Hating the "goodbye" part, but looking forward to the "hello"

So, today is my last day at this freelance gig. The one where I finally had my own office, with windows. It has been great in every way, and I'm sorry to be leaving, though the lure of a full-time job with benefits proved too attractive.

I guess I'll never know if the offer to "make things permanent down the road" (upwards of a year from now) would have ever materialized, but God knows I've been handed that line before (astute readers of this blog will recall my six-month stint at the place that rhymes with "schmotham" and the full-time job that never was there).

Tomorrow I get on a plane headed for San Francisco. It will be my first time ever in that city, one which I have dreamed of visiting since 1984. La Bouche Douce will show me around a bit over the course of the weekend, and then on Monday in nearby San Mateo I begin training for my new job, which carries the title: Production Specialist. Is that spiffy, or what?

It's exciting to be starting a new career, though it's always difficult for me to end things. As a child I hated finishing a glass of soda at dinner knowing that there would be no refills, and the idea of an empty glass was too much to bear. The fact that it took me 25 years to complete my B.A. is also indicative of conclusion trauma (pursuing two master's degrees directly following points to my subsequent horror of separating from academia).

I am thrilled to finally be headed to San Francisco, though, and at a point in my life when I have the perspective and faculties to enjoy it (not to mention the wonderful company). I will definitely try to hit the famous City Lights book store, and perhaps visit the Haight (am I pronouncing that correctly? Hate?). Not sure if they still have cable cars or not - my main notion of the city comes from watching Rice-a-Roni commercials as a youngster.