Sunday, July 09, 2006

turning


on friday i turn 33. i'm hoping it will be a good year. the last few haven't been the greatest. not exactly bad, but not great either. i like the way 33 looks though. two 3's seems fortuitous. i know it will mean change because i'm finally initiating some changes. it may be a rocky year, but the changes are much needed and overdue. some of the changes:

1. i quit my comfortable job of over 6 years. (it ends at the end of august.)
2. i am signing up for graphic design classes at the community college. (i don't know that g.d. will be my thing, but i need to just try something different.)
3. i am looking for a totally different part time job (as in one that doesn't involve sitting in front of the computer 8 hours a day).

the good things i will miss about my job (in approx. order of goodness):

1. being able to talk to/have lunch with one of my closest friends who works in a nearby office, and having a "mom away from home"/dear friend as a manager. (these two superstars have made it very hard to leave!)
2. working 80% time with fridays off
3. having good benefits and vacation (relative to other SF jobs, not to europe with their 5 plus weeks vacation a year!)
4. swimming on my lunch break
5. wearing whatever i want to work
6. riding the free shuttle to/from work
7. meeting interesting people

and in case you're now wondering why i am leaving:
1. job has become mindnumbing
2. job feels relatively meaningless
3. i need a change.
4. lame office politics/inequity/dishonesty
5. i sit in front of a computer all day not doing very creative work.

i'm hoping making these changes, although they may not be the right ones, will remind me that i can handle big changes and inspire more change!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sometimes change can be the scariest thing we do...but one simple alternation in your life can cause a flurry of wonderful things to happen.

I commend you for stepping out on a limb and seeing what happens. This is your life and if your not living it then why bother...

lisa solomon said...

good for you!! change is not always easy, but can be rewarding. you sound very level headed about what and why you want to change....

best of luck!!

lisa solomon said...

duh! happy {pre}birthday too!!

Anonymous said...

I turn 31 on Friday and am considering packing up and moving to SF next year. Just because I can.

Anonymous said...

JAA! Heja Kerstin!! Det är klart att du ska hålla på med grafisk design! Självkart - du är ju en given illustratör! Och du har ett öga för form, komposition och färg.

Simma, ha på dig vilka kläder som helst på dagarna och träffa intressanta människor kommer du väl att göra ändå! Ett BRA beslut tror jag. Förändring är alltid läskigt men grymt utvecklande. Way to go! :-)

Grattiskramar i förskott!

Anonymous said...

If you don't want to sit in front of the computer 8 hours a day then RUN! Run from the graphic design! LOL. There is a time during the thirties (from about 31-38) of just it being blah birthday-wise. I couldn't even remember how old I was for a while there when someone would ask. LOL It will pass. Enjoy getting older and rise above the blah! Happy Birthday!

mati rose said...

congratulations brave woman!

paula said...

All the best!
I'm just going through the same...left my steady and money-at-the-end-of-month job a while ago and I'm persuing something different. It hasn't been easy but then again I needed a change...
Take care,
paula

Robin said...

Birthdays always seem like a time to contemplate life and goals. It takes much courage to initiate big life changes, such as the ones you are undertaking. Be proud you have the courage to change and have a wonderful birthday!

Anonymous said...

What an exciting time for you! Scary, but exciting! I'm sure these changes will end up being great. Courage is important. It sounds like you have it in spades. Best of luck to you in your new endeavors!!! I can't wait to read all about your success.

Anonymous said...

Congratualtions on taking a step off the cliff! I have no doubt you will do great things.

Anya said...

You have SO MUCH creativity and beauty to offer the world... and I know you'll find your place in it. Maybe not this summer... but it WILL happen and you'll feel it.
((hugs))

Kim Carney said...

Shash: This is the PERFECT time to make changes, big or small changes. You are young enough but wiser, knowing what you want and what you don't want. Happy Birthday BTW. I so remember making big changes in my mid-30's, moving to SF from Dallas, Moving to Seattle from SF, having a child....and those mindnumbing jobs, leave them before they drain you of life ... I speak from experience on this one ;)
...now let's talk about the sticks and stones .... as toilet paper... ;)

Anonymous said...

I have been thinking about leaving my job recently, too. And you know what... I am a graphic designer and I feel like i could be more creative. I guess our job/life is what we make of it.

Drew
http://colorguardblog.blogs.com/knitblog/