A year later… <queue the saxes>

“Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.” ~ Marilyn Monroe

In October 2011 I got laid off by Microsoft. I had never been laid off or fired in my adult life. It was a new and scary place to be. I didn’t see it coming; but I should have. I was too happy, surrounded by friends and coworkers that I admired and appreciated, and one could say complacent. My manager of 4 years had just retired and that is almost always a warning shot across the bow.

A year later and all I can say is that it was the best thing that could have happened to Suzy and me. We moved out of the McMansion to a very nice and mortgage-free home. I got rid of a lot of stuff. And I started at Amazon with a great team.

I take the bus to work now, something I haven’t done since I was in college. That’s a good feeling, having a smaller carbon footprint. I’m thinking of starting yet another band, the Amazon Modern Jazz Orchestra and I’m still running the Microsoft Jumpin’ Jive Orchestra.

Change is not always a bad thing. I feel invigorated, recharged, and like I have found a place that values my efforts.  What a great year this has been. This is a shout out to the many, many family and friends who helped me get to this happy place.

“Never too old, never too bad, never too late, never too sick to start from scratch once again.” ~ Bikram Choudhury.