Goodbye 9 to 5

I resigned from my job yesterday.  T minus 2 weeks and counting.  It was time.  In all honesty, it was past time.

A Shark Cage in Hawaii.  This was a wonderful vacation after a horrific season at work and in life.

The short story is that things have been changing with my job since I moved to Denver.  Our office here was supposed to grow and it didn't.  My role was supposed to flourish and it didn't.  I found myself, through the course of events, farther and farther away from my talents and skills.  I found myself in a tight professional corner not of my choosing, full of ridiculous deadlines and bad office communication and an overall hopeless vibe.

At Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.  Because of my job, we were able to take the trip of a lifetime to South Africa.

This decision has been about a year in the making, but it has completely dominated the past few months.  It has been a season of tears and hand wringing and vacation planning and mountain climbing and a hundred thousand passionate conversations with G.  We have evaluated our lifestyles and our goals and taken a hard look at our future.  Because of this decision, that future looks very different than we expected.

One of my favorite pictures.  After I conquered that shark cage.

I'm saying goodbye to the 9 to 5 and hello to the 24/7.

Because of taking grad classes (and hopefully teaching undergrad classes in the coming months), I was not able to look for a traditional corporate job.  This, as it turns out, is a blessing.  Instead of finding one job, I have taken on many.  I have taken on some gigs as a private tutor, and essay reviewer, and as my "day job" I have been hired to work as an onsite tutor and teaching assistant at a local school.  Five hours a day, grades K-8.

I would never in a million years have thought I would work with younger kids.  My background is in education, but it's more of the adult variety.  However, I had a few interviews with peeps at this school and just saw myself there.  It fit and it was right and they solidified my job yesterday!  My new boss and I were discussing my interviews and she said I was their top candidate and she could tell I would be a good fit because I struck her as being "very methodical."  I was like, lady, you have no idea.  But it turns out a lot of my characteristics will be helpful to young students in this type of structured learning environment (it is a liberal arts charter school). 

So here's to molding little minds.

Up until yesterday, I alternated between completely freaking out and being genuinely excited about these changes.  Now that I have resigned, the freaking out is over.  It's kind of too late for that, once you give your employer the news.

Here's hoping we don't end up in the poor house.  (Please send us rabbit food and wine.)

Here's hoping grad school is as great as I remember.  (I'll be sending you my papers for your review.)

Here's to the grand 2014 vacation we have planned.  (More to come soon!)

Here's to The Next Chapter.

Goodbye, 9 to 5.  It's been real.  It's been fun.  It ain't been real fun.