Janingalina

I've been dissatisfied with the whole auto industry thing, but moreso I'm dissatisfied with my surroundings. I think it's because I've lived here my whole life, I'm 27 now, and it's really just time to wander a bit. I've got the itchy feet, and not in a Gold Bond sort of way. I haven't really mixed it up anywhere else. People ask me where I'm from, and I have to say, "uhh..here."

Growing up, my parents used to talk about the years they lived in England. And I always thought, "That's what I've got to do, live in another country someday."

Ginny lost her job, and is thinking about working for a cruise line. The downside is that it'd require her to be at sea for 2-4 months at a time. That'd be a downside for her, not so much for me...

Last night I saw an old pal. I met him in college, and we spent some time together when I was divorcing. I've seen him at least once a year since. Yesterday he said to me, "I’m surprised you're still in Detroit. I thought you'd be in Germany by now." And I have to admit that I'm not. I've been to Germany once in the last 3 years of working with this company, and I specifically chose this company because there was the opportunity for assignments abroad. I've made it all kinds of clear that I'm ready to go, I'll throw my toothbrush and laptop in a carryon bag, grab an extra pair of undies, and I'm there.

Said friend also remarked, "I've always been intrigued by you. If you had a band, I always thought it'd be named Gloria Steinem Car Crash." I was flattered. But I feel like I haven't been doing enough lately. Haven't been pushing the limits.

I'm updating the resume. Going to start sending it around over in .de and see what turns up. I talked to my boss today and laid it out: If I don't get some kind of foreign assignment somewhere, I'm going to take my years of hard-won knowledge and experience, my familiarity with the company's product and business systems, and walk out the door. I vest in April.

I'd start putting the CV out for engineering positions in the Pac NW, and maybe try switching to the travel industry. I don't think I'd mind slinging hash on a cruise liner if it meant I got to spend months on a cruise liner..

Today at work we were talking about vigilante-ism. Fight Club came up - the scene where Brad Pitt takes the convenience store clerk out back with a gun and asks him what he wants to be. A veterinarian.. and how it took fear of death to motivate the clerk to pursue a life he wanted.

"Tomorrow will be the most beautiful day of Raymond K. Hessell's life. His breakfast will taste better than any meal he has ever eaten."

I've been kicking along, giving it the old college try, but I haven't had a "most beautiful day" in a while. It's not as dramatic as a revolver pointed at my head, but every moment that passes is a small death, especially if that moment wasn't filled with living. This body's a timebomb, I could go at any time.

COURSE OF ACTION:
I'm polishing up the resume. I browsed our intranet and found 3 good positions in Hallstadt Germany, and some interesting ones in Nagoya Japan. I've always said I don't want to work with the Japanese, but I think I might be able to swing it, if it's the only way of getting out of Detroit.

My boss is talking about sending me to Sweden, or bringing me along with him back to .de. I've done a lot of development for this company, I've got more experience than anyone on designing our 'way forward' products. I told him I don't need to leave the country tomorrow, but I need to know that we're working on a plan, and that it's really going to happen. I might get hit by a beer truck tomorrow, but at least I'm starting to make the international thing happen. I might even get there someday...




Best Regards / Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Door System Design - Product Engineer