Pre-Work Ritual
What do you do when you get to work and don’t work yet? Most of us talk! We talk to our co-workers about the weekend, sports, tv shows, etc. It is the old “water cooler” experience.
As I woke up this morning, it was beautiful outside. Crisp and bright. It reminded me of my pre-work ritual at my job in New Mexico. I didn’t have to show up until 9:30am, but the lifts opened at 9am. So, most of us ski instructors (at Taos, NM) would ride to the top of the mountain and get ‘first tracks’ on fresh groomers. 
Ever done that? When you get to the top of the mountain that early in the morning, it is more than crisp. Anyway, trails that have been groomed by the big machines have tight ribs, we call them corduroy. Skiing down them as fast as you can. Now, that is a Pre-Work Ritual.
Now, I drink a little coffee, shoot the breeze, and of course ‘blog’.
What about you?
=pastor
Posted on October 23, 2007, in Random Mumbling. Bookmark the permalink. 5 Comments.
Robin Steele 
Usually when I lock the gate at night, I can see a spark beginning to ignite when I leave. So when I return the following morning, I am usually ready to jump right into putting out a fire. Metaphorically speaking of course. So I have not had a pre-work ritual for some time. Occasionally I get to work really early, I see the fire, but it is not large yet, so I dilly, I read a devotional from Charles Spurgeon, or see if my wonderful Pastor has started a new blog. I guess this could be considered, my “Pre-work ritual”.
My pre-work ritual is really my drive to work. (Although, I guess you could consider reading this is also a pre-work ritual). On my way to work (usually a good hour’s drive from Kyle to Round Rock), I pray and if it happens to fall at the right time, I listen to Focus on the Family at 9am on the Word 99.3 FM. They always have something or someone interesting on. When I get to work, I check my email, first thing.
Well I work from home. I am still tweaking my daily routine .. with an 8 month old there really isn’t a routine … lol! But before I start service calls or any online work, I get the baby back into bed and he and I roll around and play for at least 30 minutes. He is still in his jammies or just a pamper. I tickle him and play hide-n-seek. It’s mom and baby time. I love to hear him laugh and make silly noises. It helps to remind me why I do what I do and how blessed I am to be at home with him.
My responsibilities vary so much there is not a ritual that I observe. I think your New Mexico routine sounds like a good one to adopt, so if you do not see me for awhile I’m off trying to establish a pre-work routine.
This is what I want my prework ritual to be in about a year or so when i can so down to not working full time. Go out on the back porch and drink a cup of coffee and just have a quiet time with God as I sip my coffee and enjoy the cool morning. Piddle in the garden and get ready for a slow day.
As of now my pre work is getting here at 7:00 am and starting the “RAT” race with a cup of coffee and seeing if I can outrun the RATS! Have a blest day everone that reads this! 🙂