rewind

I'm almost a month in so, I'm still in the honeymoon phase at work. But so far, so good. My supervisor keeps checking in on me...and my dying plant that has rolled with me for over 3 years and 3 different work spaces. The people are extremely friendly. So much so that one morning, I was over by the coffee bar and struck up a conversation with some man, only to find out later on that he was the Prez. I dunno...I made up a rule that I didn't really want to have relationships with too many people at the new spot. (Although, I now work with my son's little league coach and a former coworker from my first job in VA). But my immediate coworkers are cool and, for the most part, younger than the guys that I worked with before. My nextdoor cube neighbor and I are two peas in a pod...we must be, b/c he always manages to wander into my peripheral vision when I'm in deep thought, staring at my computer screen.

But THIS ONE GUY that does all of this hacking, snorting, sneezing, and coughing up a lung is driving me insane with his infectious antics. If I get sick, I'm beating somebody's ass. Put that in a memo and pass it around the office.

Anyway...I'm excited b/c I can finally work with this new software (that I was forbidden to touch at my old job) and I love it. I feel as if I have learned so much in less than a month and I can see myself growing as an engineer. Now, my goal is still to move back home one day but I must soak up as much as I can here and I'm in the process of gathering all of my paperwork so that I can sit for my Profe.ssional Enginee.r's license in April. Truth be told, I just really want to stamp my name on drawings...forget the legalities of it all. But anyway, I must pass in order for it to be on the company's dime, so balls to the wall, ya'll, balls to the wall.

I guess the best way to describe how I'm feeling is to label this as a blindsided blessing. When they first offered me the job, I wasn't sure if I was going to take it, attractive benefits and all. In fact, I believe that I even dropped a couple of tears. Seriously, my heart was set on going back home and running an office. However, when I called the lady in DC (who had yet to write me a formal offer letter...an offer letter that she was supposed to issue me 3 weeks prior), she couldn't even give me a start date for the contract job. The funny thing is, when I told her that I couldn't turn down this new offer, she coincidentally had JUST started writing my offer letter the day before. OoooooKaaaaaayyyyy. And then she said, "Well, what happens if the 3 projects that I'm expecting to start, begin in October? Then, what?" Now, what I look like basing my decisions that determine when and how I'm going to eat on an IF??? So, deuces on that. If ya'll recall, this company interviewed me on a Monday, offered me the job on a Tuesday and asked me to start Wednesday. They were serious.

I still communicate with the lady, but at this moment, I have NO EGGS in that basket.

So now, a week begins and ends in the matter of a blink. I have made it through unemployment without missing a bill or cutting off certian luxuries. Now, I'm able to breathe again...with a decent amount in my ING savings account, while my other funds remained untouched and have increased in value. I have my baby J back with me...healthy and happy. I can stay in my own bed and not have to worry about finding good renters/buyers just yet. Yes, I am happy, blessed, and thankful that God BLEW these doors open. I just have to uphold my end of the bargain and praise Him while pressing forward.