kirktastic

Well the bright side is I could blog more. So on Tuesday I had an early morning meeting with my boss to go over second half 2009 goals. Apparently, the goals did not include me as I was laid off. In many ways I am relieved since it was not secret I wasn’t in love with my boss, my company or the tasks I was paid to do. It was taking a lot of strength not to just quit, but I was lazy and not wanting to line up another gig first. The good news is I get a decent severance so my kitties will still have food to eat.

I’ve since getting walked out with all my personal belongings on Tuesday not thinking about what’s next for me. And not thinking of the prospect of running out of money or any of that. In other words it has been like a vacation. I decided I’d take a week to decompress and then start looking for a new gig in earnest. I’m not sure what I want to do next, while lounging at the pool this week I made a list of high level things I want in my next job:

• I want to feel like I’m actually contributing something to the company and ideally to make the world better
• I want a boss that gives me the support I need but can let me be me and not micromanage me to death
• I want to work for a company with a clear vision of what it does and how it will succeed in the future
• I want to work for a multinational or a company that has many customers outside the US with possibilities to work abroad
• A Mac environment or at least a Windows-optional environment would be nice to have

As far as where that job is, it would be great if it were in Austin, preferably north or downtown near mass transit. If not Austin, my thoughts of returning to my homeland California would be nice. I’d like to work in San Diego, San Francisco, or Santa Monica. In other words, most of the close to the Pacific cities named after saints. I can’t live where it is cold so Chicago is out, even though it is a nice place to visit and I didn’t mind going there in the winter for work. Same with Nueva York. That’s a great city but it is too cold in the winter (sometimes the brown snow never melts when it warms up). I’d thought about Seattle and Portland. They’re more mild but the dispatches I read from my amigos there indicate I might not fare well in the winter months. I’d consider going back to Phoenix but Phoenix suffers the same problem Austin does in the summer in that it is pretty fucking hot. If left to Texas, I’d pretty much want to stay in Austin. Maybe San Antonio. Even though people swear that there are parts of Dallas and Houston I’d like that are really cool. I think I’d pass.

My dream job would be where I work anywhere I wanted to as long as there’s an internet connection and a phone line. My fantasy I’ve had for a while would be able to work for a few months in say Puerto Escondido MX, then set up camp in Buenos Aires for a while. Then Vancouver BC. Then Ko Samui Thailand. Anywhere with broadband and close enough to a major airport if I have to get back to the States for a meeting or emergency. My commitment to working would be the same as if sat in a cubicle in an office somewhere. But the nights/weekends/vacations would enable me to explore. The problem is this idea is not compatible with my cats and I’ve yet to find an employer that would entertain this idea. Oh well, I’ll keep dreaming.