Today is the last day at my job. The job I got straight out of college 5+ years ago. Although I’m not at all sad to leave the unstable job security and some of the tedius contract tasks – I am sad to be leaving that part of my life behind. This job has seen me through settling into my relationship with MrZ, marrying him, trying to make babies with him (well, they didn’t actually see me through that part…heh) and the pregnancy and birth of NikkiZ. There are several important times and memories in my life that this job, this office, these people – will always be a part of. And it’s just plain weird to leave that behind.
But more than that – I’m leaving the field I went to college for. My professional geography degree and skills mean nothing to the next company I’ll be working for. Where I’m a little sad because I love working with maps and geographic data, I’m also thrilled to not be looking at air photos on a computer monitor anymore. I have had more eye-strain in this field than I ever predicted. That eye-strain created hell-headaches that will hopefully stay behind in my empty office.
One of my supervisors/company-owners (after-five-years-I-still-don’t-know-his-titlle) is taking me out to lunch today. He’s what I’m going to miss the most about this job. I feel very invested in his life. He has three kids, all around my age – I’ll miss hearing what they’re up to, what his grandkids are doing, who is traveling where. I’ll miss hearing about his son’s career (he’s got a cool job) and his wife’s charity work (she’s bone-marrow-transplant/cancer survivor). I’ll miss hearing about his dog and her agility training. I’ll just miss talking to him. He has a lot of the same background as my dad – the military, the engineering, the traveling – so talking to him always made me feel wistful that my own dad was so close.
But mainly I’ll miss his influence. The way he talks about his wife, whether it’s her mundane tasks she has to do for that day or her cancer survival stories, he always speaks to her and about her in a way that you can just feel his love and admiration for her. I know it’s impossible for me to ever hear my husband talk about me without me around, but if he projects even one-fifth of the love my boss does for his wife, I’ll consider myself a lucky woman. I don’t know them personally, I’ve not interacted with them socially, but somehow he and his wife have become a model of marriage for me, and that part will not stay behind when I leave today. It will stay with me forever, I hope.
So – Farewell Kim the GIS Specialist/Analyst. And Hello Zoot the Perpetual Blog Geek.
I am absolutely thrilled for you and I think there are big things out there for you as a Perpetual Blog Geek. (Is that your title? My husband’s job title is Multimedia Superhero.)
Congrats, Zoot 2.0!
how awesome! many congrats; i know you’ll do well!
Well maybe you can keep touch with him once you leave. I had sorta the same thing with one of my bosses when I left Seattle. He was the best. really just the best. i send him emails every now and again…and well…i don’t hear from him, but he is really really really busy and honestly his assistant now? couldn’t have been as good as me. 😉
Good luck! It is scary when you make a life change, its a new adventure!!
I am so excited for your new job! It couldn’t have happened to a better person, or one more in love with all things bloggity and HTML-y.
It’s great you’ve had such a model – we all need that, someone to look up to. I’m sure y’all can keep in touch if you choose to!
Congrats on the new job, where I’m sure you’ll be awesome. Job security is pretty cool, too.
Leaving a job that you liked is bittersweet….that’s for sure. But how frickin’ cool that you’re moving into something that you are really excellent at and that you enjoy! Even if it’s not what you went to school for it sounds like it is the perfect fit for you. Congrats!
I’m so excited for you. I know you will do great in you blog geek job. After all, we all love you and this is just the “free” blog that you do. Good luck wishes headed your way!!
A new job! That’s exciting. And you will make a wonderful perpetual blog geek. Congratulations.
YEAH!!! CONGRATS! more blogging geekiness – i mean goodness – from almighty zoot!
ps – awesome marriage perspective there…now, if i can only get pDaddy to actually marry my arse. ahahah
Okay, I guess I’m confused…you have a new job, title blog geek…but where?! How?! What do you do now?!?!
Good luck, Zoot! How awesome! I know it’s hard to start doing something you didn’t go to school for – the same thing happened to me (I’m a trained legal secretary).
Enjoy and I hope it’s wonderful!
Good luck with the new blog geek venture! It sounds cool although I know you have mixed feelings about leaving your old job and friends behind. I’m sure you will stay in touch with your friends, though. Yeazoot!
I can appreciate the stress that must come with wondering if you’ll have a job from month to month, but working with maps and looking at satellite photos – how cool is that. Heck I do that on my own for fun. Anyway good luck with the new job and with the half marathon.
Can I still ask you geeky geography questions? heh. Proud of you – you’re gonna rock this new job like it’s 1999. Except more technologically advanced.
Best of luck to you in your new career! It can be kind of scary but I know you’ll excel!
and perpetual blog geekdom welcomes you with open, loving arms.
WOOOOT!
Congrats to Zoot version 2. And also, you made me cry … your coworkers sounds like a really great person. Special people like that are a gift … and not nearly as frequent as they should be. You are lucky to have had him!
NOTE: this is coming from someone who is 1) engaged, and therefore crying at any mention of a happy, blissful marriage and, 2) a Hospice volunteer who has a special soft spot for cancer survivors and those who contribute and give back to the cancer community.
What will you be doooooing? Promise I won’t tell! 🙂
Good luck with the job change! I hope the new job will reward you handsomely for your awesome blog design (and writing) skills.
Aw! Good luck with the job change, hon! 🙂
Good luck in your upcoming run, and yay for being a perpetual blog geek!
And…and…and…you and I have not met yet, but come see me at Target sometime with Michelle 🙂
Congrats on the new job and for some job security!
Oh, and kick butt…I mean butt sweat Saturday!!
Good luck! Enjoy the new chapter! And good luck on Saturday!
am i moron for not knowing what GIS means?
Geographic Information Systems. I, like Zoot, majored in the same thing (we even graduated together). I didn’t last two years in it. It drove me so crazy it sent me to grad school to be poor again. Where, ironically, I sometimes still teach GIS. Oh well…
Good luck, Zoot, in the new job. Can’t wait to see you here in the desert!
S.
“well, they didn’t actually see me through that part…heh”
Zoot, you crack me up! Good luck with the new job. 🙂