I keep thinking I will have something to write about as I am currently at the point of facing some changes in my life, yet for one reason or another I find myself either unwilling or unable to make the leap. So, rather than waiting another couple weeks, I decided to write about a couple of the big decisions I am facing.
First has to do with my job. I have now been in Pickwick for over 3 years. This is twice as long as I originally agreed to and I am wanting a change. The hotel is nice, it is super easy to manage, and if I had a wife and kids it would be an ideal job as I would have ample free time to spend with my family outside of work. Really, from a family man perspective it would be the perfect job. But I have neither a wife nor kids and as a single guy this super small town atmosphere has become quite stagnant. I have contemplated several different hotels recently and even applied for 3 different jobs in different parts of the country. The most recent ones were in Hattiesburgh, MS and Pheonix, AZ. Hattiesburgh didn't work out, it didn't feel wrong... it just didn't feel exactly right either. Pheonix was filled before they even posted the position. And that leaves me where I am now... looking at a job posted in Naperville, IL (West Chicago). The hotel is a Hampton Inn and is owned by the same company that owns my current hotel. There are some financial challenges that I would inherit (all hotels seem to have this though) and the cost of living in that part of the country is much higher than where I currently live and we can't forget (as my Dad so willingly pointed out) that IL is the state that gave us our current President (personally I blame the uninformed and foolish younger generation, I am old enough now to start blaming them so I am doing it every chance I get. Just wait till I get a cane!).
So there are reasons for me to second guess this position... but there are several reasons for me to ignore these other reasons and go for it anyway. Chicago is NOT a small city and there is a much bigger population of Church Members there (I wouldn't have to drive an hour just to go to church). Good restaurants to eat at. I would also be closer to family there, just about an hour or so away from Seth and Julie (closer depending on where I would choose to live) and a lot closer to a major airport to get me back home to Utah. The hotel is much bigger than my current one and would be a good resume builder and would actually require some effort from me to keep it operating smoothly. And, finally, I would be a lot closer to several MLB ballparks, making it easier for me to add to my list of stadiums I have visited in my lifetime! Lots for me to think about.
Along with this professional decision I am facing there is a personal decision I am also facing. For the past 3+ years I have put a lot of effort into becoming a licensed foster/adoptive parent. The path has not been easy since moving to TN and I have faced outright and open discrimination from more than one source. I was determined at first to hang on, and for several years I have continued getting my training, paying for my extra insurance, attending the local association's meetings, and in short doing all a normal foster parent would do to maintain their home properly, and for three years all of my time, money, and emotional investment has been for naught. I am now close to the point of calling it quits. For some reason this decision hurts more than I thought it would and I keep putting off writing my letter of resignation.
So two big decisions I am currently facing. When I think about it... if these are the toughest decisions I am facing... I have to consider myself rather lucky. There is so much more I could be dealing with so please don't think I am complaining here. I just didn't know what else to post and it has been a couple months since my last post so here you go. Maybe I will have some real news in a couple weeks, not just some potential news, to write about.
