7:17 pm
Some great news: we are (finally, after 10 long months) leaving the desert!? Ahhhh… And, none too soon, as we’re both about to dissolve from dehydration. I mean, we’ve gotten used to being here (it’s not a bad place; I have always liked it for what it is), but being constantly dried up–well, it’s a grind, and I can’t help but wonder with incredulity how those who choose to live in this part of the country deal with it! My mom has lived in this part of the country for years, and she seems to appreciate the lack of humidity. All I can say is, we didn’t even make it a year, and we’re pretty much over it.
Inhale, exhale.
In less than a week, we will head east–close to where we moved here from–we will see palm trees (where they should be growing) and actual clouds; feel mosquitoes buzzing around our ankles and sweat dripping under our armpits; inhale the sweet odor of naturally humid air… INHALE.
Some more great news: I got a new job! After a long summer of soul searching and job searching–and interviewing; so much interviewing–I can finally EXHALE…into a new career. It was a hard decision to leave my current gig, because it’s…well, it’s uber-easy–and I can do it remotely and it pays well. BUT…I need to move on. I need to actually use my brain. I need a higher purpose, essentially. I need to invest my passion and my talents into a job that I actually respect myself for doing. It’s not that I don’t respect others for choosing the corporate path–God knows I’ve had to work in many jobs that weren’t personally fulfilling–I just know that I need more. On the other hand, I wouldn’t have been able to accept this job if the offer wasn’t financially viable, so, I’m not above it coming back to money, because it does. Still, it’s a plus that I am finally moving into nonprofit and able to keep making about the same amount I’ve gotten used to making at my current job.
It’s been years since I’ve worked as a full-time employee–my last full-time gig ended in 2009! I’ve been freelancing and contracting since then, so the adjustment to full-time status might be a bit weird. BUT, I will be able to do this job remotely, so, working from home (which I’ve been doing since 2012, in various shapes and forms) won’t change–thank goodness! I am WAY too used to being able to work and write in peace, and not have to commute, or be distracted by coworkers. It has its ups and downs, but I really do prefer working remotely–I love not having the stress that going to an office every day brings, and I absolutely love being in complete control of my time. There really is nothing I’ve found that motivates me more than having absolute ownership of my time.
Anyway, it’s been a busy few months, and that’s sort of why I’ve been offline-ish. I want to thank everyone for all the caring and careful comments to my recent posts–I appreciate them more than you know. My insomnia has passed, thankfully, and now it’s back to…not being as grateful for restful sleep as I was irate at not getting sleep. But, isn’t that how it always goes? You never call IT to thank them for their service; it’s only when something goes wrong with your computer, and then you only call to bitch at them!
I was wondering how I could tie my sobriety into all this (yes, I am still sober!), and well, I guess it’s that I’m not sure I would have had the long-term perseverance to turn these dreams, step by step, into reality. I know I would have second-guessed everything by now, might have just run out of gas so to speak out of fatigue, or fear, or just letting myself talk myself out of it, taking my eye off the prize to look back at Wolfie. And for this, I am definitely grateful to be sober, or maybe just more mature–to be able to get a glimmer of how it actually works, seeing the long haul through.
Here’s hoping things move smoothly this week into a whole new life; if not, we’ve survived worse, right, guys? And, taking one second at time makes every second OK. It will be OK; it will always be OK.
Huh: this is really the first time I’ve believed that it will all be OK. I never considered that it just being it, makes it OK; that things not working out the way I had imagined or predicted would still be OK. Alas, a small discovery, but one that might change my world!?
Congratulations! How exciting! All the best of luck with the move and the new job!
I can relate to this because I’m in a job that pays the bills but that doesn’t motivate or fire me up and I could do it in my sleep. For a drunk it’s ideal, but Sober Me wants to be challenged and add value so I’m taking steps slowly but surely towards a new career. Drunk Me would never have been able to patiently work towards a goal, but now it’s a different story.
Glad to hear the sleep has improved too! When I first stopped drinking, my sleep was the most immediate change and I went from a terrible toss-and-turn five hours to a solid block of eight hours per night. At times I have a shit night’s sleep but on the whole it’s a world of difference. Not getting good sleep is so awful though, it can really – and does – impact your whole life so I’m really happy to hear it’s all coming right.
Again, congratulations on the new job!!
Anna x
Thanks so much! 🙂
Wonderful news, congratulations!
Breath in, breath out, is one of my own personal mantras. It amazing how it can stop the panicky thinking. Also, working at a nonprofit for a cause that you believe in sounds wonderful. Who knows where this could lead? Your own nonprofit?
Maybe everything will be more than OK. Maybe it will be spectacular. 💕
Congrats – good stuff. “It’ll be ok”…