So an interesting convergence of circumstances have lead Mrs. tbone, baby tbone, and I to pack up and leave Phoenix and move back to Austin. Bear with me while a ramble a bit; there is a moral to the story
First, my stepfather, who lived in Austin with my mother, was diagnosed with stomach cancer in September of last year. He passed away on April 30th of this year at 65. He was a fantastic guy: retired Army Colonel, two tours in Nam, tours in Panama and the middle east. Past National Commander for the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Born in the Valley in a spanish speaking family with a very German last name. His father passed away when he was very young and his mother was committed to a sanitarium when he was 6. Tough childhood, I wont bore you with the details - suffice it to say he was a guy who never made excuses, never accepted any excuses, and lived one of the most fulfilling lives I have encountered. Best friends with everyone he ever met.
Then bang, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer in September. For those that aren't familiar with stomach cancer ( I wasn't) its not pretty. They rarely diagnose it before stage 4 because there are few symptoms. Most that have it last 4 to 6 months after diagnosis. Its also not the cancer that typically kills you, but the cancer shuts down the stomach and you starve to death. Again not pretty to watch for someone who is otherwise healthy - the body fights pretty hard. He made it to the end of April.
In mid April I got a false alarm call from my mother that he had been admitted to Hospice Austin with 2-3 days to live. I came out form Phoenix to help her with stuff. He didn't buy in to the 2-3 day prognosis and ended up coming home after a week. I was blown away by the number of people who came to see him.
If you ever think your priorities might need an adjustment, go sit in Hospice for a week.
We brought him home and he died a week later in his living room. We buried him in the Texas State Cemetery.
Rewind: So I moved from Texas to Phoenix for career 10 years ago. Had made it to my present position running a division of a large public homebuilder out here. The higher I went though, the more I hated the culture. I wasn't willing to become what they wanted to keep moving up - for any price. I had decided that sooner or later I needed to bail.
Factor in that we now have an 18 month old daughter.
As I sat in Hospice that week watching patients get wheeled in and out (usually in a black bag), I decided **** it. Life is too short to not live where you want to live, and do what you want to do. On top of that, I was fortunate to have a great relationship with my grandparents and I wanted the same for our daughter.
Now Mrs tbone, who is from Florida, has always been very career focused and I've always supported her on that. Her career is pretty much only in Phoenix. Which is why she blew me away when she came out for the funeral and out of the blue said "You know, I could live here". Which would mean leaving her career. Turns out she was completely burned out and looking for a change.
So on top of all of that, not 10 minutes after I get back to my office the day after the funeral, they come in and downsize me out of the company with a fat severance check. The market here is shiiiittyyy, so it didn't surprise me.
So we did what anyone would do - we sold our house, mrs tbone quit her job and we're moving to Austin in about 30 days.
At some point I'll have to get a job, but right now I'm really enjoying the time off with the kiddo.
Bottom line: Life is too short to work with ******** and not live where you want to live. It is important that kids know their families growing up. Enjoy it while you can.
Thanks for indulging my ramblings.
First, my stepfather, who lived in Austin with my mother, was diagnosed with stomach cancer in September of last year. He passed away on April 30th of this year at 65. He was a fantastic guy: retired Army Colonel, two tours in Nam, tours in Panama and the middle east. Past National Commander for the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Born in the Valley in a spanish speaking family with a very German last name. His father passed away when he was very young and his mother was committed to a sanitarium when he was 6. Tough childhood, I wont bore you with the details - suffice it to say he was a guy who never made excuses, never accepted any excuses, and lived one of the most fulfilling lives I have encountered. Best friends with everyone he ever met.
Then bang, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer in September. For those that aren't familiar with stomach cancer ( I wasn't) its not pretty. They rarely diagnose it before stage 4 because there are few symptoms. Most that have it last 4 to 6 months after diagnosis. Its also not the cancer that typically kills you, but the cancer shuts down the stomach and you starve to death. Again not pretty to watch for someone who is otherwise healthy - the body fights pretty hard. He made it to the end of April.
In mid April I got a false alarm call from my mother that he had been admitted to Hospice Austin with 2-3 days to live. I came out form Phoenix to help her with stuff. He didn't buy in to the 2-3 day prognosis and ended up coming home after a week. I was blown away by the number of people who came to see him.
If you ever think your priorities might need an adjustment, go sit in Hospice for a week.
We brought him home and he died a week later in his living room. We buried him in the Texas State Cemetery.
Rewind: So I moved from Texas to Phoenix for career 10 years ago. Had made it to my present position running a division of a large public homebuilder out here. The higher I went though, the more I hated the culture. I wasn't willing to become what they wanted to keep moving up - for any price. I had decided that sooner or later I needed to bail.
Factor in that we now have an 18 month old daughter.
As I sat in Hospice that week watching patients get wheeled in and out (usually in a black bag), I decided **** it. Life is too short to not live where you want to live, and do what you want to do. On top of that, I was fortunate to have a great relationship with my grandparents and I wanted the same for our daughter.
Now Mrs tbone, who is from Florida, has always been very career focused and I've always supported her on that. Her career is pretty much only in Phoenix. Which is why she blew me away when she came out for the funeral and out of the blue said "You know, I could live here". Which would mean leaving her career. Turns out she was completely burned out and looking for a change.
So on top of all of that, not 10 minutes after I get back to my office the day after the funeral, they come in and downsize me out of the company with a fat severance check. The market here is shiiiittyyy, so it didn't surprise me.
So we did what anyone would do - we sold our house, mrs tbone quit her job and we're moving to Austin in about 30 days.
At some point I'll have to get a job, but right now I'm really enjoying the time off with the kiddo.
Bottom line: Life is too short to work with ******** and not live where you want to live. It is important that kids know their families growing up. Enjoy it while you can.
Thanks for indulging my ramblings.
