Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Turned in my Resignation Letter yesterday

Dear lady in the next office,

With mixed emotions ranging from ecstatic jubilation to horrendous tear-filled agony, I submit to you my resignation from XXXXXXXX National Bank, effective my last day working alongside your glorious presence being March 31, 2012.

At many times during my tenure in the oak-trimmed office, I felt I was finally in the place I could call my forever home. Admittedly, the hours and stress had their effects on my pursuit of a professional Pictionary career, but in hindsight it was worth it. Taking care of the clients and customers I saw on a daily basis became as second nature to me as the stick figures I found so easy to draw on paper.

I do have to admit I have serious concerns about your mental health after my exit. In anticipation of the impending medical bills surely to be charged against your medical plan for Psychoanal (separation anxiety) and Takotsubo (broken heart disease), I’ve taken up a collection to help pay for the nerve pills. Why? Because I care.

One more note of importance: there are many things that I, and only I, have been performing around the office during my tenure. Things like unscrewing every light bulb before I leave every night and screwing them all back in before anyone shows up, all while wearing a skin-tight ninja suit so as not to trip the motion alarms; that job will now fall to you. Add to that the printing of new dollar bills, fluffing up the lumbar support in each office chair, and taste-testing all the expired food in the refrigerator to see if it really is expired… those will now be your tasks. To help you with these and any other tasks, I’ve left random notes around the office to assist in the transition; some with hand painted cartoon illustrations. No need to thank me; I did it out of love.

With all that said, I thank you for the time and attention you gave to my personal development. I can now do a triple somersault, tear apart and rebuild a big-block engine, and say I know the intricate differences between the sub-species of African Hibiscus Engleri flower. Those are invaluable tools I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. So for everything, I thank you and bid you goodnight.



Sam XXXXXX

P.S. I was going to include some money with this letter to buy lunch for the branch, but I’d already sealed the envelope.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

The Appalachian Trail

Tomorrow is the five week mark until my last day at the bank. The next day I'll load my gear into my Lady's car and the two of us (and maybe a couple friends) will drive down to North Carolina to Limbo and Bird's (Jason & Diana's) house near Asheville. After a day or two hanging out, I'll say what I can only guess will be a tearful goodbye with my loving girlfriend. After she/they head back to Ohio, I'll then load my gear into Limbo's car and we'll head down to Georgia. The next morning, Limbo and I will check in at the park office and then drive up the access road to the top of Springer Mountian. The next step I take will be the first step of my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.

This thing is so real, and my dreams and by-the-minute thoughts have shifted wholly to the AT. My gear is ready. My mind is ready. My body is ready. I want this thing and I feel it in my blood. I'm excited beyond reason, and my heart is burning to attack this goal.

Thursday, February 09, 2012

Five Monthiversary

As I worked on my VW in twenty degree temps, I caught a whiff of wood smoke and turned to see a thin sliver of smoke rising from the chimney in my house. While I'm not sure a single post could contain all the special reasons that make me love my Lady, one thing hung in my mind as I smiled at the fact she'd started a fire while I was outside... not one time since the instructions I gave her the first time she started a fire here, have I ever worried that she could start --and keep going-- the fire that heats and protects my Log House from the winter elements. She truly is a wonderful creature I'm blessed to have spent the last five months with. I'm not sure what I've done to deserve such a wonderful person, but I promise to keep trying as long as she can put up with me. Happy Five Monthiversary, my lovely Lady.

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Counting down

In just 44 short days, I'll be working my last day at work before I leave for the Appalachian Trail. Just today I updated my TrailJournals page. HERE's the link to that entry. Check it out.