You Can Never go Back

It's early achievements like these that made me better prepared for my current success at work.

Yes, this is from my second grade teacher at the end of the school year, saying that I had "excellence of performance" in "bringing in materials.  In hindsight, I feel a little sorry for Ms. Powers.  She was really reaching....    That was the same year they pulled me out of math class once per week to take a class for shy kids.   *sigh*  ((aside: the certificate was in a memory book my parents sent me not long before we left on our trip.  I found it humorous and set it aside for hanging up at work or something like that.  I've long eschewed posting "awards" at work and this would have been my sarcastic response.))

But that was then, this is now.  I took in the materials I needed for the first day of work (cell phone, lunch and notebook) and hit the ground running.  I am glad for the opportunity to be a subcontract manager again and even the kids are excited that I'll be traveling for work.  I guess living in close quarters on the boat for a year makes them ready to push me out the door.  Despite me NOT bringing home souvenirs the last time I traveled frequently for work, they seem to think I might do that this time.

As I see people I haven't seen in a year, we'll have a quick exchange and then a promise to meet and discuss things later.  Lots of people want to hear about the trip, but sadly, there isn't a lot of time.  Once we retrieve all our photos, I'll finish the "sailing is somewhat like building a satellite" presentation to share with my work colleagues.  I know of no better way to reach a lot of people at once.

It  has been delightful to see former colleagues again and to meet many new ones for the program I've joined.  But every once in a while, as I pass the windows that look out on the bay, I am mentally transported to the blues and greens of Mexican anchorages, and sigh.

Were there things that annoyed me when I first started work?  Sure.  I knew there might be challenges getting the things I needed.  And while there are little changes to everything that are expected as a matter of evolution in any organization, there were very few surprises.  The bigger changes are within me.  I used to have a higher tolerance for b.s. and nebulosity.  I'm afraid that dwindled significantly.  Also, I am more mindful of what I use and am trying very hard not to acquire more 'stuff'.  Both at work and otherwise.   Life is complicated enough without having to track a lot of items that are little used.