Big Life Stuff Redux

Bittersweet.

That's a good word to describe my feelings today.

It's my last day at a job filled with people I've come to respect and love. Publishing is a uniquely tough business, and one that has become increasingly so in recent years. Production schedules and turnaround time has shrunk on a level parallel to the diminishing salaries and the increasing hours spent at the office, or with pages taken home on nights and weekends.

You do this job because you love it. I've heard that a lot over the past several years. And, while that may be true, you really do this job because of the people you get to work with.

They keep you going. They make it fun to come into whatever deadline mess you're currently embroiled in. You manage to laugh at the Thing That Will Keep You Here All Night.

That's something pretty special, and I can honestly say that I'll miss it dearly.

Yes, I'm on to other things. Yes, I'm happy and honored by the chance to branch out into a new field with exciting possibilities.

But I'm sad to leave my job here. I'm sad to leave this desk that has become my life for the past 20 months. I'm sad to leave the people I've become friends with. I'm sad to leave traditional publishing.

I'm sad to leave books.

But it's time for the next chapter. The New Thing. I'm taking a week off, and then I'm diving right in.

I'm going to work for the WWE. Hang on. Let me type those words again. I'm going to work for the WWE.

Somewhere along the time stream...

The 8-year-old Alex has just dropped his Hulk Hogan action figure.

The 12-year-old Alex has just stopped trying to Super Kick his little brother on the trampoline.

The 16-year-old Alex is still buying that Stone Cold t-shirt at the mall, even though he's already spent most of his money on CDs (remember those?) at Tower Records (remember those?).

The two-weeks-ago Alex is amazed at how quickly things can change.

This is a Big Deal for me. It's new and exciting and a little scary. But I'm at a point in my life where I think I need a little scary.

So.

To the next thing.

I'll let you know how it goes.