And now the year in review...

Okay, I won't review the whole of 2011, but I will say that the last three or four months were just crazy!  After I got back from PrincessCon SW, I had a job interview, followed by several people saying that if I didn't get it to keep my eyes open.  Incidentally, I did not get it.  However, people were right, and a new job opening came up rather quickly, I got my feedback from the first, and applied for that one too.  Turns out a little practice was all that was needed, and by the end of October I had a new job!  What a load off, with the whole new system platform lying in wait for me and the terrifying prospect of trying to get that up and running before January...incidentally they are still working on it.  My job is very much less stressful now as an analyst.  I do a lot of work with spreadsheets and occasionally answer the phone and look at a lot of data...but I like it.  Eventually I'll probably have more to do, but I'm reveling in it for the moment.  Plus, I really like my boss, my manager, and all the people on the team.  Someday I'll have a bigger desk, but life's pretty okay for the moment.

November was pretty much taken up with the last two weeks in my old job.  I have never worked so hard at the job, and it took a considerable amount of time and work and patience to extricate myself from all accounts and responsibilities.  And of course the only people who complained were my jerk chemical customers.  Apparently we have high turnover in our department.  I wanted to tell the guy that anybody who had to deal with them would be cause to have high turnover.  What a schmuck.  I had lunch with my old manager.  I also completed a couple of major projects for the old job and still got rewarded for it, which was somewhat surprising.  I finished testing the new system according to a list of items that needed to work before rolling out, and personally I thought that more people should have worked on it, and if I could manage to test my biggest most complicated account, they could probably do at least one of theirs.  Whatever, they'll have to deal with it sooner or later, the administration is still determined to have it.  I also finished up my other new system project that was supposed to get my promotion.  I wrote a bunch of help text documents, and then taught a class, and I don't think anybody paid any attention to what I said, or found the documents helpful, but I tried.  And management liked it, so I guess it counts.  In retrospect I feel like I worked really, really hard at a job that did not get much recognition.  I like where I am now much better.  Yay for no more on call work!

Thanksgiving was pretty low key, just enjoyed the time off, and prepped for the Chili Throwdown.  I was challenged to make chili this year, so I found a recipe, and gave it a shot.  Lee made four pies at the same time, which I found impressive and tasty.  That was a grand time.

The sixth of December was not so nice.  I came home and my dad told me that my aunt had died.  I was pretty surprised since it wasn't even hinted at, and it was just sad.  Really, really sad.  I'm going to miss her, and it made me pretty randomly emotional all week, so apologies to anyone who had to deal with me in a moment of unannounced crying.  I try not to do that.  It also made me think about how fragile life is and to enjoy what we have while we can.  Sometimes people tell me I try too hard and that I'm forward, but I've learned that waiting is not always an option, and if you want something, go get it.  It may not work out, and it may all end in tears, but I would rather try than miss an opportunity.  Who knows.

I did feel better when I went to church that week though, the priest was very encouraging about life.  He said rejoice, and I have a lot to be happy about, and many things I'm grateful for, so even when I'm sad or scared or upset about something, I really can't say life is too hard on me.  Things are pretty good.

More later.  I'm still a little low in spirits despite all.  Or because of it.  I don't know.