Ok everybody, to be fair and not look like a totally arrogant, ungrateful lout I will admit that a total life makeover does not leave one unscathed. I have gained a lot from my recent life transitions, but there are some things that I do miss. I did have a couple of friends at my old job that I still miss talking to on a regular basis. I've met a lot of great people and made new friends, but they were unique and obviously people can't be replaced. I also miss those great places for walking during lunch breaks, shorter (and MUCH less frequent) meetings, and ham subs. Oh man, I haven't found subs as good as that canteen makes them anywhere and believe me, I've looked. I also had a bigger office space at the old place. But then again, they made me keep all those paper files and now that I'm at a place where we digitize everything, I don't NEED as much office space. It's a trade off.

And I think that's exactly the point that helped me transition. For all I miss that was left behind, I see that other things were gained. I lost great walking places and fantastic ham subs, but I found a lower gas bill (from my shorter commute) and vanilla lattes. I miss my covered parking spot, but I don't have to pay for a parking spot any more (hense, more saved money). My job is busier and more complicated, but it keeps me so much more engaged than it used to. It's all about trade offs. Sure I miss the blessings of yesterday, but I'm not blind to the blessings of today. In fact, missing those very things are what taught me to appreciate what I have RIGHT NOW. Because things can change in the blink of an eye. So appreciate what you've got and work with it, because nothing is permanant.

I suppose the whole point harkens back to something I mentioned yesterday. Change isn't good or bad, it's a mechanism that can be used for progress. You just have to know how to use it. Like any resource, it can work for good or ill. It depends on your own effort and intent - on what you want and directing your energy to the right places. You can cling to the past and dig your own rut lamenting what's passed from your life, or you can work with the change and maximize opportunities for progress. The choice is yours.

In closing, I would like to say that in discussing this situation I realized two lessons from this adventure:

1. Don't meddle in the affairs of dragons; and

2. If you dare to meddle in business that's not yours, you better make darn sure you know WHO the dragons are. Because it's awkward to find that what you assumed was a hatchling is breathing more fire than can. Oops.Change can have that uncomfortable side effect.

With that, I deem that it's time to let this situation go. It's been discussed with the appropriate parties and we are on our way to salvaging the situation. So it's time to move on. Because another thing I've learned is that dwelling on wrongs does no good. Vent if you must, strategize, solve and move on. We're in that process and on our way.

That's all. More later. Happy Friday tomorrow.

Bye!

Hi folks, I'm taking a break from the holiday blog series to share a story with you that's so odd, it has to be true. Because you just can't make this stuff up. I now have the best excuse for missing church yet.

My alarm clock burned to death.

Yep, you heard me right. We woke up around 1AM (that's what time Rick said it was) to smell something burning. It didn't take long to figure it was electrical, and in the room right with us. A few minutes of shaking off grogginess while we looked, and we finally figured it was RIGHT BESIDE ME! The clock was out and ROASTING! Something in there was definitely frying. I yanked the back up battery out and Rick ran down the stairs and put it out on the front porch.

Such oddities seem to only happen to me.

I don't know why, but alarm clocks seem to break on me every 6-7 years. It's been a lifelong plague. Rick's been using the same alarm clock since college, and Mom and Dad have been using Granddaddy's old alarm clock (he died 22 years ago!).

I even tried getting a very basic one that only had the time and a buzzer. Dang if that one didn't eventually go on the fritz with me too. Maybe it's God's way of reminding me that I'm living a lie. I'm a night owl living in a morning-glory world.

I don't know, but that story was so odd, that I just had to share it. I mean, who else does this happen to?

And by the way, I did buy a new alarm clock today. I thought I could get a basic one for cheap, but we found a small iHome setup that would dock and charge my iPod Touch that was only $2 more than the cheapest clock they had. Well why not? I figured. So I got it. Good grief, I'm almost scared. Of all the songs on my iPod, it will probably pick the heaviest thing on there. It'll go off to Slipknot's "Wait and Bleed" at 5:45 a.m. and I'll go through the roof. And not remember how to shut the dang thing off because the shut off button is so small and I'm horribly uncoordinated first thing in the morning. No doubt, I'll wake up to an adventure tomorrow.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why this is is called Into the Rabbit Hole. You wouldn't be surprised to find a chester cat having a unbirthday party here now, would you? 

Take care and I hope you have a great start to the new week. The blog series will resume soon. Next up is the ultimate debate: Gift cards - Great Gift or Cop Out?

Bye!