BigV!!!! welcome back sucka! i've been worried about you. I've been kind of stalking you via your last log in date for awhile.

Soooo... tell us all about it.

Well...since you asked :grin:

I have been at my new position now for about two weeks. You know that song, Henry the Eighth? "Second Verse, same as the First!" Well, this position is just like the one I left. In fact, I reckon my experience there gave them confidence that I was the right pick for them. I am the Lone Ranger again, just ridin' a different range. I have a new actor in the role of Tonto wrangling the databases, just like before.

There's been considerable culture shock, adjusting to the new tribal customs (no company provided coffee. WTF?! Have to join the "coffee club". :rolleyes: What-evah.) My commute time/distance about tripled. Don't cry. It was 5 miles and 10 minutes before. I was...spoiled. But gas was south of $3/gal back then, too, so you can get a little misty if you wish. Work is fine, pay is fair (not so-so, equitable-ish).

I got the lead from craigslist of all places. I love the internet. Phone interview, then scheduled face interview (group interview, co-owners and Tonto vs me. It wasn't fair, but I took it easy on them.) Wait. Wait. Wait for fingernails to heal. Wait some more. Get phone call indicating an offer is in the mail. Leave town :smack: . Let them wait. Respond enthusiastically to offer. Counteroffer. Agree on counteroffer. Start next morning. :cue heavenly music: Breathe.

It is a small company, family owned, and they are at that difficult in between size where they have a lot of computers for a lot of people, and the attendant needs for the inevitable computer failures and frustrations to be resolved. In general, I have a distaste for those that make the money on their on the misery of others, but I have been able to justify my work by emphasizing the good I do. But I am thankful they have problems. So are my creditors.

Speaking of which--we've been melting the credit cards, folks. Ever charge your house payment? It's a bad habit, trust me. I can't wait to pay down that mountain of debt. One. Bite. At. A. Time. I am allergic to debt. Like other power tools, it can make some jobs easier, but you can get in trouble doubledamnquick, and some of those things *don't* grow back. I don't think there will be any permanent scarring, but my new quest is to make that number go down down down.

I'm so, so happy to be working again. Work doesn't define my existence, but I do like the validation of my professional worth and we all know money makes the world go round. It's good. 's good.

It's really good to see you back in the saddle BigV.

Unfortunately, I think for me, my career defines my existence too much. It's not about money, it's about love. I need to feel the love. Seriously.

Break a leg in your new gig, BigV.

Or one byte at a time. Wecome back. :D

That is good news man. I hope you can get through the debt with minimal pain. I've always been debt-phobic as well so I feel your stress.

Welcome Back, BigV! Man, I missed you!

Congrats on the job!

Hey BigV, I knew it was just a matter of time, before you got the new job. Sounds like a good fit for you.:thumb:

:) nice

cue Welcome Back Kotter song.

BigV!!! Hugs to you, and congrats. :) (we had no doubt you'd make it.)

Missed yah.

Yo, V! Welcome back and congratulations. I hear you about that big enough to have a lot of computer problems, small enough to not have the resources to fix them properly situation.

It's great to hear that things are working out for you again, BigV! I knew you had so much good karma earned after Katrina that something would be coming back to you. Congratulations! :)

Right on V!
I have a friend that also had some good luck finding employees via Craig's list.

'Grats BigV, good to have ya back.

Been away for a while, and this thread is one of the first things I check here ... congratulations on getting back into the world of work, BigV!