When I bought my Kona, it came with a free three-month subscription to SiriusXM. The same happened with my Mazda years ago; the satellite radio company clearly has some kind of deal worked out with automobile manufacturers. I didn’t listen to it much in the Mazda, but I’ve really gotten into it with my Hyundai. Because I have such a short commute, it’s really not worth listening to Spotify, and podcasts would have to be consumed in eight-minute chunks. I like the variety of Sirius stations and especially the fact that they’re all commercial-free. Plus, the DJs (are they still called that?) are personable and really know their music.
I didn’t like it quite enough to justify subscribing for $15/month, but they are now offering me one year for $5/month, prepaid in advance. That’s worth it to me, so I took the plunge.
I’m curious if any of you are Sirius subscribers?
I didn’t come here to talk about SiriusXM, though. I have something far more interesting to share. And not to be all dramatical or anything, but this kinda feels like dropping a bombshell of sorts.
Y’all know I’m a professional writer, of course. And for the past year and a half, I have waxed eloquently about this dream job I’ve got in the publishing industry. It truly is a great position, one that has allowed me to flex my creativity and write about many topics I am passionate about (and to be fair, a few that I’m not…but as with all things, you take the good, you take the bad.)
Right, Tootie?
Today, I turned in a letter of resignation. It’s not quite the two weeks I’d hoped to provide; because of scheduling conflicts and the time it took to get pre-employment screening results back, a week and a half will have to suffice.
And annoying as he was, my decision has nothing to do with the pesky lawyer guy from New Jersey who was fathomed over our website.
I love the job and think the company is great. My coworkers are awesome. But there comes a time in your life when you must take stock of your career and decide if you are where you need to be. Personally, I was not, and that’s a revelation I partly owe to my parents, who helped me realize during a visit last summer that I really wasn’t living up to my full potential.
These are the prime earning years of my career. I could have stayed where I was and been happy enough, but there are challenges in working for a small company that have nothing to do with the company itself or the people who work there. I won’t say anything negative about my employer because I really do love the company: the variety of work was amazing, and I had a lot of freedom to write about topics of my choice. I was fortunate enough to meet some great people in the community. Hell, I got paid to go hiking. This job helped open a lot of doors for me, and I will forever be thankful for the opportunity.
What it boils down to more than anything else is the fact that I was offered a job opportunity impossible to resist. I would have been insane to turn it down. I could have been shoveling manure for these guys and I’d have still been thrilled about it. Luckily, it’s a shit-free position: I’ll be a Writer/Communications Specialist for a local telecommunications firm that has been in business for over 100 years, providing telephone, cable, and internet service to rural customers across the Midwest. They are a member-owned co-op and, as such, able to offer fantastic benefits. To wit:
- Significantly higher annual salary
- PTO + sick time + personal leave
- 401(k) with an employer match and a generous pension plan
- Health insurance that is 99% employer-covered
That’s not to mention the private office, life insurance, annual clothing allowance, interest-free computer loans, and probably a dozen more I can’t even think of at the moment.
So really, taking the job was a no-brainer. And to his credit, my boss accepted the news gracefully. He didn’t get mad and start throwing objects or sic his dogs on me, so hey, that’s a win. I told him I would be willing to help out with any freelance needs moving forward and he was appreciative of that. Sounds like he might take me up on some proofing/editing, something for which I am definitely well-suited. I walked out of his office immensely relieved this morning, because let’s face it, that’s never a fun conversation to have.
Onward and upward!
Finally, this is for parentingisfunny, who says I should end every blog post with a cat pic.
I’m not actually going to end every blog post with a cat pic, but I may end some blog posts with a cat pic.
You have been warned.
Mark My Words 
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