More Change
So, after a great trip to the Ice, ten years in a relationship with the Ice (oftentimes tenuous at best), I’ve decided to take a job that doesn’t involve things like Big Red, chicken time, Ob Hill, crossing ceremonies, CTDs, bunny boots, 204, 208, helo flights, happy camper school, and a myriad of other beautiful language teasers. I’m very sad to leave the USAP, even though I know the Ice will never leave my blood. Like my husband Marc, I think I’ve been forever touched by something magical, spiritual, disastrous and beautiful, chaotic and peaceful south of 60 degrees latitude. I know we both will return there someday, by some means. And while I know that I will always be connected to the program in some way, it is important and good for me to be moving on.
My new job is similar in scope–still Information Security, still auditing, but for another contractor for another government agency. It’s a great opportunity to get some more experience, to get dirty with technology, and to really expand what I already know. I’m of course anxious; no one moves jobs without a little bit of anxiety. I worked for six years full time–that’s longer than I’ve been at one place since elementary school. I think it’s a generational thing.
I am sad to be moving one more step away from teaching writing again, but I also know that for my life and my family right now, this is the right move for me. Plus, there’s so much interesting stuff happening in Infosec on a daily basis, I’m never short on excitement.
The only thing that I would love to add to my changes this year is acceptance of the Antarctic manuscript for publication. I’ve made some good changes to it since my last deployment, I think, and from some good advice. That is at the forefront of my mind lately, along with everything else. I’m also finally ready to move into the next manuscript, which I have been writing for without realizing it for the last five years or so. How does that happen?
So as they say, change is good. Now to live it.