The Net Monkey

[This article has been retroactively posted from my Kuro5hin Diary.]

Here is today’s meaningless, unrelated movie quote.

Prepare ship for ludicrous speed! Fasten all seatbelts, seal all entrances and exits, close all shops in the mall, cancel the three ring circus, secure all animals in the zoo!
– Colonel Sandurz, Spaceballs

So, okay, yesterday at lunch I went up to the cafeteria here, ate my lunch, and checked my voicemail. Little did I know there was a little surprise waiting for me.

The day started off like every other Monday, with me getting my tired ass out of bed, taking a shower, and driving into work. I sat at my computer screen, doing some work, barely concentrating on anything, and doing a little web surfing. I went to lunch, and while eating my hearty meal, I thought about politics, sex, work, sex, and my plans for the rest of the week. So, it was quite a surprise for me to get a phone call from my old boss, John, with who I’ve had zero communication since my last day back in November.

John was awfully chipper and asked if I could give him a call back because he had some questions for me. I was immediately suspicious and wanted to know why he wanted something from me. I wrote an e-mail to one of the guys I know who still works there asking if he had any idea why John would call. Apparently, the guy who was hired to replace me is leaving and going to be a partner in a company which is opening a branch office here in Indianapolis. As you can figure, John called to offer me my job back.

After speaking to John and the other owner, Ben, I called family members and friends asking for advice. I was really unsure and still somewhat bitter, so I needed to talk to others to get some help.

Everyone essentially agreed with me, in that if the offer was right, in terms of compensation and others things, I should take the job. So, I worked out an offer, with a pay increase, full benefits, retroactive tenure (going back to my original hire date in 2001), the ability to hire an assistant, and a few other things. I got it all in writing, even. So, I went ahead and accepted the position.

This could be a wonderful thing for me, or it could be a terribly stupid idea. I don’t know. They are the one’s who decided to contact me and offer the old position. So, I look at it like this: the worst thing that could happen is that I find a better job and quit. As long as the bosses are agreeing to the terms laid out in my offer letter, I should be a relatively happy camper.

Sometime when I feel like writing a novel, I’ll have to lay out the reasons I originally parted ways with these guys.

_{(Oh, and if you’re curious as to what the job entails, I was — and will be again — the Systems Administrator for a web design and hosting shop here in Indianapolis.)}