Last Friday was a day of highs and lows. I had recently given my notice at work (one of my 2010 new year's resolutions - get a new job) and was prepared that day to leave immediately or give as much notice as she wanted. The new job was flexible for when I started and I had concerns due to certain drama at work that I may be asked to just leave -no noticed needed. Instead she appeared sad and excited for me at the same time and said I could give as much notice as I wanted - I gave a month. I went home and felt some trepidation towards her reaction and emailed her. I got back this email reply stating how wonderful I have been - her "right hand" person for so long and what a huge hole I would be leaving, but that I was very marketable and with my experience/resume that they couldn't afford to keep me. Blah, blah, blah - she's so politically professional. I didn't tell her I was taking a huge pay cut just to get the hell out of there!
However - in the business world people are not to be trusted. Friday - she shows up at the office and says she decided to accept my immediate resignation and asked for my keys. She had no good answer when I asked why. She said I would be paid for the next two weeks. My best guess is that our outreach person and her personal friend had just lost her funding and would be taking over my hours. WTF - right? Seriously, I have done some great work for this agency and this is how she ends it?
But anyway - not to be deterred, I was scheduled for a helicopter ride that night and was close to cancelling when I decided no, I needed something new and fun. Let me just say it was amazing! OMG - it was more than amazing, it was exhilarating! We flew over the city, over the lake and to the mountains in northern Maine. We landed on Saddleback Mountain - on a peak near impossible to hike to unless you hike up and down and up again from the mountain before it. We got out and hung out there, took some pictures and I felt so free, so enlighten. So high on life - and so determined!
In truth, I may just be stuck in denial. Have I really thought out this huge pay cut and how I am going to pay my mortgage? Not to mention a couple of weeks with no income... Hell no - but still I'm not afraid. I have given up ideal hours and great benefits for less but I feel good about this because I have stepped away from something stagnant, something that was holding me back. And the program I leave behind is something I truly believe in but after 14 years and no real changes in the work I do - I was feeling so stuck and bored. I will miss some of the women - some of the greatest women I have ever known, but I will keep in contact with them. Keep in mind, that in a few months I might be blogging from the library as I won't be able to pay my Internet bill... but that's another story. I just know that when there is a will there is always a way. This new job offers lots of opportunities for advancement and due to less hours, I will have more writing time!
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