve anywhere from thirty seconds to several hours of work, depending on what the email was about. This is average for this time of year. In the summer, the total for the week will be closer to 500, depending on what point of summer we are at.

I attended one pottery sale on campus this week. The proceeds support scholarships for art students.

I didn't make it to the comic store this week. I hope to over the weekend.

I woke up in the middle of the night long enough to get out of bed for a half hour and try to make myself tired again one time this week. There's never anything good on television at three in the morning, but my mind apparently keeps thinking I need to check.

My neighbor parked in my space one time this week. We don't have assigned spaces, but everyone knows that one is mine.

I thought about sending my imaginary mob-connected cousins, Jimmy the Hammer and Johnny No-Thumbs, over to break my neighbor's knees one time this week. My actual mob-connected relatives don't have cute nicknames.

I used the snooze button four times this week. Three of them were yesterday.

I set my alarm wrong and woke up at four in the morning one time this week. I need to work on that.

I got mail at work every day this week. I got mail at home one day, because all of the other days I didn't want to stop at the box.

I ironed a shirt four times this week. I wore a tie all five days. I received compliments on my tie or my tie and shirt combination four days this week, including today, when I wore a tie for the first time after buying it over a month ago.

I have plans for the weekend.

I will spend the weekend alone.