Today, I worked from home. My bosses were not terribly happy about it, as they really wanted me to be in the office; my contract does not specify telecommuting. However, it was entirely necessary, due to the location of our office. And I don't mean the location of our office five minutes from my house, which makes telecommuting an unnecessary option on most days. (Not to mention making regular commuting delightfully short.)

    No, I mean the location of our office in a large factory building occupied by numerous different cadres of people. In our office, unsurprisingly, is us. It's a job, it's not terribly exciting, but it's not terribly onerous for the most part. Below us is a cafe, and above us is a kids playspace. The downside of this in the past has been that for 2 hours a day, there will be lots of stomping from above, with the unfortunate side effect that dust, particles, and occasional fingernail-sized chunks will fall from the ceiling. No situation is perfect. I have dealt with the noise in the past, and while I complained a bit about the precipitous dust, I managed to ignore it for the most part.

    Today was different. I arrived to an unmistakably chemical paint smell permeating the office. Barely able to breathe, I inquired as to Why This Fact (WTF). Apparently, the delightful overhead people had decided to varnish their entire floor thismorning. This did have the advantage of making their floor one step closer to renovation, but had the disadvantages that:

• Their floor is our ceiling, so all the varnish fumes seeped down
  
• Into our office where almost all of the windows are sealed shut by regulation
  
• And the air system circulates air within the building, instead of exchanging air with outside

    After 15 minutes, I decided my olfactory couldn't take the ol' factory anymore, and I left on my 5-minute commute to work from home. An hour later, I attempted to eat a cucumber and it tasted a bit like varnish. And many people had stayed in that office for hours; I hear that half a dozen of them went home sick, and those who remained did not feel terribly well. I just hope it's cleared out by tomorrow. Because when I walk out again (which I will, if it still is filled with varnish fumes), my bosses will be very, very displeased. Naturally, displeasure from above comes during the week I should be trying to convince them to be most happy with me.

    On the bright side, I am off to Boston this weekend to visit with friends. Which I guess isn't technically redundant in any way, but who goes off to visit with enemies?