"I quit this b$*%&!" (the Moodsetta)

I have one more week until I start my new job. The past week went by very quickly and I accomplished a few things and generally ignored a few others. It's amazing the assignments that you get when you put in your notice. As my mother said, "do as much as you can, but when 5 o'clock hits next Friday, pack up and leave."

I plan on devoting most of my time next week attempting to finish a long-term project that suddenly has become a priority. But mostly, I want to spend quality time finishing a guidebook to help out my replacement.

I still haven't had a totally positive talk with my supervisor. He did announce my departure during a meeting and through an email, but he still doesn't seem totally okay with it yet. Thankfully, I got lots of support, congratulations and validation from friends, family and other coworkers. The "good job + okay" I got from a higher up in my department felt particularly good. The RD noted in an email and later in an IM session, "I always knew you could do a lot better!" That statement validated the fact that it was time for me to move on and try to achieve other goals and get new challenges. It would have been nice to get that message from my own supervisor, but beggars can't be choosy.

I'm finally ready to forgive my supervisor for any transgressions during the past few years. But I won't forget any of them. I want to always remember to be assertive and vocal in expressing my needs and viewpoints, even if it goes against my supervisor's wants and opinion. That was my own fatal flaw during the past two years at my current job. I didn't push back hard enough against rejection, and I didn't reveal the situation to the Director, his boss, in hopes of resolution. Things might have gotten better (or worse!) if I had. But, either way, I still would have been itching to get on the Hill.