I was at my office until past 8 last night attempting to take my annual work certifications… then gave up to go home and eat dinner, then study and take the exams until 11:30. Last year, we had only one exam to take, but that has now been broken out into four parts, three of which I had to complete before the end of our fiscal quarter, which was yesterday. I finally got through all of them and when I finished, I just felt frustrated. There’s been a lot of hard work this past quarter, and while the work has been fairly rewarding, I feel like the list of things just keeps piling up of things I have to get done. Although the quarter has ended, that means a new quarter has begun with its own challenges and annoyances. Staying up late to do work is never fun, but I keep telling myself that all of this is going to pay off at some point. I have it pretty good right now, right? I have freedom, flexibility, decent pay, amazing perks. This is going to be worth it. This is going to be worth it. Even if I have to stay up to take routine exams, this is going to be worth it.

And I will also come in at 10:30 tomorrow just because I feel like it and had to stay up late tonight.