The decision

This got pretty long. It might be boring. Just warning you now.
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I accepted the offer. I'm really looking forward to this. In one sense, it feels odd because I'm going back to the office that I left to take my current job. But things have changed. My current company has changed since the beginning of this year. There are fewer advancement opportunities than there used to be, and they've redefined the roles so that I'm not really interested in being promoted to that job anyway. Meanwhile, things have changed back at the old company, for the better. There's a new manager, morale is way up, and I will be exposed to more challenges on larger accounts. I'll get to round out my technical skills, and be very marketable when the next opportunity comes up. I feel kind of weird about going back to where I've already been. I can't help but feel that if I'd stayed put, I would have been even higher up the ladder by now. But, I don't regret the decision to take my current job. I have learned a lot over here that will serve me in the future. I will be more understanding of what my producers are dealing with, and I will be better to do business with as a result.

The personal benefits are substantial. Besides a little more money, I will not be traveling at all (maybe once a quarter, rather than once a week). We (wife and I both) really didn't mind the travel. I wasn't really gone all that much. We had adapted, and accepted it as a necessary part of me bringin' home the bacon. And I did enjoy getting out in the field. But it will be nice to come home every night and ever-so-gently encourage the boys to finish their school work. And I'll be able to re-commit to a hobby or two. I've been missing band practice for months because travel made me miss a few concerts, and the weeks that I was home I was with the boys while mommy went to band. Now that I'm home, I can try to find a reliable weekly sitter and get back into that. Or maybe commit to some golf lessons. I wanted to take a six-week class last year but I wasn't able to commit to six straight Wednesdays. Hey, maybe I'll even return to some personal healthy routines now that my work hours are set. Perhaps wake up early to walk or run. We'll see. At the very least, we know what time I'll be home every night, so we can plan regular family meals and cook healthy things rather than take advantage of convenience foods on my way home from the airport.

My current manager has not spoken to me in several days. He's in another city, so we don't speak every day anyway, but he didn't even respond to my notice that I was interviewing last week, nor my notice that I accepted today. It's kind of awkward... I've tried not to burn any bridges, because you just never know what the future holds. I might be working for or with some of these folks again one day. (Believe me, I've wanted to tell them off, and I've held my tongue.) But I do think I've expressed my thoughts about some of the events that lead me to actively seeek out a new job, and I think they've figured out that I'm dissatisfied. I have done my job still, to the best of my ability. Oh well. Life moves on. They couldn't seriously expect me to stagnate here forever. I think he's more worried about how his employees' dissatisfaction reflects on him as a manager.

My celebratory round of golf this afternoon was fun. My putting was awful, but I had some nice hits, and kept it mostly in bounds. Only lost four balls, that's a huge improvement. And now for the first beer. Good night.