Five things make a post, March 2022 edition

[owlmoose]

1. I remembered to get some Hugo nominations in yesterday before the deadline, yay! I definitely forgot last year, and I think I might have missed it the year before, too, so I feel relatively proud of myself (even if I left a whole lot of categories blank).

2. Speaking of SFF convention-adjacent topics, I also booked a plane ticket to Wiscon. This is perhaps overly optimistic, but I decided it was worth it. (The flight isn't refundable, but I can change it without penalty.) I entirely understand if folks are unable or unwilling to attend in person, but maybe I will see some of you there? Very curious as to how the hybrid model they're running will work out.

3. In other news of things happening in person, I have jury duty at the end of the month. Originally they wanted me in January, but that was a big fat no. So I pushed it forward two months, on the theory that the Omicron wave would have passed and whatever might come next wouldn't be here yet. So far, so good.

4. More optimistically, I also let my workplace know that I'll be going back in person starting April 11th. After several attempts to pick a reopening date, my employer finally threw up its hands and said "Come back if you want, but if you want to stay remote some or all of the time, that's fine too, just let us know." So I want to give it a try. It's good to know that I can always bail back to being remote, either temporarily or for good, if it becomes necessary. I'll have an enclosed office, and my employer still requires vaccination (we're a government contractor) and masks in common areas, all of which makes me feel better.

5. We're what feels like about halfway through Horizon Forbidden West. My intentions to gameblog it have utterly failed, in part because I'd rather play the game than write about it, and in part because it's so hard to know what to flag in terms of spoilers in an open world game. I will say more though. We are both enjoying it, more or less. It's not quite the revelation HZD was, but that's a high bar. I do enjoy many of the new characters.

Comments

[lassarina]

I like the way your employer's handling it. I wish mine would. (Right now they're saying we'll be back 2 days a week starting in June, half the office per day, and I'm like "If we will still be on Zoom for all our meetings what the fuck is the point???")

[owlmoose]

I work with almost no one who is located physically close to me, so I'll be online half the day for meetings no matter where I am. But working in the same space where I live has caused significant work/life balance issues for me, so I do see a point in my case. If I had a good separate office space, I might feel differently.

[lassarina]

I can understand that. I have my work laptop on my home desk, which....unfortunately leads me to be distracted by home computer things, but I'm learning to manage that with an app to be like "no *smacks hand away from the cookie jar fun apps*" and it's helping.

[brainwane]

I currently plan on attending WisCon in person, and look forward to seeing you there!

[owlmoose]

Yay! Very much so.

[satsuma]

I'll be attending Wiscon digitally (this is about 50% pandemic caution and 50% 'my finals end on the 26th so I'm expecting to be far too exhausted to travel'). Hopefully the hybrid bits work out well enough that we cross paths at least a bit :)

[owlmoose]

Agreed! I'm curious how it will work out. I really appreciate that the hybrid model allows more people to participate. There were a lot of things I liked about the fully online Wiscon in 2020.

[satsuma]

Yeah same! It was a lovely way to get to try out a convention I’d been hearing about for years

Dates will likely also not work out well next year, but hopefully I’ll manage to go in person in ‘24 (and, so strange that ‘24 is close enough to make even the vaguest plans about! I think my brain is thinks its 2020 in some ways)

[zahraa]

Got my Hugo nominations in! Project Hail Mary!

E and I are planning a hike up Mt. Dana for Memorial Day weekend, so no Wiscon for us.

I also got a jury summons, pushed it to the week between Christmas and New Year's.

I'm glad you are excited about going into the office. I think your commute is reverse. That might make me feel very differently. I do not want to commute at rush hour ever again. I am OK with going into the office for a half day once every week or two, which I am now doing, but I wish I had more choice in the matter as you do. My employer has thrown all COVID caution to the wind, does not require vaccination, and has stopped all mask requirements, even for the two unvaccinated people. I wanted an environment that was less bureaucratic, structured, and regimented, and this is what I get!

[owlmoose]

I also got a jury summons, pushed it to the week between Christmas and New Year's.

T did that one year. It worked out okay, but I'd have been too stressed about actually getting called in.

I wanted an environment that was less bureaucratic, structured, and regimented, and this is what I get!

There are definitely downsides to working in an office with less structure! The commute will be reverse (SF to downtown Oakland, all easily done via walking and/or transit), which makes the decision easier.

[elysdir]

I’m currently tentatively planning to attend WisCon in person, but yeah, a lot depends on the state of the pandemic by that point.

I need to get hotel rooms and plane tickets—thanks for the reminder!