Leaving Tucson

I didn't want to blog about it until I'd put my notice in at work, but since I did that today... it's official. I'm going to be leaving Tucson. I've accepted a job at Intel in Hillsboro, Oregon (a suburb of Portland). It's a wonderful opportunity. I'm going to be an Interoperability Engineer in their Enabling Platforms and Services group -- testing the latest & greatest hardware/firmware. It's going to be a lot of fun. I really like the folks I'll be working with, the money is good, and there will be much better opportunities for advancement. There will also be much less stress and pressure. Marie will be moving with me and so our relationship is moving forward in a very positive direction. I'm very happy about that since I'm absolutely crazy about her :-).

Of course, having been in Tucson for 13 years, and having been an active member of the community and parish, I'm having to say a lot of goodbyes. It's sad. While I'm glad to know that people care and will miss me, I feel like I'm letting them down. I'm doing my best to hand off things and close out things as best I can. Between the various choirs and church activities, CTAC, work, all my friends at the rink, and of course my family and old friends here... it's hard.

My first day on the new job is Jan. 23rd; I'm leaving Tucson around the 17th or so depending. I'll be having a huuuuuge yard sale January 7th! Come take stuff off my hands!

A big Happy Birthday! to Colleen! She is 21 today.... oh, to be young again! :-) Have a good one C!

Wow! A belated Merry Christmas! to all! I sang for the 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Christmas Eve services, which were very joyous and fulfilling. Marie sang at the 8 p.m. as well and was drafted to sing a (brief) solo when the person who was supposed to sing it was sick at the last moment -- she did fine.

Christmas day we went up to Tempe to have Christmas day breakfast with my Dad, stepmother, nieces and nephew and my ex-sis-in-law. Afterward my Dad and stepmom and Marie and I went to see "Memoirs of a Geisha." I liked it a lot, but Marie and stepmom thought it was a bit slow in the middle.

The week before Christmas was marred by news of the death of an old friend, Steve Hickman, on the 22nd. I met Steve at Artisoft; he was in the QA department. Steve was a heck of a guy -- a very dry sense of humor, but behind the mask a very kind and caring man. He'll be missed.

Today was a very cool day. This evening was our 4th (?) annual Collegium caroling in Winterhaven. I started this back when I was in Lane Justus Chorale, and since the LJC was disbanded and we all started singing with Collegium, it's been that group plus friends etc. Tonight we were caroling for almost 2 hours and had a whopping 21 people show up!! Wow! It was a lot of fun, and we really sounded great. I often call this "geek caroling" since besides the carols we also do some nice 4-part stuff (Carol of the Bells, Coventry Carol, and the Victoria O Magnum Mysterium). It was awesome and we got a lot of compliments.

After caroling Marie and I went to see The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. We both really enjoyed it, and I thought it was very well done.