Winds of Change

I just returned from a week in Orlando where I attended a training seminar related to my government job. I had a wonderful time meeting my counterparts from all over the U.S. that I work with but have never met face to face. Here are just a few of them from the Navy's main office in DC, my friends from NCIS (yep,the real NCIS), and my Marine Corps counterpart from California. They're all great folks who do a great job.

I also had a chance to spend time with an old friend of 30-plus years who was kind enough to take me around Orlando and to some wonderful restaurants off the beaten path. We ate at a wonderful tapas restaurant called "Cafe Tu Tu Tango. There is artwork from local artists hanging on every square inch of available wall space, a Tarot card reader for those of us who love to explore a mystery, and we were also entertained by some talented and beautiful belly dancers!




The night before I left, we ate at a Cuban restaurant called the Columbia. The atmosphere with tiled floors and huge tiled portico was a great experience, not to mention the delicious food that included a huge salad made table side and the delicious sangria with fruit. The service was excellent, and we all walked out fairly stuffed on our last night in Orlando.

The big news is that I've been offered a job working in Arlington making more money than I could ever hope to make here in North Carolina; and I accepted the offer. I have four years until retirement, and I could never hope to make the amount of money I'll be making there. I know, I know, money isn't everything; but our retirement is based on our highest paid three consecutive years, so it's a move that will have an impact on my lifestyle for the rest of my life.

I'm not the kind of person who enjoys change in my work life but I've been really unhappy with my job over the last 5 years. One thing you can count on when working for the government is that they never seem to do the things that make the most sense. My job has changed drastically over the years and I have a lot of responsibility, without the benefit of advancement in my position or in my pay. I've basically worked for the same pay for the last nine years.

I have to admit that I'm scared about moving, having to deal with DC traffic after living in a rural community for the last 30 years, being away from my grandkids whom I adore, and having to learn to negotiate the ins and outs of public transportation after living in a community where it didn't exist. But on the other hand, I'm looking forward to meeting new people, experiencing new outlets for recreation, and snow in the winter! I'm planning to rent my home since the depressed real estate market would prevent me from getting what I paid for my great little house and yard. I'm hoping to be able to buy a small place near DC or rent a small place in the rural area. We'll see. Everything is open right now. On one hand, I feel like shouting, "I'm TOO OLD for all this change!" But then again, once I've dealt with the unknowns, I think I'll be okay!