After Friday

While I have been trying (really hard) to not be sentimental about leaving this job, it has grown more difficult by the day. Truly, though, I think "leaving" this job began in August when Liz left for similar reasons (budget and funding) and then reared its ugly head again in October when Cathy resigned. I suppose that I held out hope that I would still be here when the tide began to turn. However, such is not the case. So, you see, I have a growing list of things that I will miss after Friday. In no particular order...

Coffee in the kitchen with Bill and Recie.

Tomato and sprout sandwiches with Recie.

Staff meetings where we get so side-tracked that we laugh until we cry.

Support group meetings and Jim Jordan and Anne Baxter.

Teal Benoit. What else can I say?

Cathy.

Inukshuks.

The sqeaky, hand-me-down copy machine.

Brooks coming in late looking like the cat just spit him out.

James and his kilt. Not to mention his fabulous hugs.

The sun streaming into what used to be my "office."

Liz.

Walking Colin to school from the office.

Secret chicken biscuits with Bill.

Bob Goins and his never ending list of "Thank You's."

Recie, Bill, James, and yes, Brooks.

I know the list will grow for a while longer. But, I wanted to put some of it down before I forgot all of them - they change daily. And, sometimes by the hour.

Chasing "My Youth"

I wish I had pictures of yesterday's "Memorial Day" ride taken by someone riding behind me. It is important to note that the pictures would have had to have been taken from behind me so that one would also be able to see "My Youth" in front of me. "My Youth" in this instance would be my teenage son, Colin, who just so happened to be riding with the lead group along with yet another Youth (ATAC team mate Colby Allen) on yesterday's 33+ mile bicycle road ride. Last year I "hooked up" with this very same group for a wonderful ride early in the morning of Memorial Day. I had a great time, and the ride was followed by a BBQ at home of one of the rider's. This year Colin was able and allowed to accompany me on the ride, but I should have known...

Youth and ignorance will cause pain in the parent. Yes, I still feel the need to keep him in my line of vision even as he nears the age of 15. So, as he was climbing hills with apparent ease, and flying along the scenic, rural back roads of Leon County at 20 or so m.p.h., I was sweating and huffing and mashing on the pedals just to keep in him in sight. Never mind that he was not even within shouting distance or recognizable as an individual other than a cyclist. Thankfully his riding "kit" is a brightly colored jersey with lots of red and yellow, and his cycling shorts are a matching bright red. I knew if I saw red there was better than a 50/50 chance that it was Colin and Colby (also wearing red) and not necessarily the blood from an aneurysm in my brain.

Thank you to Lee S. and David K. for imparting some of your extensive riding knowledge and experience upon him. Thank you George for "hosting" the ride and showers and brunch. Thank you Kathy and Mike, Mandy and Sean, and Robert and Karin and Mike for putting up with a "snot" such as "My Youth." He did have a great time and is looking forward to another ride with all of you or perhaps Freedom Springs....

Today's Twilight and the Coming Dawn

In the twilight of a career, does one stop to ponder the dawn of the next, or merely the pending darkness of that which is passing?

I hope that I have adopted the attitude of looking forward to the dawn and not back to the darkness. It is always a challenge to rely on one's faith and God when things are not so positive as well as being able to remember to give thanks when things are GREAT. I have enjoyed four and half years of wonderful experiences during my tenure with The Alzheimer's Project, Inc. I have seen many things develop and flourish, and many things come to fruition that I never expected to see. As my final day approaches and I begin to feel more and more the saddness that is inevitable, I hope that I will be able to focus on what may become rather than on what has been. This, for me, is difficult. I grow attached to things like super co-workers, and comfortable surroundings; like flexible hours and convenient locations; like understanding supervisors and sympathetic friends.

More and more I have come to appreciate that environment and companion-like co-workers are EVERYTHING in the job setting. I know I will not find a group such as this anywhere else I go, but I can do what is within me to make my new job as wonderful for those around me as I can.

Just for fun...

Yes, it is a sad state of literary affairs when I have nothing more interesting to post today than a picture of Aidan at the annual ATAC Awards Banquet and Teen Dance. He "loves (truly) him some Coach Amanda" and boy is he hamming it up with her in this picture.