Well, I'm healthy again! My stomach problems appear to be gone (through there's still a little tenderness); the final coughing phase of my cold is dissipating.
And it's work as usual. Most of my cases lately have been "ren bu lai" (i.e. client chooses in advance not to show up in person to sit by me as I translate), which means I have flexibility in determining which order I do things in and when I arrive at the office. In the winter time, work starts at 10am, but depending on my case load I can come in at noon if I want, as long as the work gets done. This is one of the reasons I like my job - I've never been a morning person!
On the other hand, the advantage of "ren lai" cases (when the student comes to the office in person) is that I can directly ask questions to ensure that the intended meaning is expressed. I've found in my work that the writing abilities of local students tend to be terrible, and any clarification I can get from them helps a lot.
My biggest pet peeve at work is the "ren bul lai" client who suddenly and without warning decides to come anyway. Then whatever scheduling and prioritizing I've done for the day goes out the window. Expect me home late on such a day.
