(but didn’t she choose #8 in the end?)

Alrighty, November turned out to be quite interesting. In a good way.

Last week, I left the job that prompted my move back home nearly 4 years ago. Happily, my pay rose $10 an hour during that time and the benefits have been very affordable and helpful. It was a nice place to nest in for a bit while I started the next phase in my life.

It was time to leave the nest and fly. It was a amicable parting, and I took the time in my exit interview to point out a few things that might benefit the co-workers I was leaving behind. I also left happy that the company covered the small expenses of the low-key Pride celebration we had this year. (full disclosure: I suggested it to HR.) I still don’t know what happened to my lunar new year’s red envelopes–though I suspect my desk may have gotten raided–some people are like that. Take the $20 and the karma, then. . .

I landed much closer to home. No more going up and over “the hill” on a daily basis. The 12 mile commute took 20 miles of charge on the way to work going up and over that hill, and only gained about 7 back on the dowhill return trip. (I drive in the most efficient mode there is most of the time. ECO is never turned off.) I haven’t really monitored how much my new commute is, because it’s the first week and I’ve had other things to do. I’m pretty confident I could do a whole weeks’ worth of commuting on a single charge. There is a decent and convenient charging station a fair distance between home and work, too. (Call it taking the “scenic route”, though the scenery is mostly industrial buildings.)

The last time I worked this close to home was the support job I got as a newlywed. Funny how the dot-com bubble burst after we eloped. I knew it was too good to be true. The dot-com heyday, that is. I knew what I was getting myself into. I guess I figured if my folks could do it, I could too. But I got it part of it wrong back then. Just because you have different tastes than your partner(s) doesn’t mean you aren’t compatible.

So yeah, the new gig. I laugh as I recall a scene from the original Rugrats cartoon where they were “pushing paper” in an imagination sequence where they were grown-ups or something like that. But in a good way. There’s something to be said about helping someone else expand their nest. I missed doing office work. The day flies by and things get done.

Oh yeah I started playing a second Pokemon Game–Shield. I won’t play it nearly as much as I do Pokemon Go, but it’s fun and I get to see different Pokemon. I have a Raboot now, for those in the know.

I’m happy with myself for breaking out of my comfort zone, career-wise. I developed and improved a lot of valuable skills, and I did the internal work to have the confidence to seek out something better for me and my household.

Speaking of which, I should get to bed. Sweetie’s been back a week and a half after working on the other side of the country for the better part of 5 months. It’s great to have him back. Though now Darling and I gotta figure out when to get our CSI: Vegas fix.

’23 is nearly here. Still floors me sometimes thinking that the 1920’s was an entire century ago.