In the time of chimpanzees

Oh boy do I have some news.

I recently left a tragically bad relationship, with my previous employer. I was so reluctant to leave, I’d been there for so long, had so much vacation, and at some masochistic level, I liked the work I was doing. They mentioned that at my job interview, that I sounded like I liked my old job a lot, and why would I want to leave.

You’ll notice I didn’t mention my old workplace a lot on here. That’s because I generally tried to keep my work and myself separate, though it’s strange enough that my old workplace played a large part in my development during these last several years. I’ve learned a lot, some of it actually useful, but in the end, I just wanted to get out.

I was hesitant, but those last two weeks there would have been rough to get through if I wasn’t armed with the knowledge that the last 2 weeks were little more than a layover on my flight to somewhere the hell else. There was the flood, the requests for unknown information that there’s no way I’d have any way to even know, the constant questions and tumbling, stumbling, finding my way through the goddamn mess of issues and problems.

Then there was the constant threat that someone, somewhere was unhappy with how I was doing things. When you deal with problems, bitter attitudes and hurt feelings are a certainty. Frankly, we, my team and I were, were underpaid, for understanding 3 companies systems and being a stop gap on the shortage of bona fide network engineers, and making nothing above what a regular call center technician made. I learned so much and understand too much to have stayed there, I can see that now.

At my new job I’m a lot more active. I’ve shaved off some weight, helping to get the list of things to do cleared up and problems sorted out. My bosses are cool, my coworkers are cool, and it’s a much better environment.

I do somewhat miss my old work, but I’m much better off for having left.