But it's like returning to the gym after years of couch potatohood and plunging into all day workouts with a sadistic trainer - I need to concentrate on not injuring myself with a serious brain cramp. Today's project meeting ran 5.5 hours. I'm tired, people. It's a crazy environment, nobody's delicate and tactful and sensitive and Oh-SO-professional, you have to have your shit together or have a hide like a rhino if you don't, because you will be barked at sharply if you can't spit out answers on demand, but I'm quite okay with that. I was able to jot down several issues that need to be addressed, questions for later, things to look into - and I learned a hell of a lot from talking to the land development guru about how procedures and regs have changed in the scant two years I've been away from this - not that I ever got that deeply into this level of moving dirt as a Big Developer Paralegal, the Little People Did That, You Know, and I didn't need to be involved. I spent most of my day doing reporting functions to Big Brother, instead of honest work that builds houses people can afford to buy in areas that don't have enough houses. This is the end of the business I always wanted. So far, working for a much smaller company has been exactly what I hoped it would be, I'm involved in EVERYTHING, and my boss told me that as time passes I can write my own ticket and carve out my own place in the operation. And today the Nextel Fairy left my cool standard developer accessory chirpy radio phone and belt clip for me, so I think I'm official. I'm not in Paralegaland anymore Toto, and this is way more interesting. And I really do have things to contribute, and they want me to contribute, so it's a cool place to be.
I'm 47. Conventional wisdom would say that what I have been is what I will be, until I retire from my soul-killing safe corporate job and go to work as a greeter at Wal-Mart to supplement my income. Conventional wisdom would say that I was crazy to give up a secure position with a huge international corporation (even though I loathed it) to take a flying leap into the unknown. Maybe it will turn out to be a bad move at some point down the road, but at this point I'm really damn glad I did it.
Knitting? 8 rows of a ribby cardi sleeve.
Wow! This just keeps getting better and better.
ReplyDeleteI'm very glad I did this. No matter how it all works out in the long run, I'm out of the narrowly defined career path I was stuck in, and that's always a good thing.
ReplyDeleteYou are totally my inspiration to get out of Admin hel1. I've only got 1 life to live so I should start living it and do something I like not something thats safe.
ReplyDeleteI'm also very glad you made the career change. Even if it tanks, you've now broken the previous invisible barrier. I think it will be a good thing for you, no matter what.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who is mulling over the next job & what to do, where to do it & how, I am inspired by your flying leap of faith & your leap into more joy (or just plain joy!) in a job that stimulates & challenges you in a good way. Thanks for keeping us posted about it.
ReplyDeleteMartha
I'm so stimulated I come home exhausted, and still thinking "Okay, we need to look at this and this and should we change that...." and I have to be aware of the politics and the corporate culture and do what is smart and expedient and not over-pseudo-lawyer it all. I can tell you that the "normal" real estate paralegal would be freaking here, because it's all about forms and cookbook law to them, and real get down in the dirt development is NOT like that. I've had enough time on all sides of it, I know enough to focus on the objectives and decide what can slide. I have a steep learning curve of the corporate culture and how shit gets done there, but I'm loving the opportunity to kibbitz in everything, and not be "the paralegal, she flyspecks closing documents...." I'll do that as part of the process, after I add my two cents on the street names and the HOA setup and walk the project and talk to the engineers and drive around and look at potential issues, and that's what they want me to do. I'm loving it. It's what I always wanted to do.
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