Formal Job Offer

It’s Official

After several false starts over the past week leading towards a formal offer and a promise that I would get a call on Friday. Sure enough, I got a call at 4:45 pm on Friday formally offering me the job at a salary 20% higher than the other desirable job offer that ended up not working out.

Calendar

What I don’t know yet is when I’ll start.  Still some paperwork to do and, evidently, some corporate processing of everything, but I think the date will be between 9/14 and 9/28.  So here I go back into the full-time work world. Gulp.

At the end of the week I’m heading up to the mountains for a week. Then I’ll return and move into my new job. Of course, since I’m not tied to an office I could even work from the mountains if I choose.  Looking forward to the mountains in late summer.

Ski Run in Summer

Every morning when I’m up there I take a walk to the top of the mountain. I walk past all the ski runs, now overgrown with wild grass.  It is a lovely and calming sight, I must say. I feel restored every time I take this walk.

During my walk I pass an overlook. When the view is not obscured by fog or by haze I walk over and take a look at the bowl created by the intersection of the east/west and north/south ridges. At the intersection of the ridge is where the ski runs begin and descend into the bowl. The bowl opens to the north and northwest. Here you can see the ski run I walk past later in my walk. The top of the run is 5,500 feet elevation.

New Camera

I bought a new camera and tried it out at the zoo last week. It is a mega-zoom digital but not DSLR.  But better than my old camera. Here is a photo of a new baby giraffe and its mother.

Well, the camera put the grass behind the giraffes in focus rather than the giraffes. I need to work on technique.

Here is a picture of our large tuxedo, Milo. What is he trying to say?

So goodbye retirement, for the time being. While we are not “born for battle only”, I return to a hopefully gentler fray then the one I left in 2006.

Retirement

by Henry Timrod

My gentle friend! I hold no creed so false

As that which dares to teach that we are born

For battle only, and that in this life

The soul, if it would burn with starlike power,

Must needs forsooth be kindled by the sparks

Struck from the shock of clashing human hearts.

There is a wisdom that grows up in strife,

And one—I like it best—that sits at home

And learns its lessons of a thoughtful ease.

So come! a lonely house awaits thee!—there

Nor praise, nor blame shall reach us, save what love

Of knowledge for itself shall wake at times

In our own bosoms; come! and we will build

A wall of quiet thought, and gentle books,

Betwixt us and the hard and bitter world.

Sometimes—for we need not be anchorites—

A distant friend shall cheer us through the Post,

Or some Gazette—of course no partisan—

Shall bring us pleasant news of pleasant things;

Then, twisted into graceful allumettes,

Each ancient joke shall blaze with genuine flame

To light our pipes and candles; but to wars,

Whether of words or weapons, we shall be

Deaf—so we twain shall pass away the time

Ev’n as a pair of happy lovers, who,

Alone, within some quiet garden-nook,

With a clear night of stars above their heads,

Just hear, betwixt their kisses and their talk,

The tumult of a tempest rolling through

A chain of neighboring mountains; they awhile

Pause to admire a flash that only shows

The smile upon their faces, but, full soon,

Turn with a quick, glad impulse, and perhaps

A conscious wile that brings them closer yet,

To dally with their own fond hearts, and play

With the sweet flowers that blossom at their feet.

—-Source: The Collected Poems of Henry Timrod (1965)

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