It's been a while since I've written. I guess I'm just still in mid-air trying to figure out what the last half of my working life is going to be.
In what can only be described as the continuation of a hilarious string of bad-luck, I'm one of the federal employees who has been furloughed due to sequestration. Basically, I lose 11 days of pay, or just a little more than one paycheck. The irony here is that working for the federal government isn't particularly well-paying, but the paycheck is supposed to be steady and dependable. Of course, if they're going to periodically tell us not to bother to show up, that's going to put a big ding in the motivations to be a federal employee.
I'm coming up on my 1 year anniversary. That's significant for a few reasons. Mainly, that's the end of my probationary period. During your first year of federal employment, you can be let go for pretty much any reason at all. After that, you've got almost union-like job protection. It's very difficult to fire a federal employee, and you have layers of appeals you can file, etc.
I just moved to a condo that I'm renting very reasonably. The place is gigantic. About 2,000 square feet, 2 living areas, 3 bedrooms, a dining room. Huge closet space everywhere. On top of all that, I get a garage and basement for a price I can afford. It's sorta dated and it isn't perfect, but for what I can afford, it's perfect for right now.
I felt terrible about leaving the house, regardless of how impossible it was for me to stay. That was the last that my son would get to live in the neighborhood where he was born. However, I am thrilled beyond belief that he seems to love the new condo. There's lots of middle-school aged kids there. There's a pool for him to swim in during these hot Summer months. So far, perfect. One less thing to feel guilty about.
I still hate all the time away from him, but life is just that way sometimes. You do what you have to do.
During the move, I uncovered my old CD set for Tony Robbins Personal Power II. For a bunch of stuff that was recorded in the 80s, I love these CDs and right now is a perfect time to listen to them again.
One way or another, the worst of it is clearly over. Life sorta beat me down pretty good last year and it has taken a while to get my feet back under me. In the process, I made a few really good friends working for the Air Force. At this point, more than any other in my life previously, I really don't know where my life is headed, but I feel like things will be okay. The worst is behind me.
