5 years ago, as a underpaid teacher, I worked as a raft guide in my hometown of WV. It was my 6 season, and I was really just working to make ends meet through the summer. Sandy was in grad school and we were trying to figure out what we were going to do. I met someone in my raft who forever changed my life. A recruiter for the number 1 powertool company in the world. We hit it off, I interviewed, got the job....Moved to Seattle.
Life started to turn. They paid to move us out west, we were excited to be going somewhere new, ready to start a new life. It just couldn't be any better. A dream job of doing field work and marketing for a powertool company. Driving a big truck, free gas, working with young people, no office...yeah it was good. Seattle was good. Awesome food, awesome scenery, rivers, beer, music, and friends. for 3 years we lived out in the PNW working and playing. I went from being a teacher, which is what I went to school to do, to being a sales rep. Not really a job that many would say " damn I want that job" but just about 90% of all guys out there wanted my job. It was a good job.
Our dreams started to shift back to the east coast. My dad was getting ready to retire and most importantly we were thinking about starting a family. Sandy took a job over here in NC and I had that difficult phone call to make to the tool company. They took care of me. They created a position for me here in Raleigh NC. I took the lateral, and we moved east. That is when this stonehouse project started.
But that family conversation didn't come about for an entire year while here in NC. But when it did come up, we were just ready. This past April it all came to be. Along with that was reality of working too much. The company that I loved to work for was turning. I was working too much, stretched too thin and no end in sight. I had to leave. I knew that I was going to need more time with my son and wife. That priorities had changed, changed for the best. It's just awesome! I start a new sales job next week for a local distributor. Still in sales, still for a great company, just a little bit different.
2 comments:
When I last talked to you I was worried when I heard about how much you were working. Nothing like a baby to make you figure out your priorities in life in a hurry... still a lot of people might not have had the guts to do it, so I commend you. I am sure it won't be your last act as a Damn Fine Dad. Lucky little boy you've got. And cute, too!!!
Em
As noted philosopher and ridgemont high dropout Jeff Spicoli once said:
So what Jefferson was saying was "Hey! You know, we left this England place because it was bogus. So if we don't get some cool rules ourselves, pronto, we'll just be bogus too." Yeah?
Hope you can make the new job, not bogus...
D
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