Why I love winter at the office

I’ll be straight with you – I don’t like winter. The cold, grey weather just doesn’t spin my wheels and it’s not conducive to living the great outdoors. In some ways, it’s the antithesis of all that’s good about Christchurch.

But I do love being an office worker in winter.

Maybe it’s just me trying to find the good in everything but I can’t help but enjoy the prospect of driving through the worst that a Christchurch winter can throw at me, and defying it all by parking right at the office, walking right in, powering on and heading straight to the coffee machine. It’s like I just bit my thumb at the nastiest weather and pretended it didn’t exist. In fact, even better, I acknowledge it’s heinous nature and actually enjoyed watching it lash the windows, like an angry 3-year-old who can’t get his own way, but is thankfully out of ear-shot.

Today was a perfect example of a bleak winter’s day in Christchurch – grey, wet and a high of 12 degrees. The sort of day that drives you back inside and under the covers. Also known as perfect sleep-in weather. But when you have responsibilities, or at least bills to pay, you still need to work. And last time I checked the “Sorry boss, but I can’t come into work today because it’s a wee bit nippy out there” doesn’t go down so well with most employers.

So you harden up, get dressed and out the door heading for destination work. But actually it’s not that bad. And definitely not as bad when compared to the poor guys building a path through the reserve next door, weighed down with a hundred layers of outdoor weather gear and fashionable white gumboots. I’m feeling better already. The car warms up quickly as I drive into town, feeling both pity for outdoor workers and cyclists (that used to be me but meh I’m over cycling in winter), as well as a measure of appreciation that it’s them and not me.

I drop Crystal off at her work then carry on, enjoying the warmth and dryness of driving, contrasted against memories of being 15 and forcing myself to bike to school in weather so fierce it would make dragons cry. Not anymore! I’m a grown-up now with money to indulge in luxuries like a fancy car with a heater and windows that don’t leak. Actually, I like driving anytime. The whole moving but sitting still, inside but outside all at the same time – where else can you experience that?

I get to the office in good time (minimal traffic congestion – another reason I love Christchurch) and park right outside the office. Bonus! I fire up the laptop and head to the staff room. Hot Moccona coffee is ready and waiting, fire up the toaster for a speedy breakfast of toast, jam and banana (all courtesy of the lovely people I work for), cookies too. Oh yeh I should probably get on to doing some work. Did I mention I love my job? On Mondays there’s even a supplied gourmet lunch, and other days you can help yourself to cheese toasties, baked potatoes, fruit, soup, cans of coke and anything else you can find in the cupboards :).

Sure, come the warmer, sunnier months, all you outdoor workers will have the last laugh but right now I’m loving this working inside business, and watching the depressing drizzle outside is only making me love it more.

So what do you love about winter?