Let the tides turn...

Well, here we are at the end of another year. 2007 didn't exactly pan out as I'd hoped but I think it's ended on a positive note. I've made peace with Kayla and we're still great friends, I've got a new job that I really like, but knowing what I know now, I will probably stay out of management. I don't think it's my thing. I know I'll be looking for a place to live much closer than where I am now because gas is probably gonna reach another market high in '08.

So the hunt for a new girlfriend has started pretty slowly. I've been trying to catch up financially so I can't afford to really go out anywhere. Plus, the end of the year always bums me out so I've been trying to get over that. Once January is in full swing, I should be fine. I've never asked anyone out before so it'll be a new experience for me. Woo. I only have one real interest right now anyway but... its a little complicated.

Kayla and I have made a lasting peace. I've really come to terms with the fact that we're broken up. I think it was bound to happen sooner or later. We were both really unhappy. I've forgiven her for what happened as I've realized one of us was eventually going to do something we'd regret because neither of us had the nerve to just come out with it. Now we're great friends again and still rely on each other because, when it comes down to it, we're the only real family we have out here. We still go out and do things together because we enjoy each other's company. She's changed a lot, too. She's so much happier with herself now because she's on medication and she's got herself a job that she's really good at. I'm proud of her. I like to think that I had a hand in that.

The job is great. I really like my supervisor and he's really cool about the fact that, yes, I'm experienced in all this, but the tools are still new to me so he's still giving me some leeway. I'm also making sure I'm doing my best. Every time he's listened to my calls, he always pays me a compliment. I'm kinda hard on myself and just shrug it off and say something like, "I'd better know what I'm doing. I did it for three years." Not to mention that call centers have been my career of choice for the last ten years. I really like the job. I like the people I work with and the management doesn't make try to lie to you so openly as they did at my last job. If something's going to happen you're probably not going to like, they'll lay it on the line. They won't just lie to you and say it won't happen and then it does. Alltel's a good company to work for, though I did say the same about my last job when I first started there.

I need to move closer. My job and all my friends are in the city and I live in the sticks. I don't get to see them much because of that. Not to mention the fact that I drive an SUV and gas prices are just shy of an ass rape sans lube. At this juncture, I'd like to say thank god I don't live in L.A. Now THAT'S an ass raping. Heh.

I don't think I'm going to stay in Arizona for much longer. I don't know. I might move out east or something. I don't know. I do know that AZ isn't going to be a permanent residence. I've also toyed with the idea of moving back to L.A. I don't know. At this point it's all talk but maybe 2008 is where a plan will begin to form. I sure hope so.

I think I see 2008 as a good year. Remember, it's an election year. NO MORE IDIOTS ON AMERICA'S THRONE!

North, South, East or West? Heh... Might be up or down for all I know.

I think I'm at a crossroads in my life, though I may be making a mountain out of a molehill.

So I've been perplexed by a decision I have to make within the next month. I've been offered a job working for Alltel Wireless. I'll make less than what I'm making now at AT&T but the job is stable, I'll be getting benefits, and there is advancement. AT&T is a contract gig. No bennies, no advancement (unless they hire us full time which, while likely, probably won't be for a sometime yet), but great pay and easy work.

I was going to sit down and make a pros/cons list because this decision has me split right down the middle. I mean, typically, I'll lean one way or the other. But this one has me completely at a loss. While contemplating my decision, I was checking out WWdN:iX and Wil's post about about the journey, not the destination made me realize that I'm no longer a kid, doing what's easiest or what makes me the most money isn't what drives me anymore. The fact that I'm contemplating leaving one job for another based on the ability to make a career out of it really surprised me.

True, I haven't made my decision. I could very well choose to go with the money as it could really help me right now. But do I really need it? I don't think so. The pay cut I'm taking is only $1+ an hour which isn't all that bad. And the drive would be considerably shorter. So that's a benefit in its own right.

But then the money would help get me out of debt a lot faster and the job really is easy. But it's such a rinky-dink set up. They haven't gotten anything truly stable yet as it's a new product. So we have to deal with seriously pissed off customers, field technicians who electrocute themselves because, gods love 'em, they were only born with half a brain, and lower level techs who are too afraid to try anything because they don't want to screw up and have the customers yell at them.

The decision is harder than I had ever realized. I would start with Alltel November 5th so I have until then to make a decision. I mean, I don't even know what it's going to be like at Alltel. I can only hope it'll be like Verizon. While VZW had its drawbacks, it was a stable company with a lot of room to grow. I made it to supervisor there. I'm just not sure. Maybe it'll be worse. I wish I had a crystal ball. Not to see how things would come out, but to get lottery numbers so I could just throw this whole decision out the window and live in a giant mansion on a lake somewhere in Ireland. Eh, a man can dream.

And now, Email sig of the day, courtesy of WWdN: "Always be yourself. Unless you suck."

At work...

Well, I'm almost completely moved out of my apartment. Just some minor clean up work left before I sever such a tie. That was my first apartment in AZ so it's a kind of an odd and sad feeling. Lots of memories in that apartment. Lots to look back on.

On the plus, I'm getting situated at my house though the lack of any real TV sucks ass. The girls are moved in so my roommate's cat has been eyeballing them. I'm not worried, though. If she somehow manages to actually turn the knob and open the door, the girls will give her what fer.

I have to really thank Dawnee for giving me the opportunity to live in a house for the first time in 17 years. It's an odd feeling knowing that there isn't someone on the other side of the wall. Not to mention that I really needed a new living situation as my finances were really beating me to hell.

I've been stressing about my own life lately. Ever since I got fired from VZW, things have been unstable and I hate instability. I feel like I've lost any semblance of control. Job hopping from GoDaddy to AT&T and now Alltel in November. I feel like a loser. I don't job hop. I'm supposed to be the stable, hard-working one. It's aggravating.

I know things will get better. It just seems kind of overwhelming right now.

My birthday

I'll just recap briefly what today consisted of.

Woke up this morning and got ready for my interview at Alltel. They offered me the position at a buck and a half less than what I'm making now. But I'll actually have benefits and can accrue vacation time and such. I think it's a far better deal. After the interview, I had to go pee in a cup. Wee.

Rather than go to work, I went to go get some chinese food and on the way home, picked up a copy of Halo 3. Figured I earned it and since it launched on my birthday, it was fate. I came home, ate my food, dressed down and went into work for the second half of the day.

After work, I came home and just hung out for a while, fielding calls and text messages from people wanting to wish me a happy birthday. I eventually ordered a pizza and soda and came home. Hung out a little more, watching some more of season 6 of Scrubs. After that was over, I went into the living room and played Halo 3 on the HDTV. Fucking AWESOME!!!! Damn. I didn't realize I had played for three hours. I came back in here at about 11pm and figured my hiatus had lasted long enough.

Thanks to those of you who sent me the birthday greetings. I really appreciate it. My birthday wasn't so bad after all. I guess I just wanted to prepare myself for the worst. I'm pretty content with today.

Only problem: with Halo 3 sitting in my living room... I'm never going to get any packing done.