There’s a soft glow of contentment surrounding my view of the world tonight, something I find quite amazing in light of the events of the past year. The void of the unknown and I got to spend quite a lot of time together. Over time I would learn to resent its appearance, but at the start my nervous energy was focused through a prism of confidence and anticipation of new challenges. I had been feeling rudderless in my professional life; under-utilized and pushed to the sidelines. Now I would be able to refocus my mind and hone my skills. Really, it went as much to plan as it could have.

But like the unforgiving surf on a stormy day, there was another wave lurking. Unseen. Ready to blindside me. My second swim in the job market started much like the first, but this time I didn’t surface so quickly. There were long series of interviews that ended nowhere, bad matches, and taking what projects one could find freelancing. I gasped and struggled at times, and I’m sure there’s more gray in my hair now for having survived it.

The sanctuary I found has turned out to be a much greener pasture than I first realized. The turmoil certainly isn’t gone, but it feels more healthy than malicious. The kind of chaos a growing company needs to thrive. There’s a challenge ahead, but I really feel we’re up to the task. You can be damn sure I’m doing all I can to push things in the right direction.

Next Time: Cryptic recap of the year in the personal. Or maybe not.