Moving on and moving out

Its a new year and for me this new year comes with many new adventures.  Apparently I like to start new things in January, as I am also approaching my 10 year anniversary with my current job this January.  Sadly though, I will not make it to that anniversary as I have accepted a new position starting next week.  Funny how we can fight so hard for something new to come along and then struggle with the changes that we have created for ourselves...  This week is proving to be an interesting last week for me as I close out the last decade of my life and say good bye to people I have spent a great deal of time with these past years.

One thing that I find fascinating though, and I vaguely remember this from when I left college, but at the closing moments of each chapter people often reach out and share their first and their lasting memories with you.  I announced my departure officially last Friday to our volunteer leadership and have been blessed with many kind emails and phone calls this week from people who wanted to share with me their lasting impressions. 

Thankfully they've chosen to keep the not so pretty moments to themselves this time around, but I am always awed by the moments that weigh so heavily in people's memories and yet can often times be non-existent for me.  I mean, they sound like things I'd do...  But how crazy is it to see from the outside looking in at the things that linger for those around us.  I wish I could bank those memories for myself, so that I could look back on my own first impressions, though...  I am sure there are many first impressions I'd rather not see from the other persons view too, so maybe that's why! 

Anyhow, here is an excerpt from an email I received yesterday that I got such a kick out of.

"If you remember, the first time I met you was about 8 years ago at a concession stand. Dave had driven me there to pick up lunches for the hole 4 volunteers. They refused to serve us. Along you came and literally took the manager out back. Five minutes later out you come and the manager asks me "what would you like?" I'm thinking "who is this girl!"

Now, I am not 100% sure what I said, or what the issue was prior to my arrival, but it makes me sound like I am some kind of a bad ass with a baseball bat!  I walked away from reading that email earlier thinking... Hell Yeah!  Now that's how I get things done... ha ha

As I finished reading the email though, I got to thinking about my new job and my new first impressions.  Holy cow.  What if I get it wrong this time around?  You really only get one chance at a first impression, so now I have to put on my rock star shoes to really do it right.  No pressure?  Yeah right. 

For the moment, I am going to go home and sweat this one out a bit, but I have lots more to share in the next few days, so stay tuned.  I'd love to hear from you though about some of your crazy first impressions, those of you who've met me... go ahead embarrass me, or share a story that someone else has said about you!  Anything goes, but leave your comments below.  I will need the humor to get through the next few days.  

Here are a few pics of me at work over the years...  Maybe this was your first impression?  Who knows. 

 Cruising in the golf cart... not my most attractive look!?! 

Celebrating yet another birthday in Vol. HQ