Here We Go

Today was the first day of not working. It has been a while since I didn't have a place to go in the morning; a reason to roll out of bed, stagger to the kitchen and make coffee. No rushing out the door, late again; no decision on what to wear today. I am unemployed.

It was a good run, Zymo was a great experience. More than the routine, more than the work, I will miss the camaraderie of the group and the fun, the silliness, the general genial insanity of my coworkers. There were and are some really big brains and very delightful people there. That is what will always stand out for me about my time there.

So now what? Everything I've read, been told, heard, boils down to taking the next step. You have to keep putting one foot in front of the other to get to your destination. So this is going to be about the journey, about the very next step - and then the one after that. Because, after all, what is the point of making the journey if you don't take the time to enjoy the scenery along the way? Each step is a chance to take in a new view, maybe see something from a different vantage point, maybe learn something new, maybe meet a new character.

There are a lot of paths open right now, and I have no lack of volunteer guides. I am confident that there will be missteps, wrong turns, slips, and a lot of looking at maps. Then again, the best trips I have ever taken have always had at least one episode of getting lost. And to be honest, the back roads tend to be more scenic. Here we go.