I turned in my company-issued Blackberry yesterday, which means I’m down to my one and only iPhone. For about four years, I’ve double-fisted phones in an effort to keep work and life separate and not give up my personal number which I’ve had since college. Plus, even the $20 iPhone** was better than the Blackberry and its non-functioning rollerball.
When the Modern Love Machine left for dinner last night, I thought I was missing a phone in my purse. At dinner I noticed my compulsive urge to check my work e-mail and text messages on the Blackberry that was no longer there. These are things I have to get used to. I’m no longer on call 24/7, but the psychological effect of keeping a constant eye on my beat — one that involves about 150 18- to 21-year-olds — does not fade easily. On that note, I moved my phone charger out of the bedroom for the first time in years. It will now permanently reside anywhere but the bedroom.
I’ve spent the past week and a half trying to get used to a far earlier wake-up time too. The Modern Mom and the MLM have long given me crap for “sleeping in” until 9 a.m. many days, but as a sports writer you have to be a night owl or else your brain won’t work too well on that 10 p.m.-midnight postgame deadline. I’ve been gradually bumping my alarm clock earlier, and I’m glad to say I’ve been getting out of bed the past few days in the 7 o’clock hour, albeit late in the hour. I’m sure I’m in for a rude awakening Monday.***
The Modern Dogs, on the other hand, are not getting up any earlier if they can help it. These dogs don’t realize they’re in for a big lifestyle adjustment when the human they’ve been supervising for the past couple of years will no longer be working in the home office. Granted, they sleep a lot during the day, but they’re also used to demanding to go outside at any time they please. That hasn’t been the case this week as I’ve only walked them in the morning and let them out when the MLM gets home from work. No accidents so far, but they’re definitely giving me attitude.
**In that post I talk about how much I hate Apple. I don’t hate Apple nearly as much anymore. I’m a full convert with a Macbook, an iPad and an iPhone3 that’s about to get upgraded. Unrelated, my new job involves the iPad.
***I’m not holding out telling you about my new job to be an ass. I just want to make sure there are no crazy company policies about personal blogging. I don’t think there are, but I would hate to get dooced on the first day of a new job, one I’m particularly excited about. That would just suck.
Ooh I feel like such an insider that I know what your new job is =)
And I’m with you: I work SO much better in the afternoon and night. I’ve started to get up around 7:30am to start working when Scott leaves for work, but could never manage much earlier than that.
And I spent half this post, trying to figure out WHERE IS THE FIRST ASTERISK?! And why it wasn’t referenced in the footnote. :-/
Also, why are people rude about schedules unrelated to them? I’ve received more than my fair share of “must be nice to sleep in” comments about my sleeping in until 10. Is it inherent jealously that they think I’m not doing anything? That’s what you have to do, if you’re UP until 4am, people! Geesh. Believe me, I’d love to be on a better — ?? more normal?? — sleep schedule, but my body is all night owl and does NOT do early mornings. /end rant.
I don’t think there are any anti-personal blogging policies at your new company, but I always kept my blog on the DL just to be sure. You’re semi-anonymous here, so I think you’ll be fine. I hope you have a great first day of work!
If yoy ever get up early enough to check it, you are in for a treat on the twitter’s. The early AM tweeters are completely different from the evening tweeters. Topics of conversation frequently include weather, traffic, Ann Curry swag, what the hell were the Knoxville News Sentinel editors thinking, and instant reaction to the west coast baseball games.
I totally do the same thing, double fisting phones. I refuse to let work invade my “happy place,” aka my iPhone. I sadly also do the double grab for phones too or feel naked without both. Takes time to re-adjust!
I’m super impressed you moved your phone outside of your bedroom. When I started at my new job a year ago, I knew I no longer needed to have it bedside… yet… there it remains 🙂