The End of the Interregnum.

Well, I have about 5 days until my new job starts. I’m nervous of course. I have a large set of new duties and very little knowledge or understanding of the structure of the company. I will go into it consciously unafraid to ask questions, lack insight, and be stupid. I’ll have a lot to learn very rapidly. But that’s one thing I’ve always been pretty good at. I enjoy steep learning curves.

This six weeks off has not felt like a vacation. I’ve been packing, unpacking, driving, working, shopping (for boring necessities), and learning the new aspects of my new city as fast as I can. Even though I grew up in Seattle, it’s changed enormously in the 26 years I’ve been gone. And I lived on a suburb island, not the city itself. So I never really knew the “mainland” as we Islanders called it.

I like where I live. The house, the neighborhood. It’s very comforting and feels like me. It’s a little hipstery, but that’s ok. And there are things I still don’t know how to find that I want, like a little gourmet grocery. Though the basic grocery store at the end of my block is very good. There’s plenty of good coffee.

The AA here is really wonderful. I’ve been asked to speak at my Men’s Meeting already. That’s next week. The attendance is inspiring, the meeting structure is comforting. The only thing I’m not crazy about is the length. Meetings seem to be largely 75-90 minutes. I’m a 60 minute guy. But I’ll adapt.

Tomorrow I think I’m going to a meeting for a professional society. I’m interested and excited about it. But also nervous about entering a room of highly trained professionals in a field I’m only peripherally trained in. But I think it will be interesting to go and meet people and start to make connections.

I’m looking forward to going back to work. I’m ready for a new thing.