New Years

Sarah and I had a great Christmas. We have Christmas tree with a slight lean to the left. It is nicely decorated. After New Years the house will no longer smell like pine. I'll miss the smell.

We stayed home with the cats. We opened gifts, ate sausage rolls, drank champagne, and enjoyed a relaxing day. We cooked a traditional California ham dinner.

For New Years eve, my sister is driving up with her family from San Diego. I can't wait to see my niece and nephew.

I have been waiting to see about another job. I have been offered a position at a wastewater plant, as an operator in training. I am negotiating the salary now. In pay, it is a step back, but within one year I'll be making what I typically make. After two years I can be making much more. It is a path to a line of work I enjoy. I like the problem solving nature and reliability of the job. The only way in is to start at the bottom, but I can quickly, in two years, be making a nice living, even doubling the first years salary.

The negative is the timing of this opportunity. Sarah and I are tight on cash now, and then I choose to change jobs at less than $20 an hr...I am not sure if I'm crazy, but I just can't keep working for this small oil company that is slowing corroding away. I have to change. When I go to work there are the simplest things that make me worry having a job tomorrow. Everything is falling apart at the refinery. I can't get things I need. Everyone around me struggles to solve problems with no resources. The company is on the news often for spilling oil down creeks, etc. This is one of those companies that will be left off of the resume, sadly.

Despite all the negatives, I have had a good experience at the Santa Maria refinery. I learned a lot of things I did not know and met some great people. They keep the refinery going every day with "duct tape and wire" as they say.

Look for me making a transition soon. I am looking forward to a new work environment. I think I've been alone in the lab too long.