We've Only Just Begun ...

So this is a fun experiment.

I read a blog post recently by a former coworker titled "Why I Blog." Her explanation was incredibly poignant and described how she basically had created an online scrapbook full of memories of starting a new family with her husband and her puppy in a new city.

Well that motivated me to start my own blog with a similar theme ... but ... not.

I was about to start explaining what this blog is going to be about, but who am I kidding? This is for my friends and the whole premise is I've told these stories so many times that they're losing their charm.

So obviously I'm starting a blog to preserve it for all posterity.

Shall we begin? This is from an email I sent out to about 12 people in July. Starting small.

Hey, did you hear I got a new job? I started July 23rd as the Membership Recruitment and Communications Coordinator for the Congress for Neurological Surgeons. Since I now have a blog, I have to say this: The views expressed on this website/weblog are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer. 

So the CNS is nonprofit membership association for neurological surgeons, basically.  The position entails recruiting new members, following up with existing members who are applying to ensure they're applications are complete, and coordinating closely with the Membership Manager and the Communications Manager. I totally applied on a fluke. I had by no means been "actively" job searching. I just thought it looked like a good opportunity and I had the skill set necessary to be successful at the job. I was surprised that they called me for a phone screen, wasn't expecting a call back, got called for an interview, wasn't expecting a call back, and got called for a second interview, and then got offered the position. I had the very awkward task of informing my current boss I was leaving and then going to California to visit Miranda for a week, but CNS allowed me to give the YJC 3 weeks notice, so that was a plus. What makes this position appealing is: 37.5 hours/week. Amazing benefits (no out of pocket costs). No overtime. Minimal travel. 401k and tuition reimbursement after 1 year. They seem to be very invested in the happiness/success of their employees. There's a free gym in the basement of the facility where the company is located. Also, my starting salary is almost a $6000 raise from what I'm currently making. I only got one raise in 3.5 years at the YJC.

I have a new guy in my life! His name is Tom. He's great. He works for Will County Department on Aging investigating elderly abuse. It's interesting because we have a lot in common on the surface (movies, music, books, politics, life outlook, philosophy, etc.) so we have a lot to talk about. Everytime we go out to dinner we end up closing the restaurant. But it's also nice because on a deeper level we're basically opposites. He is super even-keeled and calm. Introverted, even. Able to stay pretty neutral/objective about everything, and is a very calming presence around me. The other thing about it that's surprising and a little bit ... different? is that I haven't had super-overwhelming pining "oh my god this man is amazing and the solution to my loneliness!" feelings I've had in the past. In fact, my feelings towards him have grown so organically and slowly that I almost called things off because I thought I was "just not that into him." But I've come to realize and accept that it's a good thing that this is how my feelings are developing, and that all the other times I've had this all consuming feeling about a man, it rubberbands back just as quickly into feelings of isolation, abandonment, despair, or just he (or I) lose interest just as quickly.

Ok that's it. Over and out.