So, back to that Seattle thing...

Events have been rather crazy lately. I'm sick of my job and sick of Columbus. I feel as if I'm going nowhere and after having lived in the Short North/Victorian Village neighborhood of Columbus for over a year, I'm starting to feel like I've seen it all.

Joe has been feeling this way too. The problem is that two people with a Bachelor's in Psychology can't go many places. We're lucky with the job we have -- it pays enough to live comfortably, it's secure, and it's flexible. But, it is a state job. Meaning, if you "moved around within the company" you'd just move around within the state. Ohio. I've lived here for 26 years of my life and I have 26 years to go until retirement. That is my entire life I've already lived! That leaves me feeling hopeless.

Joe found the silver lining in August, when he came across a job announcement for what we do, but for the State of Washington. I did some research and found that there were three offices -- Spokane, Olympia, and Seattle. If we were to leave, we'd have to do it now. No house. No kids. No responsibilities. We latched on halfheartedly to the idea of moving to Spokane. The cost of living is ridiculously cheap. Beautiful wilderness. But the more research we did, the more we realized that it was out in the middle of nowhere. The idea of no concerts (besides the promise of Ted Nugent at the Indian Reservation Casino), no nearby "big cities," and other sources of entertainment was severely disappointing. But, I applied anyway. And, I put in for Seattle and Olympia for good measure. What the hell, it wasn't like I lost anything in applying.

Weeks went by and I never heard anything. Oh well, it gave me hope for a moment. But a relocation to somewhere over 2500 miles away was a little drastic and crazy, right?

Suddenly, I get a call from the Seattle DDS Chief. He didn't realize I was on their certification list, but he's interested. He had another person applying, so I told him to give that person a job, but keep me in mind for future endeavors. Still, I wasn't thinking anything would come of it.

September rolls around, and with that comes the NADE Conference (Blue Elf Shoe trip). Joe and I chatted up the Washington delegates. We met a woman who transferred to Seattle from the Utah DDS. She gave us the lowdown from the view of someone coming from another state. She told us she was glad she made the choice.

The Monday after we get back from South Dakota, they've posted for supervisor in our office. I'm eligible, and my chances were high. Despite my reservations and my sincere desire to possibly pursue the Washington gig, I applied. I put all of my soul (and stress) into the process. I decided that if I don't get the supervisor gig, Washington is meant to happen. If I do, I'm meant to stay in Ohio.

A month goes by.

The week of the test, the Seattle DDS Chief calls me. "I can hire you," he says. I can't believe it. There goes my belief in "fate," or so I think. On the spur of the moment, Joe and I find a cheap flight and hotel in Seattle for Veteran's Day Weekend. I figure, we can see the city, that way we'd know what we were saying no to if need be. If anything, it's just a nice vacation over a long weekend.

Friday, I got my rejection letter. I did not get the supervisor position. The second that letter was handed to me, I was the happiest I had been in months and months. This was it! It was now or never. The signs all pointed to it - a cheap flight to see Seattle, the DDS Chief's weirdly timed call, the fact that I did not get the position. Joe jumped in and called the Chief to let him know he too, would be coming with me.

We are meeting him this Friday, a week after I was dealt my fate. Who knows what will happen?



P.s. If you or anyone you know is interested in subletting a really awesome 2BR duplex in Victorian Village, let me know ;)