communication breakdown

My Final Answer

Well, after a long period full of many thoughts and prayers, I have finally made a decision regarding the job opportunity in Atlanta. Some of you saw my previous post and mistakenly assumed that I had made up my mind, when I very much hadn't decided yet. Though I was slightly leaning one way at the time, there was still plenty more to ponder.

What did I decide, you ask? Well, you didn't think I was going to say it right here on the main page, do you? You'll have to read further to see the answer... just a little technique I like to call "baiting the reader into checking out more of my self-indulgent ramblings"...

I decided to take the job. Most of my rationale is explained in my previous entry. In the end, it just felt like the job was answered prayer. God basically gave me an opportunity on a silver platter, and I found it too tempting to pass up.

I prayed about it in earnest for several days. I think I'm still learning how to trust God in those kinds of situations - obviously I would never think of demanding guidance from Him, for we are not worthy to make such requests. But what do you do when you are pressed for time on a situation, and you want to follow God's will, but he doesn't necessarily give you an answer "in time"? Do you pass over the opportunity, assuming that if He wanted you to take it, He would have told you? Or maybe when we ask for His help we can always count on Him to give us the answers we seek before it is too late? I'm still not exactly sure and would be interested in hearing other opinions on this. In the end though, practically in the last hours, the whole situation came to peace and it suddenly just felt like the right thing to do. That was when I made my final decision.

My boss and co-workers are pretty bummed, which only served to make me feel even more guilty about abandoning them so suddenly. Their reactions were pretty divided - some were totally caught off-guard, while a large portion of them were not surprised at all. I got a lot of "well that makes sense" and "I'm not really that surprised" sort of comments. I think many of them saw what I came to realize - I never really felt at home here. However, the general message that I got from them was that if I ever wanted to come back and work here again, all I would have to do is call. Honestly, I did not expect (and probably don't deserve) that kind of reaction, so it really took me back. I think that sheds some light on how wonderful a company Medtronic is and how great the people are there. Obviously I don't anticipate coming back to Minnesota, or I wouldn't leave in the first place - but you never know what life brings your way, and it's nice to know that if my life's journey brings me back here, I will be welcome again.

I put in my notice last Friday, so my last day will be November 5. I'll be leaving the next day and heading down to Atlanta. I start work at Optio on November 15, which gives me a week of lag in case I need time to search for an apartment in person down there. It's all very sudden, and in a way it's still kinda surreal that I will be completely out of here and back in ATL in two weeks, but I'm excited nonetheless. Good thing I'll be getting out of here before the winter strikes!

So now I begin the long journey back. Packing. Moving. Apartment hunting. Luckily I think I have a fraternity brother looking for a roommate, so we should be able to get a nice 2-bedroom apartment down in ATL which will allow me to save a little dough while preparing to buy a house. But, one thing at a time...

In other news, the ARG that I've been playing for awhile (Urban Hunt), and talked about at length in previous entries (mostly here) ended today. It lasted for a little over 3 months, and actually closed with a lot of loose threads, which is always frustrating. Nevertheless, it was tons of fun and was one of the best ARGs I've played, which is saying a lot considering it was created by a group of fellow ARG players and moderators on an undoubtably small budget. The story got quite interesting after awhile, involving mysterious deaths and secret socieites. It was the most puzzle-intensive ARG I've seen, and there were some real whoppers in there - the kind that really make your brain hurt, and then cause you to stare in amazement when someone solves them and you realize you would have never come to that conclusion in a million years. In a way, it's quite humbling...

Anyways, it's sad when one of these ends because, for those of us who played, it's been a significant part of our lives for several months, and it's like saying goodbye to old friends. But I have some great memories, especially since this was the first ARG where I was personally involved and had an effect on the course of the game. Plus I got some great parting gifts - a book of poetry from dead mental patients (written by the game creators!), a series of documents mailed to me by one of the game characters providing proof of the coverup that served as the centerpiece of the plot, and plenty of spooky voicemails. All in all it was a wonderful experience. I might take a little time off before joining in another ARG (they are extremely time-intensive and addicting), but I'm already looking forward to the next story and the alternate reality which it will allow me to experience...