Dilly: Part Two

Last we left our intrepid heroine, she'd been enticed to drive an hour and twenty minutes away to meet with Dave and others.

This I did last Wednesday. We won't discuss my freaking out at one point and thinking I'd gone past the exit (a call to Mr. B calmed me down and assured me that I had not). Heck, I HATE to be late and late I was because we'd underestimated the time it would take me to get there. Fortunately, Dave's a laid-back sort of guy and I was able to contact and tell him I was running late.

Ok, anyway.

I get to the company (the building(s) are still under construction, including the lobby area, so they have a temporary lobby set up on the side). Sitting inside the door to welcome me was a security guard. He took my license, asked who I was seeing, asked when my "interview" was (it was originally at 10 but it was now 10:30) so I said, "10:30!" to which he replied, "Well, good, you're right on time! They are sticklers for that around here!"

GRRREEEAAATTTT.

But, like I said, I was meeting Dave to catch-up and discuss this as a possibility; it's not like my career was hanging in the balance here!

So, Dave comes and gets me (it's been 18 years since last I saw him; suffice it to say, we both look a bit different but still recognizable to one another!) He takes me up to his office area (essentially a huge bull pen set up). I meet a few folks and some of them went into a conference room with me and Dave to chat.

The bottom line is, this is a start-up type situation, there is TONS to do in the HR area, and they need help. I was initially concerned about one guy who came in to talk to me because he seemed so hyper (I refer to him as "Hyper Dude") and seemed to think my butt was going to be in a chair at the facility full time starting yesterday. Obviously, this is NOT what I am interested in at all! I am interested in doing some of the projects but I want to know WHICH ones (not the long laundry list of what they would like to have done) and then see how it goes.

Anyway, Dave and the recruiter and I went to lunch. Dave told me not to worry about Hyper Dude; he'd only been there three weeks and was, in general, in severe freak out mode at the moment. We chatted more about what needed to be done, the sort of arrangements we could work within, etc.

I left and drove home, thinking all the way that this "could" work; if only I could get a few things nailed down (not the least being an agreement that I could limit the amount of time I have to drive down there; a 3 hour round trip commute is not the best use of my time OR their money).

Mr. B and I have discussed this at length over the past few days. We agreed I'd contact Dave with some observations and then my requirements (for, after all, I had nothing to lose and everything to gain by being up front and honest). I did this yesterday, and, in essence, he's agreed to my requirements. The only thing that's left to be done is a) set up our business (which Mr. B is doing) and b) finalize payments terms.

Assuming this all pans out, I'll be starting my new consulting job the week of August 11th; the deal is I'll go down to their facility one day a week. I'll work on projects there and also at home as needed. Thank God for all of the technological advancements (and I just may have to go out and reinvest in a Crack-Berry; oh, how I've missed my little friend!)

Dave continues to tell me they'll be real flexible and work within my schedule/how much I want to do, so, this isn't going to be a full time gig by any stretch of the imagination.

So, I'm excited! Mr. B and I had been talking about the fact that, perhaps I needed to do "something"; not really for the money (but, boy howdy, that'll be nice) but, well, just to stay involved, be active; give me something to do other than push a vacuum, wipe out my sink and walk Lucy. How lucky am I that it is turning out to be something I really enjoy doing, have experience in, and know where to get resources? And, to do it (for the most part) at home on my own terms?

Not to mention (and this is very important), this time around, I have the encouragement and support of a loving spouse (who will also be a Partner in our business). Not only has he helped me to see that, yes, I CAN do this, he knows a lot about the ins and outs of the business side AND I know will be patient as we both adapt to some pretty big changes in our home environment/life style. As he pointed out to me, this WON'T be like when I was single working 12+ hours per day and then having to do "everything" else at home myself NOR will it be like when I was married to The Rat Bastard who was so jealous of my career that he belittled me ("You're job is so easy, anyone could do it, don't think so highly of yourself, etc.") at every juncture that he could.

Yeah, I've also (recently) signed on to be on the Board of Directors for the Durham Symphony and this, too, will take up some of my time.

But, I suppose 5 years is long enough to sit around "processing" my life and "cooking".

Stick a fork in me; I'm done with that and ready for what's next!

Mrs. B