Not As Tough As She Once Was, Either

In the middle of the first term of school, and I'm assessing how I'm doing with the dealing-with-humans part of it all: that's always the tough part, I think. Figuring out the "emotional intelligence" of your work environment. And I think I'm doing ok.

I was afraid that the five year hiatus -- my last job as a copywriter ended December 31, 2000 -- and the dead zone, hate-this-so-much trauma I associated with that work's close interaction (read: jockeying for position) would have left me skinless, non-coping, unable to deal, once I was reimmersed. (Does that make any sense?)

But it's ok. I'm still pretty self-conscious about how I come off to people -- but I get along. I'm amazed at how much I play the entertainer, though. I wasn't like that before. I was -- let's be truthful -- kind of brittle and nasty. I'd like to say the work demanded it -- but I really think it was a personality deficit. I was sick and tired of what I was doing and it showed.

Now ... not so much. I love what I'm learning. And I'm sure an actual workplace will be tougher than the learning environment. But I've made a good start at reentry. It's going to be ok.