Hey guys! Sorry, I’ve been so quiet. I really don’t have anything of import to say of late and I was going through a few weeks of bliss, ignoring the fact that I’m infertile. But things have been going on and I can finally write about it since most of the T’s have been crossed and most of the I’s dotted.

I got a new job!!!

I put in my notice yesterday so that sealed the deal but let me start at the beginning. Remember how I said I was bored with my career? I have been working in marketing/advertising research for around 7 years now and while I find the industry fascinating I’ve always felt in the back of my mind that this isn’t what I’m meant to be doing.

The seed was planted a few years ago when my colleague told me a little story (Names have been changed to protect those involved lol). He was stressed out one day dealing with angry client service people and was on the verge of cracking when he went to his manager and dove into a long tirade about these unrealistic deadlines. At the end his boss simply looked up from his desk and asked “Toby, are we saving babies here?” … “No.” Toby replied. “So don’t worry about it”.

This metaphor really resonates with me. I know there are very few people out there who actually save babies (or lives) for a living but basically what he was asking was, does what you’re doing really matter. Not only in the greater scheme of things but to you, personally. If the answer is no, then you have to re-evaluate your situation.

That really put a lot of things into perspective for me. My job isn’t always stressful but there are days when a big client has an unreasonable request with a very short turnaround time and because they pay us (and by us I mean the company because we see none of it, but that’s another story) the big bucks we have to bow to their every whim. And if I don’t remind myself daily that we’re not saving babies, I’m liable to go insane.

But that got me thinking about my job as a whole. I know I enjoy coding surveys and trouble shooting data issue and getting my hands dirty in all things data but am I affecting change? Am I waking up everyday doing something that I’m proud of? And the answer, for me personally, was no. All I’m doing is making advertising agencies richer and helping big brands who I don’t even really have any respect for. It started frustrating me to the point where I was starting to get a little depressed.

On top of that, I was not at all happy with some of the decisions my company was making. Aside from not giving us raises for 3 years straight, the nail in the coffin was when they announced that they would no longer be giving out bonuses to anyone under the level of director. We were all ushered into a meeting room with 4 directors and a VP and we had to listen to them deliver this news. However, anyone who’d been in the company longer than a year would still be getting bonuses. They said, and I quote, “We really had to fight to get you guys these bonuses”. Wow! I’m so honored that you’d managed to easily secure bonuses for yourselves but the rest of us, who are pulling all the fucking weight by the way, were shit out of luck until you “fought for us”. Thanks. Please excuse me while I don’t kiss your feet. What about Sue and Jimmy out there who weren’t invited to the meeting, who put in just as much work and who are now getting the shaft because you couldn’t “fight for them too”?

Okay, I know, I know. I shouldn’t shoot the messenger and I also realize that a company doesn’t have to give an incentive bonus but who of you out there will work for a company where there’s no incentive to work? Didn’t think so.

That’s what kicked my job search into overdrive. Job hunting is depressing work, friends. Even when you have a post grad degree and 7 years experience. I was very lucky to land 2 interviews. Both in industries I am in love with. Food and Education. My not-so-secret dream is to become a teacher one day but I’m not afraid to admit that I’m scared to death of failing at it so when I saw this position at the high school but still using my skills as a data analyst I thought the heavens opened up and angels were singing and pointing to the “apply now” button. Similarly, my other passion is food so seeing this posting for a job at a clam chowder factory felt like the seafood heavens opened up and chowder angels were singing.

As the interview process progressed I quickly learned that the chowder job wasn’t for me and thankfully I wasn’t offered the position after 3 interviews and a really silly excel test that wouldn’t let me use the short cut keys. I mean really.

I did 2 interviews at the school and each time I walked in I really felt like I was coming home. I am beyond happy to have been offered this position. Of course with an element of sadness because I love my work friends right now. I know that me leaving won’t be the end of these friendships but not seeing them everyday will take some getting used to.

I finally feel like everything is coming together in this little journey of mine because the icing on an already delicious cake is that I’ll be getting Massachusetts health insurance which comes with (queue angels singing) Massachusetts Infertility Coveraaaage! I could be counting my chickens before they hatch because I haven’t had a chance to find out what coverage I’m getting but I have a choice of three (Harvard Pilgram HMO, Network Blue New England and Blue Care Elect Preferred – If anyone has experience with these please let me know). For all I know all three could be pretty shitty but the salary increase is high enough that I’m really not too worried about and it really can’t be worse than what I have right now (2 cycles but a retrieval and transfer are counted as 2 separate cycles… rolls eyes).

Before this, we were pretty much shit out of luck with IVF. I have 1 retrieval cycle left and to pay out of pocket for any more would be months and months of saving and ramen noodle eating which I would have done no questions asked but I can’t even explain how relieved and grateful I am for this opportunity. It’s very rare that you get to check off two dreams in one go.

The job only starts in August so it’s going to be a bit of a wait, but man is it going to feel good to be “saving babies” soon.