Moving On

Well this has been a tough couple of weeks. I didn't realise I was so out of touch with half the country and haven't even really begun processing what the hell happens next.

Typically, as so often in life, massive epic crappy stuff in the news coincides with personal life changes. It takes how you thought you were going to feel, shakes it all about and leaves you dizzy and unsure of how important your own small milestones really are in the grand scheme of things.

I feel sad and desperately worried about Great Britain. I could, like so many, spill my feelings out over the page. Indeed I've written a blog entry about Brexit several times in my head and then I realised that so many swear words in one article could upset my mum so I've shelved it until I've stopped being quite so fucking cross.

This genuinely earth/economy shaking news coincides with me leaving my job. It's the only time I've ever had anything in common with David Cameron (of course we did agree on which way to vote but I suspect for wholly different reasons so I don't think that counts).

Three years ago I went back to work about a big break looking after my children. It was a massive step to return to the workplace and I struck incredibly lucky.

I have spent the last three years working in a place that I never knew existed. I have been on the supportive periphery of somewhere that makes real differences to young peoples lives. I've seen how amazing the staff are, everyday supporting and helping develop young people with special educational needs and giving them the opportunity to create beautiful things with their own hands. I've watched from afar as the students go on their, often bumpy, journey.

It's been enlightening, sad, funny, exhausting, supportive and eclectic. It has opened my eyes to the fact that there are places out there that break the mould. My goodness at the moment how important it seems to be working somewhere that makes a difference. After all it really isn't all about us. Honestly Boris it isn't.

So I'm moving on - in fact I started my new job three weeks ago and have been confusing myself stupid with where I am supposed to be and when. I am now working somewhere else that makes a difference and it feels like I'm on the right path for me.

More than that this tree has another branch. I was going to say "this junction has another fork" but wasn't sure I could travel down two roads simultaneously and the analogy got a bit clunky. Oh heck branches don't really work either. Let's just say I'm also doing something else. Crikey Nigel has melted my brain.

In short I'm making a commitment that writing will be a bigger part of my life and that's pretty exciting. My friend said today that this is the start of my exciting creative journey and I hope that is true.

Tonight I'm a bit sad. I'm a soppy fool and always find moving on emotional and tough (as I am clearly demonstrating in my ramblings). Tomorrow I will wear my sunglasses.

This is me saying "thank you" to all my work colleagues, especially our little team. You deserve only wonderful things.

Kxx

The beginning of something

For reasons of privacy I don't really want to put on here where I work or really what they do. If you know me then you'll know already. Sufficed to say I started my new job today and it was good. I am knackered but hopeful.

It's been an odd sort of day. It's been a while since I've done an induction and this one was certainly eclectic. I can't really say much more. Apart from that I now know a bit more about Annie Lennox and I work somewhere that has a balm making room. I spent most of the day thinking Chloe would love it. Which means it must be good.

My overwhelming feeling so far is joy that a place like where I work exists. It seems incredible, valuable and fascinating. Not a bad start.

So now I just need to get on with this working lark and start the new bit of my life. I am flipping shattered already though.

Milestone

So this is a big week for me. I had so much planned for before it arrived and have achieved none of it. The book isn't finished, I'm still overweight, and the house is a tip. I suppose at least the rabbits aren't dead which is some comfort. My output the last six weeks has been disappointing but then I've always been terrible for setting myself unachievable goals. My resolution for 2014 should be to not do that....ah.

But I digress.

Tomorrow I go to a job, in an office, for the first time in seven and a half years. I woke up this morning and sobbed. Not because I don't want to go. I do. And not because I don't think I can do it. I can.

But because it signifies reaching a whopping milestone because I start a new job tomorrow. Since we are using the analogy, this milestone is as you might expect one which makes me look back (it was chuffing hundreds of miles ago when I last had an email account that wasn't full of groupon offers) and forwards (it stretches about thirty years long and I can't see the easy chair at the other end of it which is frankly a worry).

I'm changing jobs. Not from one firm to another, or one role to another. It's not as straightforward as that.

My proud job title has been 'Stay at Home Mum' and it has been the best, toughest, at times literally crappy, gigglingly joyful, painfully exhausting and downright rewarding job in the world. For me anyway. It was my choice and it was the right one. But there's been a reshuffle in the office and my two team members appear to be at school all day which has shaken things up a bit. Not least in my brain.

So now I will do something different and reawaken my office working life between the hours of ten and two each day. The rest of the time I will still do everything I did before. So it's not actually a change of jobs. I'll still be doing all the painful, messy, hilarious stuff before and after work and school.

Oh I see now. I have essentially invented the 28 hour day.

So cross your fingers for me. That I can do both things well and that we are all happy. Because, well that's the point.