Functionality, or lack thereof

[twilight33]

The cupboards above the fridge now open about 75% of the way, a vast improvement from just a few inches before. I wish I could say the same about my mind at the moment. I'm used to doing my job on autopilot, but not life in general.

I scared myself the other day when I realized that I'm coming up on five years of living here. Not only that, but I've also been working at the same place (although not the same job) since a few days after I moved here. That's completely unheard of for anyone my age, and I'm not sure what it means. Have I traded career challenges for complacency? I created two of the three jobs that I've done here, so that has to count for something, right? With Kieran here and the economy utter crap I'm not inclined to leave this safety net anytime soon, but I find myself wondering if it's time to move on once he's a bit older.

Comments

[torquemada.livejournal.com]

I'd love that kind of job stability, hon. At least you'll have someplace safe to look for a new job from.

[twilight33]

Very good point. It'll be difficult to ever give up the 5 minutes from home commute too, I've gotten really spoiled with that.

[savannarama.livejournal.com]

Moving on for its own sake doesn't seem enormously prudent, but once you figure out what really bothers you about being at the same place, it might make all the sense in the world. Maybe you would really like to be more creative, or enter a new field, or there's something unpleasant about your current place. But it might be as simple as the fact that youth has a way of making a person move around due to seeking an education, a new hometown, and a calling--and that on average up til now, you have moved or changed jobs every __ years and the fact that you're not doing so right now--after your 5 year anniversary--is merely unsettling because it is a *difference* masquerading as sameness.

[twilight33]

For a while before I moved up here, I had a new place to live and/or a new job every 6 months or so! I was thinking about your comments last night and realized that this current department doesn't offer any more growth/learning opportunites for me. Other departments do though, and I have so much specialized experience that it'd probably be easy to transfer to them.. if I want to stay in the university system to begin with, that is. Thanks for the helpful insight :)