The Unbitter Sweet Day
I stole this title from the Nonsensicles blog because it so perfectly embodied my last day of work.
I have been anxious about my last day of work. I loved my job. And working at This Company* (*not their real name) was one of the best things that ever happened to me. How many people can say that about a job? It's a job for Pete's sake! I could throw in some silly trope that the people at this job were like my family but that doesn't really capture why I loved this company. They were my support system -- they helped me grow into a manager, encouraged my passion about support, believed in my input, and they helped me achieve goals that had nothing to do with the betterment of the company but they did so because they knew it was important to me. Many people told me that the "company culture" of This Company wouldn't work in the long run. That we were too friendly, too personal. Maybe that is evident in the fall-out after That Company took over. I don't think so but That Company was no longer interested in the same things.
When I applied to Clarion I knew that I would be quitting my job. As my last day approached and I packed 7 years worth of crap out of my office (how much tea does one woman need?), I was emotional. Part of that was mourning -- the loss of the job, the people, the support and the other part was completely anxious about not having or being able to look for a job, knowing my days of full-time work and school were over, and having self-worth so intrinsically tied to work. I threw up a lot.
Recently, (with the help of friends and a shrink) I realized that making the choice to do something this amazing, crazy, life-altering thing is exactly that -- a choice. And I made it. Pretty fucking empowering!
So that leads me to my last day and the bittersweet moment of my departure. There was some hemming and hawing about what (if anything) would be done for my last day. There was an email announcing a goodbye lunch in our lunch room with catered sandwiches and ice cream cake. Pretty boring stuff. When I arrived at work I was joyful but there was some bitter that the send-off had all the hallmarks of That Company -- very by-the-book, very approved-by-HR.
After lunch, my coworkers said there was another surprise outside. Jen led the way around the building. I honestly thought it would be a concrete version of boccie ball (a game we played a lot at This Company before we moved to our new office with no grass). When I rounded the corner, I was completely awestruck. These people totally get me.
It was a giant bouncy house.
We spent hours in it. I couldn't stop squealing. It was so much fun. And exhausting. And then, more fun.
Seriously, one of the best days of my life. I went out with a bounce.
Want more photos? Check out the flickr page!
I have been anxious about my last day of work. I loved my job. And working at This Company* (*not their real name) was one of the best things that ever happened to me. How many people can say that about a job? It's a job for Pete's sake! I could throw in some silly trope that the people at this job were like my family but that doesn't really capture why I loved this company. They were my support system -- they helped me grow into a manager, encouraged my passion about support, believed in my input, and they helped me achieve goals that had nothing to do with the betterment of the company but they did so because they knew it was important to me. Many people told me that the "company culture" of This Company wouldn't work in the long run. That we were too friendly, too personal. Maybe that is evident in the fall-out after That Company took over. I don't think so but That Company was no longer interested in the same things.
When I applied to Clarion I knew that I would be quitting my job. As my last day approached and I packed 7 years worth of crap out of my office (how much tea does one woman need?), I was emotional. Part of that was mourning -- the loss of the job, the people, the support and the other part was completely anxious about not having or being able to look for a job, knowing my days of full-time work and school were over, and having self-worth so intrinsically tied to work. I threw up a lot.
Recently, (with the help of friends and a shrink) I realized that making the choice to do something this amazing, crazy, life-altering thing is exactly that -- a choice. And I made it. Pretty fucking empowering!
So that leads me to my last day and the bittersweet moment of my departure. There was some hemming and hawing about what (if anything) would be done for my last day. There was an email announcing a goodbye lunch in our lunch room with catered sandwiches and ice cream cake. Pretty boring stuff. When I arrived at work I was joyful but there was some bitter that the send-off had all the hallmarks of That Company -- very by-the-book, very approved-by-HR.
After lunch, my coworkers said there was another surprise outside. Jen led the way around the building. I honestly thought it would be a concrete version of boccie ball (a game we played a lot at This Company before we moved to our new office with no grass). When I rounded the corner, I was completely awestruck. These people totally get me.
It was a giant bouncy house.
We spent hours in it. I couldn't stop squealing. It was so much fun. And exhausting. And then, more fun.
Seriously, one of the best days of my life. I went out with a bounce.
Want more photos? Check out the flickr page!