Thursday 6 January 2011

To "Mensch"-ion A Quick Fact

I added a site meter to my blog and every so often I like to check where people live who log onto this small blog of mine and what draws them. 

It appears the most visited item on my whole blog is the one where I show pictures of my face after being bitten by a pesky black fly.  Called  "Black fly Bite Aftermath".  I've had people from Tunisia, Iran, Germany and many other countries sign onto my blog for that actual item.

Who would have thought a photo of a blotted face caused by a fly bite could draw so much attention.

Good Night to you all.

A New Phase Begins

At least it begins on Monday.

As you all know I was let go from my Accounting position on December 10th.  For no good reason.  But that is now behind me.  It was a tough month but I have got through, well just about.  I had to double up on my sleeping tablets and instead of taking maybe one or two a week was taking two every night.  I'm now back to taking one a night so things are improving. 

This was the first year living in Prince Albert that they did not have a trumpet played during Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.  Evette played the first year and I played last year.  This year my emotions were too raw and I felt it prudent not to play.  It's bad enough having me fluff the odd note without seeing me breakdown in tears, so no trumpet this year.  It was a tough Christmas but I made it through. 

For New Years Eve we were invited out to Ed's place, well actually to his neighbours.  What a blast we had.  We spent time outside by the fire pit and when we were too cold, we went inside to get warm and of course eat and drink some more.  It was so much fun, this was Richard's very first New Years Eve party and the first for me since we had been married, that will be 20 years this year.  Just before mid-night we headed outside to count down ready for the fireworks to begin, they were so pretty and a lot of fun.  But was I ever cold after-wards.  Once I was warmed up Richard and I headed home soon after-wards.

My new phase will begin on Monday when I start a new job.  I applied for a senior accounting position, knowing I wasn't really qualified as it was in Public Practice and the majority of my experience has been in the private sector.  I had nothing to loose so I sent in my resume and some copies of references and waited.

On Monday last week we had our Insurance agent, James Dietrich visit, we wanted to move some of our RRSP's.  While James was here we got to talking about me loosing my job, the whys and wherefores and the frustrations of the lack of accounting positions at my level.  I told him about the senior accounting position that I had seen and had applied for but was not very hopeful.  He said to send in my resume even though I didn't feel qualified for the position, I had already done that, as he happened to know the owner of the company and was going to be talking with him the very next day and so would put a word in for me.

I received an email the next day asking me if I could come in for a interview on Jan 4th.  Of course I sent a reply saying I would be there at 11:30.  The interview went really well, but I didn't fill all his wish lists for the person he wanted to hire, but he was extremely impressed with all my experience.  It had been 20 years since I was last in public practice and I would not be up to date with the taxes laws etc.  I told him I was not afraid to ask questions, look things up, and most importantly learn.  He told me the area that would me my 'office' would be very small and just a sort of nook... as that is all I had at my last position it did not bother me one little bit.  He had a couple of other interviews to do and so I left.

He did not want someone who had to be trained, he really wanted someone who had at least 5 years experience in public practice, and although impressed with what I brought to the table he did not get my hopes up. 

This morning I received a phone call from George, would I be willing to come in for an informal meeting and meet with him and his partner, this did not say they were going to hire me, but he wanted his partner to meet me and have the opportunity to ask me some questions.  Well folks I must have answered the questions correctly as they offered me a position, not the senior accounting one but as a staff accountant which they believe could become a senior accounting position in about two to three years.  I will be working with his partner, will have a review in two weeks, then another in two months, if they feel I won't work out then that will be that, but if there is a chance I have a six month term position which could turn into a full-time position with a higher salary and benefits.

Obviously I accepted the position;  George ensured I saw where I would be working and it is about the same amount of space I had at my last job, so no worries there, and he could have stuck me in a closet and I would have accepted the position. 

So a new phase begins in an area I've worked in before but a long time ago.  I'm both excited and nervous so please pray for me.  Even at 58 life can begin with a new phase, life throws us curve balls but God pulls us through.