What a Difference a Day Makes

Life is what happens when you're busy making plans they say.

What if I was making the plans that rushing up to meet me?

My contract is set to end the last week of November.  I've know that since May.  That's not a shock.  I keep track of it so I know when I have to start the job (yes, it's like a second job) of finding a new contract.

I thought the new contract offer would come in October.  These things take time to put together don't ya know.  25 and I knew it would mean a talk.  We'd had a talk about having a talk.  I never say "talk" because that's not how we are.  We can converse openly about things in the relationship and don't let it build up in to a "We need to have a talk" moment.  Living arrangements, next job, etc would all be up for discussion.

I got my next offer yesterday. The parent company of the current hospital system I work for has other hospital systems around the nation.  Specifically, there is one in Omaha, Nebraska. It's in the middle of the country, in the flat, vague states of the midwest. Reminiscent of Missoula and Spokane, not exactly the place I'll want to be in January with the snow and the cold and all.

The details were few but important.  Start December second, break for Christmas/New Years, runs through the end of June. That's good news.  I already know folks on the team, the pay is good, my contracting company would be the same. I had lots of questions about the minutia of the new contract and then the brakes in my brain sqealed to a halt when I realized the talk had just been rescheduled.

A six and a half month contract away would mean big changes for things with 25. We had been talking about maybe living together when his lease is up in December. That's got to be considered NOW.  If I'm away, what is happening with the dog and cat? Who's taking care of the house? How much with custodians for those things cost?  What about the mental and emotional strain of being at a distance for so long? And those depend on the minutia of how often do I get to go home and for how long, is the pay enough to stay on, etc.

No wonder I didn't sleep well last night, I can't get my brain to stop long enough.

Da da daaaaa. . . . Unemployed!

It's official, I'm unemployed. 

I just filed for unemployment benefits for the first time EVER. As a contractor, I knew my contract was finite. The end came slightly more abruptly and in a less courteous manner than I'd have hoped for, but I knew it was coming.  The nice thing about being a contractor is that you do know it's going to end.  When I was let go/downsized from a job before it was a surprise and upsetting.  This time it was a good thing.  Being without a paycheck isn't a good thing but getting a final answer was.  VMC was being mysterious about what they were going to do with me (end my contract, move me to another department) and that made me more anxious than having a decision. 

I'm working with several contracting firms and recruiters.  I'm applying to everything in the field and can interview any time.  It looks like there will be several projects starting in October and I should be well placed to take a position on one of them.  Lots of options too: local, travel, longer term, very short term. Hmmmm, what will be next on my agenda?

I am in that old catch 22.  I wanted to travel but didn't have any time to do so with work and no vacation days.  Now I have the time but since I don't know when the next paycheck will come in, I shouldn't spend hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on a trip just yet.  When I lock in a new job, then maybe. Although, Portland and California are so close they don't really count as travel, right?

With that, I'm off to a phone interview. Fingers crossed!