The End of an Era

Well, an era has passed. Almost six years have passed since I last earned an income. But now, I shall return. It is, admittedly, a little earlier than planned. But, I’m also looking forward to the process. I’ve submitted my resume online, and since I don’t absolutely need to work just yet, I feel like I’m calling the shots, that I’m in control. That may or may not be the case, but that confidence is bound to be good for me come interview time.

In any case, as you may have noticed, I have not been very consistent at posting lately. I’m hoping to get better, but I had set a goal for myself a few years ago that I would complete a novel by the time I turned 35. Well, that happens in a month, and I’ve revised the “novel” to be a complete story. And I’ve met my goal. The first draft of my children’s book, “The Adventures of the Gandhi Gang”, is complete. Every bit of free time that I had over the past month or so (roughly since my last posting) has been used writing that story. It is just a rough draft, but I like the overall story and how it ends. I’ll probably have to cut a lot of it, which is fine since it’s currently 57 pages long.

So anyhow, as far as my return to the work force, I think it’s time. Sure, there are some financial considerations – like the desire to keep our kids at the Montessori school down the street and contribute to their college fund, and have extra money to redo our kitchen and go on vacation whenever we want (assuming I can get the vacation time) – but since I’ve met that writing goal, completing that big story, since I’m turning 35 and I’ve been out of the computer industry for six years (way too long), I feel like it’s time. If I’m going to write, it’s going to be during lunch breaks. It’s going to be evenings when my husband is at work. It’s going to be on days when I don’t work (I’m hoping for part time for starters).

Now, once I get a job, I’ll then have to figure out daycare, and getting the kids to school, and holidays, and days off, and carpooling, and perhaps buying more work clothes – what is the attire these days? Can I wear jeans at work these days? I used to wear overalls and Birkenstocks at my last job (of course, I was pregnant and about to leave the work force for six years). Have things changed?

I’m ready. I really am. And if I can just get contract work, so I can still take the summer off to be with the kids, all the better. But I guess I should start with trying to get a job before I think about when I can take off…