My work schedule is flexible.
I don’t mean my social media schedule, because that is not my full-time job, regardless of how often randos on the internet assume it is. I have a day job that requires my attention 40+ hours a week, and I do social media, and book writing, and newsletter writing, and parenting, and crying myself to sleep all on my own time.
Sorry to puncture the myth!
I also don’t mean that I can pick my hours or anything like that, but I don’t have to go into the office every day, just twice a week.
I typically try to get those days out of the way as soon as possible by going in on Monday and Tuesday. This week, my kids had their last two days of school on Monday and Tuesday and are home the rest of the week (and the rest of the summer. God help me!), so I adjusted my schedule accordingly.
I.e., I made damn sure I was in the office today! Because as much as going to the office is a pain, trying to work at home with my kids around is even more of a hassle. And not just for me.
Having me around makes things worse for everyone.
I’m usually too busy to help, thanks to my workload and constant meetings and an innate inability to multitask despite my constant attempts to do so, and it’s stressful to have Dad sitting at a desk in the corner getting irritated at the noise and the bickering and the constant demands for snacks. Plus, as I learned years ago, I also suck at Dad Camp.
I’ve been a stay-at-home dad before, first when Detective Munch was two, and again a few years ago, before I landed my current gig. I tried to pick up the mantle and be the fun summer dad, and let’s just say it wasn’t ideal. For me or the kids.
I suck at planning, I suck at organizing, I suck at doing things in general. Without Mom and Buried’s… gentle encouragement (yeah, that’s the ticket!), I would be fairly content sitting on my ass watching TV or scrolling my phone with a beer in my hand. I’m a middle-aged man with multiple jobs and multiple kids; I’m tired, okay? I’ve earned some ass time!
Kids have not earned any ass time; they need to be occupied. More importantly, they need to experience things and expend energy and exorcise their demons, demons that emerge with more force when they’ve spent countless hours on screens, which tends to be what happens when I’m busy or lazy or hungover, at least one of which I tend to be all summer long. They need someone to gently encourage them to get off their asses.
Luckily, Mom and Buried is good at it — and she likes it! Most of the time. More so when I’m not around snapping at everyone to quite down.
I hope my office has enough coffee.
Social Media Round-up
Pop Culture Round-up
The Bear! I’ve only seen three but it’s such a fun show, despite the air of anxiety that permeates it, and I am taking my time watching it. My son and I finally finished The Mandalorian and I’d like to scream as loudly as possible that I DON’T CARE ABOUT MANDALORE! The third season was boring as hell. Gonna switch gears to Marvel and check out Secret Invasion next. My hopes are not high.
I’m going to see Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny but I am nervous. Crystal Skull is an abomination. But I love Indy and I love Phoebe Waller-Bridge, so despite some negative reviews, I’m hoping it’s at least decent! I’m pretty sure Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1: Electric Boogaloo will be decent, hoping to drag Mom and Buried to that one. Wish me luck!
Speaking of Mom and Buried, she dragged me to The Cure last week. I am not a huge Cure fan; I know the hits and some deeper cuts, but over the course of a nearly three hour show, there were a lot of songs I didn’t know. They sounded great throughout, even though Robert Smith looks like Beetlejuice. Next up? The Strokes in August!
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