What’s the World Like at 1:30?

Passover DishesI stood on the front steps of Baldi Middle School in Northeast Philadelphia. My mother was in a rush, “We have to get to the appointment.”

But I wasn’t in the mood to rush. After all, it was 1:30, the middle of the day, and I was outside. This was the height of freedom.

I took a moment and glanced up at the sun which shone brightly and was happy to feel the light breeze. I took a deep breath and watched as the cars raced down Verree Road. Many would have noticed nothing unusual about this Spring Tuesday.

Yet, I was amazed at the goings ons.

The freedom to see what the world is like at 1:30 – what could be better?

The Passover holiday begins at sundown. It’s an interesting holiday that is characterized as a celebration of freedom. Many who celebrate the holiday would probably say Passover is their favorite holiday of the year.

Either way, for those who prepare according to religious standards, Passover requires a TON of work. Now for many – my family included – preparing for the holiday combines with Spring cleaning to make it doubly challenging.

Mrs. MMK and I divied up the preparation. I got the floors. That meant vacuuming, sweeping, moving furniture, lifting rugs, etc. I also brought up the dishes, emptied the refrigerator, brought up the food, etc. On the outside, I had to mow the lawn and wash the car. Mrs. MMK had a similarly long list. And she’s going to cook! We did the food shopping together – whoo who – let’s call it a date.

Notice one thing that was not on the list – work.

This past week work has been secondary. Now, I made sure to meet deadlines (Deadlines are sacred to me – I don’t miss deadlines!) and even took on an assignment this week that was a rush job. Yes, work was done, but it has been something I’ve had to fit in rather than schedule around. Because of the schedule, some tasks, including administrative, marketing, etc., were simply not done this week.

One of the great things about working for oneself is the opportunity to schedule/work when it’s convenient for me. Yup, I can see the world at 1:30 whenever I want. I can walk around the block, meet a friend, or simply go for a ride in the middle of the day. It’s great.

However, there’s a flip side. Working for oneself means no paid days off. No work equals no money.

So, I normally choose to be working at 1:30. But this week, I had a greater priority.

Happy Passover to those who celebrate.

14 thoughts on “What’s the World Like at 1:30?

  1. I’m really impressed with your professional transition from teacher to full time writer. It’s a tough world for freelancers out there, so it’s wonderful to see things working out for you. I’m sure the stress of the next job is always there, but the freedom of being on your own probably goes a long way toward cushioning it.

  2. Happy Holiday! I hope it was super kosher! 🙂
    One of the joys of working from the house, is that I have the flexibility to see the world at 1:30, and then come back and work during the after-work rush and avoid all of that! Of course, there are still times I’m out running errands and have to wonder “why aren’t these people at work?!?”

  3. Lol I hated Baldi! I also have a hard time with the Passover preparation. But it is definitely my favorite holiday especially now that my kids are at an age that they love participating rather than asking repeatedly “When do we eat?!?”
    Hague Sameach!

    • My middle school years were awkward, and my class was nuts. The school itself – ehh. Anyway, your reason?
      I think many people like it. You do all that work but it’s for a purpose and it’s not just one day.
      My kids participate too, and they ask when do we eat!

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