So I've been thinking about writing again for a while now. I guess it's odd to have to think about doing it and actually needing to plan to do it. That is my reality though right now; if it's not planned for, I'm not doing it. Not that I may not want to do it or that or the other, just that I don't have any time to do it. Thus begins this new ongoing dialogue I'll be having here, assuming I can set aside the time to consistently do it.
I quit my job 6 weeks ago, shocking I know. 10 years of history became nothing more than a giant highlight on my resume, and a revelation that I hadn't given much credence to prior to leaving. I spent nearly 1/3 of my life at the same company, something I thought I would never do. I can honestly say though, there are a lot of things that have happened that I said "never" to. The list is long and unless I run out of other clever things to write about, I'll spare you from reading them now. I'm sure they aren't too far off from your own list of "nevers", what other explanation would there be for why we're friends?
So, there's no more AT&T for me, at least not in the near future (Again, trying not to say "never"), and I'm managing a new product for a small startup company in Seattle. It's been quite the culture shift for me, none of the impersonal stark realities of the corporate giant, but an eclectic mix of tech geeks, homeless sheik and magniloquent metros trying to be individuals in a sea of individuality. Maybe I'm not being fair describing the people within this company of less than 300 employees, but I'm a firm believer that perception is reality. My perception is a little skewed though; I spent the first 6 or 7 years swimming against the corporate current, and the last few just "being". Being disenchanted and disengaged, being overwhelmed at one moment and under whelmed the next. Simply put, I was discontent with just being a part of that corporate antiseptic that was slowly turning me into an old man. Wouldn't you?
The trip into the city every morning makes me feel like a champion for the environment and a grown up all at the same time. I park the F150 every morning and saddle up to a commuter train, followed by a quick walk to a hydrogen powered bus ride, directly into the heart of the financial district. 4 downhill blocks, an elevator ride and the swipe of a badge lands me in this place I now call my office. I love the last 4 blocks of my walk in each morning. Even if it's raining, I am afforded the opportunity to overlook the Puget Sound as I make my way down Seneca and under the viaduct. It's beautiful and a great reminder of why I fell in love with this part of the country and why I'll probably never really leave it. That beauty, and a nice pretty paycheck, however, comes at a pretty steep price for me, (You can start your "Whaaa" Cry now). I leave the house with my son at 6:00 am and drop him off at daycare. Not a huge ordeal, but getting home after 6:00 pm most nights means I might get an hour to spend with him before bed. 5 hours from Monday to Friday blows, especially at this period in his life. It's amazing how different the priorities have become for me, I feel like a grown up and it's weird.
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