While the last week of work was grueling and I am glad that I have a long weekend after it, spending a few days in the office with my coworkers actually made me feel really enthusiastic about my job. It's sufficiently positive that I am surprised about it --- I mean, I like my job or I wouldn't try to do it while also doing graduate school, but some of that is obviously about the money, maintaining a standard of living, being able to visit partners and friends and family, &c. Maybe less of it was about the money than I thought --- I'm really psyched for the next few months of work I have to do and think I can make a difference in my company's workflow and ultimately in the quality of its product and service offerings. Whoah. Is this what it feels like to sell out? It feels kinda nice.

I find being in the same room as my co-workers to (generally) do wonders for my engagement with them. Something deep in the plains ape brain about how they're not real people if you can't see them or something -- social grooming is hard through the Internet? -- though maybe that's not what's going on for you. Unfortunately it doesn't last long once I'm on the other side of the continent from them again, but it's useful to me to remember that it does happen.