I suppose there is some philosophical significance to the process of cutting ties here in Ann Arbor to start a new life in Cleveland, and I think that Kushida Sensei would have a decent amount to say about starting any new endeavor with a beginner’s mind… but it’s more than a little overwhelming to close the book on most of the things that I’ve been involved with over the last decade.
On Friday, I worked 16 hours for my last shift in dispatch. That it was a really busy and stressful shift helped to keep me from feeling too badly about walking out of the comm center for the last time. Although I’ll miss most of the people who work in there, I feel pretty relieved that I won’t have to worry about the bureaucracy and policies involved in actually working as a dispatcher.
Yesterday was both my last day in the office with UM (again, I’ll miss the people, not the work environment) and very sadly, my last day as lieutenant of the fire department. While I’ll be staying on with HVA in my capacity as a road medic, the opportunities for continuing in the fire service while in Cleveland are pretty limited. Very few departments are staffed by anything other than career firefighters and I just won’t have the time or flexibility to work a full-time shift schedule.
In any case, it is a huge change in our lives as we start an entirely new chapter and leave the familiar behind.
A halfway home for wayward thoughts. 