A final update.

2012 ended up being a year of major changes. In June my wife was at a breaking strain with her job, and I knew my part-time bookkeeping job would never develop into anything that could support us. I happened to see a government job with an Indian related agency back in my home state. I decided to apply, was interviewed a few weeks later, and got a tentative offer the next day.

Although I had said we would not do so again, my wife and I had to separate for work, and instead of it being 150 miles away this time it was around 1500 miles away. I've been living alone for a little over four months. I'm hoping my wife can join me this spring.

It has been very difficult. I know I was out of work nearly three years and needed a secure job that I was not going to find in California, but I still often regret my decision. Not long after I left there was a promotional opportunity that would have been easier on my wife, but she could not try for it because I had made the decision to leave. She is leaving her job in a couple of weeks, and will work to get the house for sale over the next few months. The housing market seems to be improving, and we're hoping that things will work in our favor. She will have to do the work by herself, which makes me feel immensely guilty.

After a rough start due to lack of guidance, the job is going fairly well. I like what I'm doing, and I am more suited to the pace. But I know I don't want to settle in my home state long-term, and this job has no promotional potential. The step increases will be yearly for the first three years, then they will slow down. At that point, I think I will probably search for another job with another agency, because I do think at that point I will need to find something where I can at least get to the next highest pay grade [which would be good enough for the rest of my career.] But it's good enough for now, and it's good to not feel work stress. I know this is what needed to happen, but I still often wish it worked out some other way.

I spend a lot of time reading. My life feels pretty empty other than that. I'm hoping things will be better this spring, although there will still be things to deal with. Best to you, Imaginary Reader.

I have come to tell you I'm going....

I have decided to not contribute any further to this blog, but will continue to write about books and movies on the other blog I mentioned in an earlier post.

I'll continue to keep this blog up, mainly just for me to look at and to remember what I was going through in 2010-2012. Nothing has really changed, but I am hoping my situation will be different by the end of this year. Things that have held us here are not really around anymore, so we will finally be able to leave Detroit of the West as soon as we get our ducks in a row [which will take a while depending on the real estate market.] But it's finally all in our hands, with no one else to blame. UPDATE: Finally got a part-time bookkeeper position, better than nothing and maybe this will be a good way to gain experience. Probably should have tried this type of thing from the beginning instead of going the whole grad school/CPA firm route.

Closing up shop...at least for a while.

Waiting for a call about an interview I had Friday. Seemed to go well, and I know I've said that before, but this could actually be an actual fit. Should hear this evening.

It's at least through busy season and might continue at least part time. The only thing I'm really qualified to do right now is tax work, so I'm just resigned to that. What I'm hoping is that I can eventually move someplace with companies that are large enough to have in-house tax people, and that would allow me to make a move outside of public.


It will be very strange to be back to work, assuming that's what happens.

I've decided to begin a new blog mainly about what I'm watching and reading. I think it's probably time to close this one out or at least put it on hiatus.