The end of an era...for real!

So, I know I promised a blog of Riley pictures and it's coming. It's hard to sift through 6 years of pictures! But, in the mean time, I wanted to tell you about a big thing that just happened to me.

As you may recall, a couple of months ago I started temping for the National MS Society (NMSS). It was a great job, but because I was just a temp and I had no idea how long they would keep me for I had to work at Outback too. Well, a couple of weeks ago the NMSS offered me a full-time, permanent job as their Walk Manager. Technically my title is Development Manager-Walk. Basically I get to plan 6 fundraising walks in 6 different areas of Kentucky that occur simultaneously. It's pretty neat. I also pitch in and help out with any other event that is going on where needed. Because I got a permanent job I was finally able to put in my notice at Outback.

Let me pause here to muse about Outback a bit. I have worked for Outback for 10 years. When I was 17 years old I started working at an Outback that 3 of my siblings either had worked or were currently employed. I was a Bell, we were a bit of an Outback legacy. It was a fun job, although I was exposed to more "life" than a 17-year-old should probably be exposed to. On my first day I was offered drugs and when I politely declined was told that if I ever wanted any I knew where to look. By the end of my first week I had made friends that were sure to be trouble, and they didn't disappoint. However, I was a pretty good kid and stayed out of most of the trouble that I could have gotten myself into. I worked there for the last 2 months of my senior year and through the summer and then I moved to Oklahoma.

When I got to OK I decided I was done with Outback. I was ready to find a job. So, I applied to lots of places, but nobody wanted to hire a college kid who was going to be gone over holidays and summer, no one that is except Outback. It was at that Outback that I met a friend who will always have an imprint on my heart. It was also at that Outback that I didn't avoid trouble quite so well. But, I was a pretty good kid, so I managed to stay out of some of trouble that I could have gotten myself in to. After a year I moved back to Kentuckyk.

I went back to the same Outback that I started at, this time older and wiser (or so I thought). Not much had changed. I made some good friends, met some cute boys and managed to stay out of trouble for the most part. Then, I moved to Florida.

When I got to Florida I decided that I was done with Outback (sound familiar) and searched for jobs. Unfortunetly, it was shortly after September 11 and the economy was not doing as well as it could have. So, after a month of no job I ran out of money and back to Outback I went. It was about the same, new faces but the same old combination of friends, fun and trouble. It was at this Outback that I managed to get myself into lots of trouble, not only did trouble find me, I searched for it. I never got in trouble with the law or anything, I just made stupid choices. I was there for 2 years and boy did I grow up! Then, I moved back to Kentucky again.

When I got to Kentucky I decided that I was done with Outback (hmm...I'm beginning to see a pattern.). So, I got a job. I had a 9-5 office job. Then a few months later I got a better 9-5 office job. Whew, 1 1/2 years of no Outback. By this time I had a baby and I was getting ready to get married and I learned that I was unhappy with my 9-5 office job. I felt like I was going nowhere and I was missing my child's life. I went to work while he was awake, I got home and he went to sleep, I never saw him. So, I decided to go back to Outback. I think Outback is my drug of choice. I liked it there I suppose. I was at a different point in my life than most of the people that worked there and didn't feel like I had much in common with them. I worked and went home to be with my family. But, I made friends and became very comfortable there. I loved my job. It was fun, flexible and I was good at it. My husband hated my job. I don't know why, you'll have to ask him. It was the center of more than a few arguments. When Riley went to kindergarten I figured out that I needed to start working during the day again. Which leads me back to the NMSS.

2 weeks ago I put in my resignation from Outback. Last night was my last night. I walked in to balloons and cookie cake and a very sweet card with a very nice gift from my boss (who originally hired me). I think it was fitting that Denny (my boss) was there on my first day and my last :) Leaving Outback this time was so hard because I wasn't moving. I don't know how I feel about that. It was definitely bittersweet. I am both saddened and relieved that that chapter of my life is over. I can finally say that I am a recovering Outback-aholic and hopefully I won't fall off the wagon. It truly is the end of an era!