Nothing like a new commute, eh?

Well, folks, it’s official: I’ve accepted a new job.

There are so many things swirling around in my head about this, not the least of which is that I’ve essentially doubled my commute, from just under 8 miles one way to about 15 (though since they’re basically all flat miles, it won’t take twice as long). I’ll also be heading east, to Gresham — in one fell swoop, I have erased my built-in time on the Willamette River, my awesome climb through the forest, and I will no longer be able to commute halfway with James. But on the other hand, I’ll be commuting where there are way fewer people, and I’m sure there are all sorts of new habits and routes and fun things to discover in this whole new (to me) part of the world.

Portland Rose Garden(no more Rose Garden bike-by on the way to work — to be replaced by…? :)

But the commute is only the external trappings. I find myself in the bittersweet position of absolutely loving my current job yet being resolute — albeit slightly tearfully resolute — to leave. I think back to when I left teaching, and how many tears I shed in that decision: feeling like I was abandoning my students, worrying I was running away from a good thing, having to say goodbye to all the things I loved along with the things I couldn’t abide. That’s kind of how I feel now. Leaving teaching was the right decision, just as I think taking this new job is the right decision, but that doesn’t make it any less hard in the moment.

And yes, I’m the luckiest stasia in the world to be in the position of leaving a job I love for another job that I’m really, really excited about. I’m in a good spot.

Crazy, though, to think of how different life will look simply because come a few weeks I’ll be biking the opposite direction for more miles. How I won’t be able to leave work for a run (when I can run again:) on the miles and miles of Washington/Forest Park trails. Or stop at the Rose Garden on the way home. What new things will I discover on my way to and from Gresham that become the new trappings of life? How much of your life — the for-fun places you go, the things you decide to do — is determined by the well-worn path of your commute?

 

5 Comments:

  1. Congratulations! Change is always hard and exciting and full of feelings.

  2. Ça doit être un trait familial… Toi, un nouveau travail…moi, une nouvelle vie…et lui, toujours une nouvelle aventure. Je crois que nous sommes génétiquement pré-disposés à équilibrer toutes ces émotions, sans trop de mal. :-)

    Bravo, et comme on dit en japonais, gambatte neh?! …ou bien, bon courage et amuse-toi!

    Bisous

    • Merci:)

      I don’t know about the genetically predisposed emotional equilibrium, though, since I’m like the most gigantic sap in the world right now. heh. But that’s okay — you guys can hold down the fort of stoicness and I’ll catch up to you in a bit;)

    • p.s. YAY retirement! Yay new job! (just looked at my last comment and thought I should throw some excitement in there too;)

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