I have a ton of stuff to do, projects, call-backs (well, I guess it's email-backs at this hour), but we haven't talked for awhile. As the regulars know, I started a new job at MACC last week. So, this concludes my second week of wading through a newly created position in a new environment. I'm fairly familiar with MACC. Jaime & I both graduated from the college; she's put in 5 years so far as Marketing Director and Suz did a stint there prior to our grand move across the pond years. But, to be on the other side of the desk is enlightening and pleasantly exciting.
I met Dr. Jorgenson on the way to the parking lot last night and she kindly asked how things were going. I maintained the decorum necessary when addressing a college president who happens to be your boss. I replied graciously that things were going well and that I was looking forward to meeting with her next week for a check-in. What I should have said was that I'm just so at peace here.
This job is going to nail me to the wall on some days... as any good position should. Already, I've had instances where I wasn't as dashing or intelligent as I needed to be. It's going to stretch me and allow me to delve deep into the creative side I've longed to nurture and I'm excited about that. But, it's also allowing me to invest in something first-hand that's going to impact my son. Lord willing, Cooper's going to college in 17 years (countin' 'em down) and the work I do today at MACC will build that foundation for him.
That's some seriously far-reaching stuff.
Now, as I move onto my next subject, I realized I'm about to lay some new lines of relationship. See, we all reach into different corners of the globe (some more than others ,obviously). Folks from my USCC days may not know the MACC connections I'm making and vice versa. Cheryl in Jordan didn't know Cheryl at the office, but now she does. This is the beauty of the blogosphere... and the weird six-degrees of separation we all experience. To me, it's cool to be able to introduce some new people to you who are important to me at this time in my life. Over the next few weeks, I'm sure we'll do more of this.
Anyway, this afternoon, Mona (the out-going Alumni director) and I made a run to Heartland (the place where Suz & I had our wedding reception all those moons ago) to check out the space for our Alumni banquet tomorrow. (Speaking of which, if you're an alumnus of MACC, doors open at 5.30 and tickets are $15.) After all the necessary business was out of the way, we stood in the parking lot and walked circles around the job she was retiring and I was acquiring. Mona and I go way, way back... to 1993, big hair, (mine, not her's) and the Journalism class she taught at the college. Jaime followed and our families have been close ever since. Our conversations are pretty straightforward with each other and it's nice to have that comfort level.
Just as we were wrapping up, a nice surprise walked out the door. Robert & I worked the late shift taking customer service calls at USCC just as the first flip phones appeared in the market. We may not have stayed in constant contact over the years, but I consider him a good friend. In a space of 2 or 3 minutes we caught up on each other's lives and swapped numbers. I had such a genuine feeling of happiness seeing him again. We had some great times traveling and working together in a variety of places. He's one of those people who say, "Let's do lunch," and means it. I gotta say, a lot of people have impacted my life. We've all shared some experiences that can't be replicated (Maya's summer cheesecakes at 3rd Circle come to mind). As I find myself getting a little older, I'm cherishing those relationships a lot more than I realized. To quote Hugh: "Every man is an island... But clearly some are island CHAINS. Underneath, they are connected..."
Let's all do lunch sometime... it's good for us.
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