Thinking Out Loud #28

January 17, 2019
Thinking out loud

Puh, I am still in a bit of a funk (can you tell?), but I am trying to get back to a more regular routine and that includes blogging. I am still catching up from after the holidays, but since we’re actually halfway through January, I thought I’d do a little check-in with you guys by linking up with Penny from Penny’s Passion for Thinking out Loud .

+ I am still furloughed, in case you were wondering (and if you haven’t followed the news). And just FYI, it’s not like vacation and being forced to sit at home is slowly but surely getting old. Of course, I feel worse for all the workers who are forced to work without pay and contractors and other collaterally impacted workers (who will also most definitely not going to see back pay). All this to say, this shutdown needs to end. Soon. 

+ Looking at my pay stub this week (Net Pay: $0.00), made me want to weep into my morning coffee. It’s surreal and infuriating at the same time. I don’t really know what to do with myself (and this coming from me is practically unheard of, because the word ‘boredom’ is foreign to me). It’s not like I don’t have things to do, I can easily keep myself busy, but nothing ‘feels right’. I’ve had time to run, work on my knitting and my bullet journal, and various other little projects, but I still feel like I am just ‘floating’ right now. Does that make sense?

+ I might be entirely too excited that I received my Mom’s Christmas package this week. I mean, it’s three weeks late and I had so many bad experiences with the postal service in recent years that I was convinced it was either lost or would arrive ripped apart and with half the contents missing, BUT it’s here, in one piece with all its contents and I am the happiest.

+ We’ve had on and off rain in the last couple of weeks (not complaining, we need it!) with some heavier storms mixed in between. I love this season for the fact that it gives me an excuse to cook ALL THE SOUPS. I made a modified version of this Tuscan Lentil Stew this week and it was so, so good.

What’s on your mind today?

  1. Tobia | craftaliciousme

    January 17, 2019 at 3:32 pm

    I am also having a really hard time getting this year started. However I can not imagine being forced into sitting at home. Hope you can make the best of the time and find joy in boredom. Hang in there.

    1. san

      January 22, 2019 at 9:07 pm

      Thank you, I am definitely trying to use this time as best as I can.

  2. Lisa of Lisa's Yarns

    January 18, 2019 at 7:02 am

    I’ve been thinking about you when following the news about the government shutdown. I feel so bad for all those who are being impacted. It really sucks that you guys are all pawns in this stupid debate about a wall. I hope there will be ramifications for Trump’s behavior but I don’t have a lot of faith in the American people honestly. He has such a strong base that thinks he can do no wrong.

    What’s on my mind is that I’m bummed that I caught Paul’s cold. One of us is ALWAYS sick! Paul and I were sick over Christmas and literally the day we started feeling better Phil came down with a nasty cold that lasted 2 weeks and just when he started to feel better, Paul came down with a cough/cold and now I have it! Bleh! Stupid daycare germs!!

    1. san

      January 22, 2019 at 9:09 pm

      Thank you. I really hope that this will have longterm consequences for Trump, because then I could at least feel it wasn’t all for nothing. Ugh.

      I am so sorry to hear you guys have been taking turns being sick. I heard from so many new parents that this is the case, because kids constantly bring germs home from daycare. :(

  3. Marie

    January 18, 2019 at 8:52 am

    Oh friend, I am so sorry. :( This furlough business is the absolute worst. And I know what you mean. The atmosphere around these parts as well is…terrible. People need their damn paychecks. Federal workers and contractors are essentially being held hostage right now and it’s disgusting.

    So glad that package from your mom came intact, even if it was 3 weeks late. I’m sure that brightened up your day seeing it. I’m also not sure why getting something from across the pond has to be quite so difficult.

    Here’s to hoping you get a paycheck soon with proper numbers on it reflecting your salary and back pay.

    1. san

      January 22, 2019 at 9:10 pm

      Thanks friend. I know I can always vent to you – you feel all the political shenanigans so intensely, but I sure am glad that your work isn’t impacted by this stuuuupid shutdown.

  4. Cynthia

    January 18, 2019 at 9:46 am

    I’m so sorry to hear about your furlough and I hope it ends soon, although I don’t feel so optimistic about it. It is so ludicrous how many people this affects for just for a proud, political power move. I have much to say, but will spare you and just say I hope that you get your groove back soon!
    Your knitting above is GORGEOUS by the way! And glad you received your package! I got one from my mum a few days after Christmas and was expecting it to be much longer….

    1. san

      January 22, 2019 at 9:11 pm

      Thank you, Cynthia. I know it must look all really ridiculous what’s going on in your home country from the distance.
      Packages from Moms are the best, am I right? :)

  5. Lacey

    January 18, 2019 at 10:03 am

    I’m sorry about your “floating” and I totally know what you mean. Being furloughed must be terrible! Hang in there <3

    1. san

      January 22, 2019 at 9:11 pm

      Thanks friend.

  6. Eva

    January 18, 2019 at 10:29 am

    I’m irritated on your behalf about the furlough! So infuriating! Wishing and hoping the best for you, but sadly, I don’t have a lot of hope that it will end soon :(

    1. san

      January 22, 2019 at 9:12 pm

      Thank you, I do try to be hopeful, but yeah, it’s pretty difficult right now.

  7. Cait

    January 18, 2019 at 8:38 pm

    Being furloughed sounds awful. I’m sorry you’re going through this (along with everyone else who’s affected). I would hate having that “floating” feeling – I’m sure I would enjoy the first few days, but eventually you lose structure to your day and it just feels kinda ‘blah.’ Is there an opportunity to temporarily volunteer somewhere, even for one or two days a week, just so you have some kind of structured activity during the day?

    1. san

      January 22, 2019 at 9:14 pm

      It really is the strangest feeling… the first days weren’t so bad (it was the holidays and most people had planned to take time off anyway), but after New Year’s when the first paycheck didn’t come and you didn’t know when you would go back to work, it really started to feel strange…. I should look into volunteering.
      I mean, I am not bored (by any means), just mentally “unsettled” and definitely need to get out of the house for a few hours. Needless to say, I’ve been running a lot. :)

  8. Debbie @ Deb Runs

    January 19, 2019 at 6:08 pm

    I hope your mom’s package gave you the pick-me-up you needed. I’m both impressed and jealous of your knitting skills!

    1. san

      January 22, 2019 at 9:17 pm

      The package definitely came at the right time :) and thank you, I think the yarn needs to get all the credit :)

  9. Akaleistar

    January 20, 2019 at 11:17 am

    I’m so sorry you are being affected by the shutdown. I hope it ends soon!

    1. san

      January 22, 2019 at 9:19 pm

      Thanks, I hope so too :)

  10. terra

    January 26, 2019 at 5:12 am

    Still mad the shutdown went on for so long and hoping it doesn’t happen again in three weeks. It’s insane the way some of our leaders have behaved during this whole thing and it shows how out of touch they are. I’m so angry for everyone furloughed, especially those contractors who won’t be getting paid for the work they were forced to miss. We owe everyone, and the nation, more than this sort of crap.

    1. san

      January 26, 2019 at 7:34 pm

      It’s been pretty ridiculous and I am seriously curious what’s going to happen on the 15th. I honestly don’t think they’ll shut us down again, but Trump might pull the state of emergency card.

  11. Megan @ Meg Go Run

    January 26, 2019 at 7:36 am

    I’m so sorry the shutdown has you furloughed. It infuriates me how many people are affected. Of course there are the furloughed, those forced to work without getting paid… And then I have a friend who was ready to close on the sell of his house but with the shutdown, the buyers could not get their USDA loan processed, so he was just STUCK with his house paying mortgage, etc, while he was living somewhere else. It’s affecting so many people for NO FREAKING REASON other than the president is throwing a tantrum

    1. san

      January 26, 2019 at 7:37 pm

      The shutdown has really had far reaching repercussions, far beyond us federal workers being furloughed. So, so many people rely on government services and then the TSA and airport traffic controllers basically make life easier for EVERYBODY. This shutdown was ridiculous and shouldn’t have happened.

  12. Kate

    January 26, 2019 at 4:31 pm

    Oh my goodness, how did I forget that you were a government employee?! You’ve been furloughed this whole time?! UGH, I am SO sorry. I hope things are back to normal soon, that back pay comes quickly, & that you’re able to move forward & feel normal again ASAP. This shutdown has been so infuriating…

    1. san

      January 26, 2019 at 7:38 pm

      Yup, furloughed for exactly 5 weeks. It was a bit insane and I can’t wait for things to get back to normal.

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