Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Left behind

There’s really only one thing I miss about working at the office. I still email and talk with my co-workers all day, and phone meetings beat in-person ones for multi-tasking every time (a partial list of things I have done during meetings includes: load/unload dishwasher and clothes washer, put away clean laundry, pick up toys, chop vegetables, walk outside to spritz rosebushes with bug spray, trim and polish my toenails … if they ever make me get a webcam I am screwed).

It’s beyond great to avoid commuting by working from home. It’s nice to be able to wear comfortable clothes, use my own bathroom, and receive UPS packages during the workday. It’s even nice to be able to get a snack that doesn’t require scrounging up 85 cents in change.

But the flip side of that is what I miss: Lunch. Not even lunch out with friends and colleagues, although that was always fun. I really miss the actual lunch food: veggie sushi and udon soup with the works from Duke’s. Dosas from Hampton Chutney. Pizza from Lombardi’s. Stir-fry from Kelley & Ping. Hell, I even miss the cafeteria in our building.

Because what do all those things have in common? They are NOT LEFTOVERS. Which is what I now eat for lunch every single day. I’ve been working on the same summer squash Mexican casserole thing (which my husband refuses to eat because it was prepared in a slow cooker, “eww”) for a solid week now. That plus salad from a bag. Every single day.

I know you’re with me. Can I get a shout-out from my sisters eating their kids’ Easy Mac remnants, chased by the apple some small person abandoned after two bites?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah you can get a holla from me on this one. Most days I don't even remember to eat lunch at all. Then at 3:00 I'm starving and shoveling chips into my mouth.

Lady M said...

There are some days where I drive into the office solely to have lunch with a colleague and not have to eat baby yogurt and apple juice. I hear you!

Anonymous said...

I hear you sister. I worked from home last year after having my second daughter. While I loved the multitasking in my pjs aspect, I also missed the lunch outings and still made a point to schedule lunch dates just to get out of the house and sit down and enjoy an actual meal!

Anonymous said...

You get an AMEN from me, too. It was bad enough when I was working in my house, when my lunches were almost always leftovers, but now that my office is in my mom's house, lunch is a torture. I wind up eating whatever crap I can find, if I can find something to eat at all.

I have had Go-Gurt for lunch more than once. Blech.

Anonymous said...

I often find myself craving real, beautiful, colorful, flavorful, lovingly-prepared food. I miss spicy, exotic meals of the sort I cooked before kids. Also, there is something so wonderful about eating food OTHERS have prepared for me (at home, but eating out is OK too). It actually tastes better somehow.

Jennifer (ponderosa) said...

I hear you. My frustration over lunch is coupled with the fact that I telecommute to a job in Portland -- a city over 10x larger than where I live now, with 100x better restaurant options. Sushi! Thai! Vietnamese beef noodle soup! Handmade pasta!

I have had an english muffin (generic brand) with peanut butter every single day this week for lunch.

Anonymous said...

Even when I was working here in Denver, I missed New York lunches. Now it's become almost unbearable.

I miss Baluchi's. I miss Uncle Nick's. I miss Mangia E Bevi. I even miss Pax for the salad that doesn't come in a bag. And I didn't even work in the part of town that has excellent food (Ninth Ave excepted).

Mayberry said...

Uncle Nick's! I totally forgot about that place. YUM.

The good news is I finished that stupid casserole today, AND the bagged salad.

Mary Tsao said...

I'm usually eating leftover leftovers off of the kids's plates while on my way to the sink. My kids are getting picky and won't eat leftovers. They don't know how good they have it!

As a SAHM, I miss lunch with co-workers, although when I worked I usually ate lunch at my desk and went to the gym. I guess I just miss Friday lunches.

metro mama said...

Ah, lunch. I know what you mean.

Anonymous said...

I actually prefer my telecommuting days with this job -- there are no good places to eat near my work, so at least once in a while when I'm home I get to eat out. (but then again, much of the time I don't even break for lunch...)

Debbie said...

dude, I HATE, hate hate leftovers with a passion that should not be discussed in polite conversation. yeah. I'm with you, alrighty.

bleah. had 'em today. :(