Chicken Blog

Interpreting signs.

When Geoff was choosing a job, and I was his closest advisor, we agonized over every possible option. We thought about housing, schools, atmosphere, lifestyles, and commutes, air quality and beach access, friends, family... we tried to project our dreams and hopes onto each circumstance and to devine the most ideal future for all. Sometimes when a job offer, like LucasArts', was a little too challenging to accomodate, when housing or relocating seemed too daunting, I assumed that this was a sign that we needed to consider something else. The Santa Monica job seemed impossible from a housing/commute stand too. By "impossible" I mean expensive and difficult to decipher in one weekend. I decided to believe that difficult meant we had an opportunity to realize that we should simplify our lives by staying on familiar ground and accepting our seemingly least stressful option.

Or did *difficult* actually mean *rise to the occasion, challenge yourselves, think outside the box, be adventurous, take the path less well trod, strike forth brave souls?* We went for less stressful, or so we thought. I would quit whining, boring all with our tale of woe, but there are new chapters and I can't help but spill. At this point I think we may as well have gone to San Francisco, set up in our Presidio apartment and slaved away at the Yoda altar...

Geoff has been working 6 days a week. The darkest, predawn hours he spends in the RV, so that he can devote all of his strength and soul to the company. But the property manager has made a firm decision that no RVs can park in the company lot, ever. Crap. So. Well, now we have to reduce our search area for housing to eliminate Geoff's commute as much as possible, so that when he's worked 18 hours and has to be back to do it again he won't flog his brain and car driving half way across the county. If we can't find a rental in 12 areas, what are the odds we'll find something looking in 4 areas? The RV solution was also helpful, because of gas savings (he drove it only twice a week) and because it's a safe and dependable ride. The Chevy on the other hand is a gas snorting heap with many faults and failings, and would have to be driven 12 times per week.

I was crumbling under the strain before. Now I am just stunned and confused.