200 days

Well, here is the next milestone reached.  Took the day off sans compensation and don't really care.  It is not like working for free.  We have needed to finish a few things before I start my on call week at 00:01 on 18 December.  This means of course that it does not end until 24:00 on 24 December.  No time for last minute anything so we will do *almost* last minute things.

As I sit here with our 9 month old bull dog puppy shoving herself tightly against my side as if she thinks she is cold, I have a moment to think on our 20 years here at this home.  Many pets have been raised and buried here, a few wandered up and were adopted.  For the ones now, I wonder how they will react to our move.  How for that matter will my wife react to our move?  How will I?  In any case, we have built a comfortable home and life here, it will be a new adventure to move on and begin again.  A third beginning for my wife and I.  Fifth beginning if you add the two kids in the equation.  Comfort comes with familiarity, how quickly will we get comfortable in the new environment?

So, from another perspective a milestone is a new beginning to itself, like waking each morning is a tiny but important beginning.  As the last planned year here is whittled slowly away, the next big beginning weighs heavily on my soul.  Questions abound, decisions loom, some answers don't come as quick as I'd like.  I have been and will continue to lead strongly as always, following my logical decisions to the next milestone.

Well, coffee is ready, bull dog needs a walk, wife is up, time to face one of the last semi leisure days-off I will have here.

Cheers and Merry Christmas to all.

I've seen the Elephant

Every now and then something just stands out like a loud shriek waking us from sleep.  This phrase "I've seen the Elephant" and the complimentary story is one of those things for me.  One day soon, I will use this phrase when I serve my obligatory two weeks notice.  I can imagine the puzzled looks it will draw.

From my FB newsfeed this morning, this came up:  http://tinyurl.com/nok7tve

After a 26 year career with the compny and watching things change from Customer oriented to Sales oriented, feeling my age *and* being compared to the Gen X/Y younglings who manage me now...  Well, it fits!  Without realizing it I have been walking head on into my own meeting with "the Elephant".

Now, I really do have something to smile about...  Meeting the Elephant is a good thing.