Ok, nearly two months since my last update, sorry to the three people who read it. ;-) And I think you all know of my big news already, but it’s certainly still worthy of an update.

I’ve got a new job.

I’ve got a KICKASS new job, in fact.

Beginning December 19th, I will be the new Webmaster Programmer for Mesa Public Schools. I’m going to be dealing with all the assigned webmasters for each school, training them on how to use the software and design web pages, monitoring their activity, acting as the district Gestapo in dealing with the high school teams, and helping to develop new & improved websites and web applications at the district level. So basically getting paid to do what I do for free at home on my own websites, and doing what I’ve daydreamed of doing since being one of those rebel punk kids on the RMHS Web Team 5-6 years ago. (My how the tables have turned.)

My immediate boss is the Webmaster Supervisor, but it sounds like we’ll be working more as a team than as lord & serf, and he seems like a pretty cool guy. It’s a salary position–I’m not going to get specific about the amount here, but it’s more or less double what I’m paid now (skewing heavily towards ‘more’). Plus there are perks I didn’t even consider. My understanding is that I’ll be getting an office–yeah, a real office–complete with real walls, a door, and even a window (which is rare and a matter of luck & chance in this district), a new Dell, possibly a PowerMac G5 (or that might be a shared computer, I dunno), a new cellphone, a PDA, a notebook computer for travelling purposes, several complete software packages (Macromedia Studio, Adobe Photoshop, etc.) AND a complete duplicate software/network setup so that I can work in a simulated “district” environment from home if I need to.

I’m just now getting over the shock of actually being offered this job. As I’ve said before, I’m still half-expecting someone to tell me I’m delusional, that I was turned down for the job, and that I turned in my two-weeks notice over an imagined phone call. But no, I’m pretty sure it’s for real. :-P It’s crazy. In just a couple of months, I’m gonna be able to pay off all of my debt (save for the hefty but low-interest student loans) that I’ve barely made a dent in over two years. And what after that? It’s been suggested I try to buy a condo or something. Scary real-world stuff. Personally I hesitate to buy something on my own… I’d prefer to spend the next six months trying to acquire some semblance of a life, start dating again, maybe get to where I can split an apartment with someone, or else even split one with Phil (though I think he’d need a better job). But the job will definitely free me up to a load of new options… Hey, I can go camping or take road trips without feeling the bite on my account balance for two months afterwards.

Wow, just crazy.