I have a new job!

I start next week! Or I start in two months. That part is undecided. And actually, it's not decided yet which job I get because it is internal redeployment. And actually, I don't even know if I get a say in what job I want. But either way, I will be employed, and I am happy about that. I'm so glad someone decided they want me on their team! And once we figure out the rules of internal redeployment, I will know when and where I will be going. :)

So I guess it's technically not official. But I feel pretty decent about how it's going to work out. Either job would be okay - I'd kind of prefer the job that would have me working more with a team of peers and would also allow some flexibility in work hours. But in the other job I'd be working with some senior-level engineers and probably learn a lot, plus they have a brand new pretty building to work in.

Oh, and both commutes are equally bad, both positions are on-site only (no telecommuting), and the basics of the offers would be the same - it's just the actual job that differs.

Shallow, I Know

But sometimes it's fun to be shallow. Like today. Today was a little rough at first - I had my 4th job interview (but no offers yet) and this job would probably be pretty tough. Plus, since we're in "redeployment," I have to take the first job offer I get. I don't even know which one I would want, and I don't know if anyone wants me. Sigh.

So, on to the shallow stuff. I stopped at mom's house and she thought my hair looked really great today. I had her take a picture, but when I got home and looked in the mirror I had to pull out my own camera because she was right! Today is a good hair day.

FRONT VIEW


SIDE VIEW


OTHER SIDE VIEW


And that last picture, besides being at a totally strange angle that I never see myself from which seems to make my nose stand out prominently, also made me start to wonder: at what point do I have to change my eye color on my driver's license from brown to something else? Is it when all the brown is gone from my iris? Because today it looks like I'm halfway there.

EYES TODAY

Life is Change

What is it about coming changes that gets my heart pounding, my head aching and my thoughts swirling in circles? It's not exclusive to negative changes. This time I should be happy. I should be excited. And yet I want to avoid thinking about it, I want to stay up late playing Paper Mario or doing laundry; I want to pretend that everything is continuing on normally.

Before anyone gets too excited for me, it's just a job change. My program is winding down, so a bunch of us are being transferred. The company even has a system to help us with transfers instead of just tossing us out into the job pool on our own. The managers from different programs communicate about who is going to need to downsize and who is going to need to hire, and they help us make the switch to a new position.

This should be good - I feel like I've pretty much mastered my current position, the responsibilities are not challenging anymore (except for the actual volume of work to do which can be a lot), and we know our program is winding down.

I think it's fear, that feeling that has me all mixed up inside. What am I scared of? Just change. I don't like changing. Which is tough, because life is change.

Sunbeams

Yesterday's Sunbeam class went something like this:

-(me)Thank you D__ for saying the opening prayer. When you say a prayer, what's the very first thing you say?
-(G__)I'm a frog
-(me)Right now we're Sunbeams. What do we say first when we pray?
-(G__, jumping forward)I'm a frog
-(me)We're having lesson time right now. Please sit down.
-(G__, still jumping forward)I'm a frog
-(me)Please sit down on your chair.
-(G__)I'm a frog.
-(me)Please sit down, it's lesson time. We have an activity after the lesson.
-(G__)I'm a frog.

Repeat about 8 more times for the full effect.

I Love Friends

Not the TV show. Well, not that I hate the TV show, but I just mean that I really love and appreciate friends. I'm just in a sentimental mood today. So, here are some things I love about my friends.

They sympathize when times are tough
But they won't let me feel sorry for myself for too long
And they remind me of my blessings
They celebrate when things are good
They help when I'm stuck in a hard spot
It feels good when I get to help them too
They love me even when they see my faults
They love me even when it's been a long time since we talked
I know I can find someone to talk to whenever I need
They include me in fun activities
And instead of feeling awkward because I don't have kids
Those with kids are happy to share
Even when we don't like the same things, we still like each other
They make the extra effort to stay friends even when we all move apart
They remember funny things about myself that I forget
Like the time we held races on the streets of Seattle late at night
And for some reason I started doing pushups
Or like the time ... any of the times ... that we just laughed hysterically
Until the tears were pouring from our eyes
I know they think about me
And I think about them
And they pray for me
And I pray for them
And somehow growing older and doing new things is a lot less scary
Because my friends are doing them too