California, 2007

Smack in the middle of an exhausting week. Two weeks, actually.

Just over two weeks at our new apartment. And I’ve finally fought through the fearsome forces of Human Resources, and managed to land a job.

Signed the contract this morning. I’m supposed to start tomorrow, but they expect me to dive right in and hit the desk running.

And it feels damn good to be working again. Well, unless I screw up really badly and they fire my ass for incompetence.

I’ve been a workaholic for over twelve years. Pulling twelve-to-eighteen hour shifts regularly. Weekends, holidays at the office. I spent New Year’s Eve, 1999 logged on just to see if my Y2K patches were up to spec.

And this year was the longest I’d ever spent unemployed. Three months of not working was taking its toll on my brain.

And now I’m back. A little rusty, but looking forward to getting my hands elbows-deep in server guts again.

To some people, a job is more than a way to make a living. It’s a way of defining yourself.

System administrator. Network engineer. Being able to call yourself some swanky title allows you to feel better about yourself. To feel useful, needed.

Sounds kinda sad, I know. But I got nothing else now.

Without a job, I’m just another useless loser. Overeducated, underskilled.

With a job, well I guess things will get better from here on in.

Of course, there are still a couple or so weeks before the first paycheck, and these next two weeks look to be really bad. Belt-tightening bad.

Once I pay the rent tomorrow, I’ll have about fifty dollars left in my checking account. Fifty dollars to get through two weeks. In the second most expensive city in the world.

Oh, hell. I’d like to say I’ve been through worse, but we all know I haven’t.

I have no clue of what’s in store for me now.

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