Today I’ve decided to change things up. Day 9 of our 10 Days to a Better Blog challenge is a “free day” to talk about what ever, so I’ll share about what’s going on today. I’ve been working from home and although I’ve been able to write and blog in this area, I’ve still around 80% done with the actual work I need to put together for my portfolio. You may think that means I have eight out of ten things done, but you would be wrong. Everything’s at 80% and I’ve hit the wall in pushing them across the finish line.
I can actually work well in a coffee shop, putting head down and nose to the grindstone/keyboard for a while and then taking little breaks to people watch (possibly my favorite hobby). I also find the drone of conversations or just the feeling that I’m in the land of the living really invigorates me and helps me focus. The problem is right now since I’m working on multiple projects with multiple reference points, I have to lug my monitor around with me and I honestly just don’t have the personality to completely set up shop like that in public haha.
Obviously this is just an excuse my brain has concocted to keep me from pushing through to completion the way I need to, but joke’s on you, brain! I’ve actually taken action to move forward even though the anxious/depressive/lazy side of my personality would love to curl up in a little ball on these dreary grey days. My friend Lance owns a property management company here in Baton Rouge and offered an empty office for me to be able to close a door when I need to, but also be around people working. So for the rest of the week, my days will look like this: 
Desk? Check. Caffeine? Check. Three hole punch? Check. (not really, I just noticed it in the picture). When I start applying to jobs and interviewing companies as they interview me, I think one thing I really need to investigate is the level of community and connection they’re offering. Even if it’s working remote and we’re all on chat, it’s just so easy to feel like you’re floating in space without any sort of tether keeping you anchored to reality/community.
Today at the office are three other adults and even a baby has come to visit us for a while. Did I put my headphones on when he got fussy? Yes. Yes I did. But I love the fact that he’s here and I didn’t realize how much I missed the outside world until I spent a week in my room trying to get work done alone. Don’t get me wrong, I’m here in a corner away from everyone so I can concentrate and write, but there’s a part of me that just needs to know people are there in case I need actual human contact. I think I really underestimated that need and have suffered for it the past few weeks.
Tomorrow is the last day of our challenge, so I’ll be soon left to my own devices as far as that goes, but I have discovered some really great blogs/bloggers through this process so I’ll have some people to encourage and who will encourage me as well. I’m also seeking out my fellow Iron Yard students to get that reciprocal encouragement circuit going as we all hunt for jobs and try to figure out life together (you know, the easy stuff). OK, let me go see if I can talk this baby into updating my github readme files. See you back here tomorrow.
puts "Blog Title" 