Hattiesburg and New Job

So I’ve finally started the New Job.

I’m wearing one of those smiles that creeps onto your face after you’ve solved a particularly poignant life mystery, and there’s a very good reason for this, because I have indeed.

The grass is never, ever greener on the other side. It’s just different.

Granted, I haven’t received my first paycheck yet, and that will likely re-color my view on things once I discover if my tax projections were accurate. However, I’ve discovered, within the first four days of starting work here (I’ll leave the name of the company out for now. Those who know, know.), that I’ve traded one set of issues, albeit gargantuan ones, for another set. Now, let me qualify. The “issues” I’ve discovered at my new place of employment are nothing like the ones I’ve recently left behind, and I’ll let the details of that situation slide for now. They are infinitely less troublesome, to the point of seeming laughably trivial. They do, however, exist and must be dealt with. The grass isn’t greener. It’s just different.

I am, however, gratified to find that I am working with some very talented, if young, individuals who are reshaping the way I think about the non-native workforce in this country, particularly in this industry. The lead on one of the projects I am a member of is an extremely talented young man who I think is from the Central Asian region, possibly India or Pakistan. He reminds me of another ridiculously talented developer I met while in the Air Force who gets to listen to me vent all the time on instant messenger. How lucky I am to have friends who’ll put up with my inward outbursts that inadvertently find expression over the net.

The new house is so spartan as to be almost cave-like. It’s left my afternoons and evenings feeling so empty as to prompt me to deliberately make messes to take up space, so the house doesn’t feel quite so cavernous and lonely. I miss my family.

Good news on that front, though, they should all be here around the end of this next month, which is fantastic news. I had been hoping for that, but planning on them arriving at the end of May instead of April. So, happy dance ensuing.

All in all, life is looking up. My challenges are the welcome kind and I see nothing but increased happiness on the horizon for me and mine.

For now.