The Dancer in the Shadows

Friday, March 17, 2006

the new job

as of yet, i haven't heard from the college, though that isn't all that surprising. they had in person interviews scheduled for the two weeks following my interview and would need time to make their comparisons and final decision after concluding their interviews.

i've been at the new job for 3 days now, the first day was mostly paperwork pertaining to being hired, but even that day i got some billable time in. the second day was all day at a client site already. today was spent most of the day at another client site and remoted into a third... nothing quite like jumping in to learn to swim...

i'm enjoying it and there is alot i can learn here, perhaps end up switching departments and learning the current programming languages... but i'll certainly be busy...

my wife put the first payment down on her shop, $13,000, and has commitment papers from the bank to sort out, so things there are progressing nicely. we are thrilled somewhat beyond words...

and now, off to bed, for tomorrow is another day and there is much to do and even a little to plan... ;)

--- The Dancer in the Shadows

Saturday, March 11, 2006

victory and progress...

still very busy, and likely to get busier, but i have a moment to post an update. my wife got word that her business loan application has been approved, so she will be going ahead with the purchase of her bridal shop. i interviewed for a new job at the college near where her shop is (i can now really call it her shop!!).i turned in my two weeks notice at my current job the day before i interviewed...

i know phrasing it like that sounds very cocky, but there is more to tell: i do consulting on the side to make ends meet since there has been a company wide raises freeze for four or five years now. one of the companies i have been consulting with for the past six or seven months had been asking how they could get more time. i had always said that i have a full time job and a family that i enjoy spending time with, there isn't anymore time in the days. the monday night before my interview, they made a cold offer to bring me in full time, roughly $16,000 more per year than i am making now... i accepted on the spot, and turned in my two weeks notice the next day, the day before my interview at the college.

the new company was told up front that i had the interview with the college. they still wanted me even if i would only be full time with them for a couple weeks, and to return to consulting if i get the position with the college. i was floored, but thrilled. my acceptance came after i was certain they understood i would still be pursuing the position with the college. but that did allow me to very confidently turn in my two weeks notice the day before my interview at the college.

i am also likely to do some consulting to train my replacement and bail them out on occasion. there is so much that i was the only one who knew, and my replacement is about where i was skillwise ten years ago. i see the potential, but it is just begining... i was the primary interviewer of my replacement... that was a strange feeling... but at the same time, it was also a vote of confidence from my now former employers. my last full time day is the fourteenth of march, and i start my new job on the fifteenth. i would like to have taken a few days off between, but right now, money is too tight, and we need the extra this new position will bring in.

and so for now i close this post with the hope that i will have a bit more time for posts in general.

--- The Dancer in the Shadows