Working from home was supposed to make me special- one of the select few. My friends were supposed to ohhh and ahhh over the fact that I can work in my pajamas, or in yoga gear, or naked if I so chose (which I would not- given the current state of my 41 year old body). I was supposed to be the exception, not the rule. I had been planning to do this for years, and a few months ago, I finally made the leap. Yep, I left my 9 to 5 to give it a go on my own. And then I turn on the television, just to catch the evening news, and low and behold, the lead story is how the department of motor vehicles is going to a four day work week, and how other state agencies are considering offering telecommuting as an option for employees. What?! After years of biding my time, I am now going to be one of many? That is so unfair.

It’s not like I thought I would be the only person in the world working from home. I just wanted to be the only person that I know working from home. My friends and neighbors were supposed to be jealous that I could somehow afford this luxury and still pay my bills. My daily grind would be shrouded in mystery because others can’t fathom how I do it. Now, there will be no mystery about what I do all day if folks are doing it themselves. Where is the wonder and awe as people ask themselves “How can I get a gig like that?” It will be nonexistent because now folks will be gigging just like me. Bragging rights will no longer be mine at lunch with the divas if half of them are doing the same thing. One of the reasons I wanted to get out of the rat race was so that I could crow about how I’m not in it, and that if someone gets a chance, they should abandon ship as well. It looks like the economy is going to give more people that opportunity.

I know that this probably makes me sound very shallow, and I am ok with that. It’s kind of like having a cell phone or the internet about fifteen years ago. They were novelties since “everyone” didn’t have access to them. And then they were mainstreamed so now everywhere you go, someone’s surfing the net, or gabbing about their dating life while you try to enjoy your bagel and coffee. Not such a big deal anymore. We are all connected all the time. Which isn’t such a bad thing, I guess, when you want to holla at your friends or find out which Hollywood star has had their requisite run-in with the law today.

Does this mean that working from home or telecommuting will be something everyone is doing? Probably not, but I do imagine that more and more businesses and individuals will give it real consideration. Great for the working stiffs grinding it out in Corporate America, bad for those of us who want to be admired for our ability to get it done in relative isolation.

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