You know I've

You know, I've always been a big believer that everything happens for a reason. There's been times where that's harder to believe than other times. But let me tell you a story about when some of the worst news I'd heard turned into some of the best.

First, the best: This morning I was offered the job at Illinois Mutual for their brand new "Electronic Marketing Material" department, meaning there's some people already doing stuff for print and I would be doing stuff for the internet, CD, and DVD.

The worst: Last September sometime I was up for another position at a company who shall remain nameless. After 3 interviews I was basically offered the job, only to come home and post about how happy I was, then called later saying they'd found the journal and couldn't trust me and would sue me. At the time I was absolutely heartbroken. I couldn't believe it. It was a good job, good money, and it was all gone because of some weird coincidence.

Reasons I should have known better: The no-compete clause always scared the shit outta me. Always. From the beginning I was scared of it but not scared enough to turn down all the extra money. Vacation was pretty shitty. Benefits weren't great. It was a long ass ways away from where I lived. But, I still would have taken the job.

Someone was looking out for me: Yeah, the coincidence was so big that it couldn't have been a simple coincidence. I can't believe that. Not to get holier than thou or religious, because I'm not, but it certainly seemed someone was looking out for me. Had I started at Company X before they found this journal, I would have been fired and condemned to 2 years of shit work before I could work in my field again due to their no-compete clause. In the weeks that followed the bad news, people came from all over to tell me how much working for Company X sucked and how I was way better off without them. And they were right.

And the follow-up: The weirdness of everything led to me believe that someone was looking out for me and forcing me to make the right decision. That was a hard explaination to grasp because I was so looking forward to the money and going back to work. But I finally came to terms with it and accepted the notion that I would have to work a shit job until something better came along.

And the something better: My new job. First, the most important part of the deal: I'll be off every Friday by noon. Fantastic benefits, fantastic schedule, fantastic oppurtunities for advancement and promotion and making more money, good money (although not quite as high as I was hoping for), good people, creative environment where people WANT to be, rather than just being to scared to leave, and just and all around better job than anything Company X could have given me. And the best part: had I gotten the job for Company X, I couldn't have left to work for Illinois Mutual. And, as far as I know, they won't sue me for mentioning where I work in this here journal.

I start May 3rd and put in 3 weeks notice to the Digi Stizzi today.

Everything is good and great and wonderful now. I'm just happy I don't have to keep waiting and hoping for a job. It's mine. Unless it's just some mean April Fool's joke.

This journal will also return to being at least a little public. I'll still be cautious about what I post, but I'm sick of being friends-only.