Friday, August 2, 2013

#132 - An Ending and Perhaps a Beginning

Today marks my last day on the job in a position I've held for five years at a company where I've worked for the last eight years. I suppose I have some mixed feelings about leaving, but then again, it wasn't my decision.

The recent sale of my division to another group brought about some changes, one of which was that my position and its duties moved to Portland. Since I am not in a position to move to Portland, I am surplus to the company's needs.

Even though it was not my decision to leave, I am fine with the decision. I was beginning to feel it was time for a change, and the decision not to retain me means there will be change whether I am ready for it or not. For the most part, I think I am ready.

I leave with some good memories, and I will hopefully stay in touch with the people I've had the pleasure of working closely with these past five years. But now it is on to the next chapter.

I admit to some occasional anxiety about what the future holds. Being in my mid-50s, I realize the current job market does not always welcome job seekers in my age range with open arms. On the other hand, I have always managed to land on my feet and have confidence I will again do so.

Until I land another position, I'll likely do with others in my position do, tackle a few projects around the house, scan various job web sites, maybe do a little camping. This might even be the impetus for me to do something I've always said I wanted to do but never really got serious about and that is write a novel. I have any number of ideas that I would like to do something with. I also have a few short story ideas floating around in my head. And since it is starting to get a bit crowded in there, perhaps it is time to write some of those stories down.

On my Facebook profile this morning, I posted a link to an R.E.M. song, the title of which sums up how I feel on this, my last day, as I end one chapter in my life and prepare to begin the next. To paraphrase that title, it's the end of the world as I know it, and I feel fine.