Can you feel the love? I can!

So where in the heck have I been and what have I been doing with myself for the past couple of weeks? I know at least a few of you are wondering because I have received emails asking me that much.

I haven’t been writing for a while because the muse hasn’t been with me and my focus has been elsewhere. I don’t plan on giving up my web site, but it is not the focus that it once was. I will still write something from time to time and I will always post when I have new photos to share on my Flickr site.

Well, let me bring you up to speed.

Jenne and I are doing well. The cats are great, and I am coming up on my one-year anniversary of purchasing my MINI Cooper! This past weekend I ran into some old friends at the Shore Leave Trek Convention. I look forward to renewing those friendships. I could feel the love in the air. I also made a few new friends at Shore Leave including writer and artist Richard Pini of ElfQuest fame. I have always enjoyed Richard and his wife Wendy’s works and it was awesome to hang out with him and talk for a few hours. I look forward to seeing Richard again.

My gaming in the fantasy land of Azeroth continues. I have two characters now on the Graymane server. My main gnome mage, Burnsie recently made level 58. Two more levels and I will be as high as one can go, until the expansion coming this fall/winter. My alternate character, a human priest named Nedflanders is almost to level 43. I greatly enjoy the game and the social/team aspects of it. Some nights I get in little adventuring and a lot of chatting. Hence the nickname the game has earned World of Chatcraft.

I am one month into the new job. One month still makes it a new job. It’s when you hit three that it’s no longer new. Of course I would rather not have to work, but alas, I have not won the lottery, inherited any money or come into wealth on my own. So, I work and I have to say that the new job is going great and I am happy. I like my boss and my coworkers and they like me. I made friends very quickly here. There are gamers and SciFi and fantasy fans, and everyone has a great sense of humor. Everyone is also extremely helpful and there are no egos to contend with. I am working with a team of supportive and professional people. The focus of the help desk is on customer support and teamwork and it shows. The support and teamwork has really helped me too. My confidence level is strong and at no time have I been stressed out, nor have I felt like jumping on the train tracks. In fact there has been no stress or depression associated with the job at all. In quite a few ways it reminds me of my days at Claritas (after the first couple of months passed, because in those first months at my first IT job I was stressed and I almost did jump on the train tracks), with the exception that it is a very ‘tight ship.’ Breaks and lunches are scheduled, security is very tight and there are strong policies and procedures in place. But I find this to be a good thing. I like the schedules and the fact that are well-documented ways to handle things. The other thing that I like is that I am very busy during the day handling between forty and fifty calls. But you know what? I like it. I am focused and centered and my workday passes quickly. Do you want to know what else I like? Being appreciated for the work I do. Having a customer say, “Hey, thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it.” And, “I have to say that this is the best customer service experience I have ever had.” And, “Thanks so much for helping me activate my accounts. I love you. Tell your boss to give you a raise!” Talk about being appreciated. The team and my boss appreciate me too and I them. Can you feel the love man? I can and it feels great.