Life could be harder. I’m happy it’s not.
June 15, 2023
Promotion.
I don’t usually talk about my job here on the blog these days. I’ve been at the same company for eight years, as of this month, and things are going well. I lead a team of application developers scattered all over the country. As a people leader I am generally well liked by folks up and down the org chart and I feel that I’m a success in what I do. It’s funny, because when I shifted from radio to technology at the turn of the century, I thought I would just write code and do geek things. Now I lead a team of 22 people that do the tech things, though I still do a bit of code writing on a daily basis. I like my job.
Earlier this month I was informed that I had been promoted to a director level position and that the promotion was “very well deserved”. A director level position in a company this size (I work at one of the major telecoms in the U.S.) and once all the databases and other applications at the company adjusted themselves to my new title, I still look at the title “Associate Director” next to my grinning face and I can’t believe I have a director level position.
I’m in a great place in my career. The team is a really great group of people and the folks above me in the org chart are a great group of people as well. I am very fortunate, and I’ve gotten to this place with a lot of knowledge, determination, intuition, and a healthy dose of good fortune.
Being recognized for my achievements as a leader and this advancement has given me a much needed confidence boost. My plan is to continue onward and upward.
Early.
When I was a lad in elementary school Grandpa City retired from his job at the country club. Retirement was apparently an exciting thing that happened when one got older and he seemed happy to be retiring. At least that’s how I remember things.
After he retired we spent a few days visiting and I was curious as to why he and Grandma were still getting up quite early? If they didn’t have to go to work, why not get a few extra winks?
Now that I’m in my middle 50s, I’ve discovered the reason: even me, one of the strongest “not a morning person” type of people around, now gets up at sunrise and actually feels awake, alert, and productive in the early morning. Of course, Grandma and Grandpa City didn’t have a cat making louder and louder demands at the crack of dawn like we occasionally do here in the desert, but I’m finding my natural wake up time seems to be following the patterns of the sun a bit. Whether I’m up late or not the night before, I’m waking up with the sunrise.
I’m ready to retire.
