Recently at work I had to start a social media ad hoc committee. People have behaved badly on social media this year. Blogging mostly, but faceplace, too. It was just at the end of the term and I asked a few folks to get together on the day of commencement (before the string of parties started) to talk. During the conversation, I admitted (not in a confessional way, but I'm sure it was taken that way) that I had a blog and that it was anonymous. Sort of. Earlier this week, someone else mentioned my anonymous blog to me. Clearly trying to get access. No quarter was given.
People still blog. I read them every day. Every once in a while someone who doesn't blog much whose blog I read back when I played blogleague fantasy sports will blog. That makes my day. A little bit of sunshine, you know?
So I have this new job. Start in a month. I can't decide whether the "beyond this place there be dragons" is the right metaphor for the next phase in my professional life.
Or maybe I'm a little like Halo. Will the box be all I want it to be?
Best case is that it's like the entrance to my favorite hotel. It's on a little street in a little town in the desert. You wonder if you've arrived at the right place. You ring the bell. Once you make it through the arch, though, you never want to leave.
I'm hoping the new job is somewhere between Halo's box and Desert Hot Springs.
Recently, in my current job, I've been dealing with several unpleasant circumstances. People causing drama, insisting on controlling the drama narrative. Drama that requires after hours meetings. Ad hoc committees on social media. Me to steel myself against others' crying. It's karma, I think. For leaving. For feeling bad about leaving.
For being a more than a little afraid that the continuum is between the dragon and Halo's box.
The only way out may be through. Halo figured that out. Maybe I will, too.
Wish me luck.