Muscle Memory
So, the good news is: I’m back to work. It’s not a “new” job, per se, since it is back with my old payroll company where I am helping out temporarily while I search for the next full production gig. It’s not exciting work, but it’s better than unemployment.
Today, I finally got my remote access set up to be able to cut checks again. I haven’t touched this payroll system in over a year, but here I am being plunged in head first! I’m discovering (luckily) how much of the process has been committed to muscle memory: which is good, because my brain memory has been TERRIBLE. All the commands that I knew by touch are still stored deep in my mental databanks. All the commands that require me to remember, say, a password or batch name, are GONE.
It’s really interesting to see the process at work. I’ve been able to do 90% of the cutting so far without getting *too* stumped, but luckily there haven’t been any major hiccups to throw me off. Yet.
The day is still young.
Yea, I’d say you’re lucky if you can pick up a job you haven’t done for a year and not forget anything. Worse, I imagine, if you were away even more than a year…like 2 or 10 years. Imagine how things change in a year’s time. Do they? I dunno. Some places, they do. My jobs have changed the way they did things almost seasonally. New steps would be thrown in to curb some unwanted aspect of business. And, with a crisis or riot popping up almost monthly, lately, it’s a circus.
So, lucky that brain of yours. And, I hear ya about memory loss/failure.
Lucky indeed that it’s only been a year. I know if I had to go back to using sound editing software I’d be LOST now that I’ve been away from it for three or four years. Key commands? What dis?