Hello again, readers. It has just occurred to me that it is January 28 and I've not written a post in some time. I have had a busy old time of it over the last month and a bit!
First of all, the kids and I had a wonderful Christmas holiday in Cromwell with my family. The kids and I flew down to Queenstown on Christmas Eve morning. Everyone arrived later that day, there were 10 in the house, so it was a busy and very fun time. Christmas day was lovely and relaxed, and the kids had a great time playing with their big cousins.We were in Cromwell for almost three weeks. Personally, it was lovely to just relax. If I wanted to go for a run, I could do that whenever I wanted. The kids really enjoyed going for a ride on their bikes and jumping in the lake (even though it was freezing in the water!). I enjoyed the opportunity to go fishing, and to play a couple of games of golf with Dad. Quite frankly, it was just what the doctor ordered. Now I feel fantastic!
Now that I am home and back to work, my mind has turned to the future. This year, there will be a few changes. The first of which is that I have a new job. After eight years as a government official, I have decided to try my hand as a Consultant. Late last year I was approached by recruitment agent on behalf of a private sector consultancy, Martin Jenkins. They were looking for a researcher / evaluator with strong quantitative analysis skills. I had a couple of really great coffee discussions, two interviews, and a raft of psychometric testing. I really excited to be starting there on February 7.
Now, moving on has got me reflecting on the last eight years. Work-wise, it has been fantastic. I started as an Analyst in 2009, and worked my way up the ranks. I was a team manager for about four and a half years, and then decided to move to a Principal Analyst role at the beginning of 2016 (after Melissa died). I have been very, very lucky to work for such a great organisation. They were supportive during the tough times I faced, but also challenged me and gave me opportunities. The people I worked with were very hard-working, but were also fun. Really, I could not have asked for a better employer, or better colleagues.
Yesterday afternoon, I had the pleasure of attending my farewell function. We had a few drinks and some nibbles at work. My manager gave a very funny speech, and there was a musical tribute (trombone, drums and vocals to the tune of the Exponent's "I'll never say goodbye"). It made me feel really appreciated. I really enjoyed chatting with many of the people I have worked with over the years and reminiscing about the past. My team presented me with an oversize novelty card (including messages from everyone) and a voucher for the Rockshop. Therefore, today I was able to go shopping and bought a loop pedal for my guitar (once I have a chance to practise with it I will post a song on here to show you all how it works).
In short, I'm very thankful to my employers and colleagues for the opportunities that I have been given, and I'm very excited to embark on my next adventure as a Senior Consultant at Martin Jenkins. Until next time, people...
