Finally taking control?

So...after months of unhappiness in my job (not to mention the onset of carpal tunnel symptoms), I was finally at the end of my wits. I ended up taking an entire week off from work, pleading illness. Yes, a little bit of a lie; although I rationalized that the ache in my right arm and numbness in my right hand , plus the non-stop headache were good enough excuses. My doctor (bless his heart) cooperated by supplying my employer with his doctor's notes for all five days. But, by the time Friday rolled around, I simply couldn't face having to go back to the office.

I was telling an acquaintance about my situation and he completely validated what I had been feeling all along. I didn't even prompt his response. I told him I wanted to quit, that I couldn't take the stress anymore. So he said, "Well, quit!" After crying some because of the fear and trepidation I had about how I would get by without a job, I decided it was time to do just that.

I left a message on my boss's voice-mail on Sunday night telling here that I quit. I felt so much better after that! And my headache went away!

And while I had had all that free time during the week I was off, I posted my resume on Monster and on the the WA Worksource website. Surprise of surprises, I got a phone call the very morning after I called my job to quit. A temp agency wanted me for a 6 month assignment at a local biotech company (ZymoGenetics). I met with the agency guy Tuesday morning, followed immediately by an interview at Zymo. I found out Wednesday morning that I got the job! AND, the agency got me slightly better pay than I had been getting previously.

Although I'm dirt poor because of not working for 2 weeks, and my rent check will bounce, I am so glad that my decision to be pro-active instead of reactive turned out to be the best thing to do. It just seems like everything came together.

Now I'm just hoping that this position remains a good one for me and that I'll be hired as a permanent employee.

A Note To Someone Who Moved To Los Angeles

I guess the River of Fire has overflowed its banks down in hell only to emerge here in Seattle, threatening to wash us away, down to the Lake of Flames in Hell. It's gotten hot. In a way, I love it. I wait all year to be able to walk around with nothing on, except I have to wear something over the mid-section so I don't get myself into trouble or make people laugh. But it's pretty hot. It's been hotter here, though...I remember. Fortunately my apartment is on the ground floor, faces east, and the windows are shaded by beautiful trees and shrubs, so I'm sure I don't get the worst of the type of sweltering apartment heat that other people go through and that I've had in other apartments I've lived in. Of course, one really great thing is all the beautiful boy flesh that is visible. Although, I've been a bit surprised and dismayed about how so many guys have gotten rather Puritan and are wearing way too many clothes.

As I may have already mentioned to you before you left Seattle, I haven't been going out much at all. I never know anyone at the Eagle anymore. I've become a shut-in. I truly feel that I don't have any friends. Sorry to sound maudlin, but that's how I've become. I don't what to do about it. Nobody interests me. Or if they do, I immediately lose interest when they open their mouths and start speaking.

I did get so bored sitting around at home all day on this past Saturday, though, that I did go down to the Eagle. I wasn't in the greatest mood to begin with, and in the 10 minutes it took me to walk there I kept telling myself that this was not a good idea but once I got there, if I still really, really didn't want to go in, I could just turn around and come home. On the way there, it seemed like the world had gone mad. There were so many cars on the road and creepy people on the sidewalks, people shouting and stuff, that it kind of scared me. I was sure that the idiots driving the cars would simply drive out of control onto the sidewalk and hit me. I got to the bar safely enough and decided to spend the five fucking dollars to get in. Once inside, it was sweltering! There was almost no one in there. This is just great, I thought. And I had forgotten that it was Jock Strap Night, and here I was with nothing on under my shorts. I got my beer, then headed for the patio. It was PACKED. Yes, and I knew there wouldn't be anyone I knew to talk to. I headed for the farthest corner and of course no one moved to let me by. When I got to the corner I did find a boy named Aaron who I'm acquainted with. I don't know him well enough to monopolize his entire evening, however, and when he went off to get more beer, I was left by myself. So I drank my beer as quick as I could and got out of there. Not much fun.

Anyway, that's the news from Seattle. You'll have to let me know how your job search goes. I should also look for a new job. After a year here I'm bored and dissatisfied.