I'm back to blogging ...

Amazing to think it’s been well over a year since my last post – guess I let life take over. With this post I hope to wrap up the remaining events of 2010 so I can move on to the rollercoaster of 2011.

Last post was in August 2010 …

September 2010:

Ben started kindergarten at Arrowhead Elementary – so grateful to have both kids at the same school again. Super surprising to me, Ben had a rather difficult time adjusting to kindergarten. After attending Montessori for years I wrongly assumed his transition would be relatively smooth. Of course he settled in and his life became routine again … he spent many a morning with the school nurse.

September also brought us to see my nephew play on his high school football team. Many fun times spent cheering the team Monday and Friday evenings! Homecoming game was the most fun – that is until it occurred to me that the kids in the stands or on the field hadn’t even been born with I graduated high school … ouch!!

Almost forgot – September brought me the opportunity to interview for a new job. Gasp!! After all I went through leaving UW Bothell for UW Libraries, why in God’s green earth would I put myself through another huge transition? The very question I asked back then! More to follow...

November 2010:

My girls’ weekend trip to Arizona – need I say more?? An amazing escape to sunny AZ for 4-blissful days. Suzanne, Linda, and I had an incredible weekend; laughing, drinking, crying, drinking, laughing … couldn’t get back down soon enough for another visit but alas; crazy Suzanne has taken a new job in MN … seriously girlfriend – how could you do this to me!

I am so grateful for my mini-escape because November 16, 2010 brought me to new employment. Yup, I did it – I applied for and through an incredibly drawn out recruitment process, I landed a new position with the UW School of Medicine Dean’s Office. I had originally interviewed for the position back at the end of February and the first choice candidate ultimately declined the position (this candidate had competing offers within the School of Medicine and now in both of our new roles we have regular contact … she’s awesome and made the perfect choice for her {and I’m forever grateful for her final decision}). My supervisor didn’t close the active recruitment but rather did the job of the HR department through summer and in September gave me a call to see if I remained interested. Without hesitation, “yes” absolutely – I need to leave UW Libraries stat! Here I am … almost a year later; with my learning curve going straight up I wouldn’t change a thing. This is the most challenging position I’ve ever held – every day I’m making decisions that directly impact the lives of hundreds of employees (no pressure). Thrilled to have my first year under my belt but know I have another year of feeling new to the School of Medicine.

December 2010:

The holiday season – always a whirlwind of events; a good holiday season which I won’t detail out only to say my sister-in-law held her annual New Year’s celebration; a formal evening event she’s held for the past several years. My parting words as we rang in 2011 were something along the lines of … I have feeling 2011 is going to be a rough year. Call it an off-hand comment or predicting the future … 2011 has been an incredibly challenging year – 2012 can’t get here quick enough.

Thanks for reading,
Nick