Huh? Wha? How did it become late November?

It's been a busy couple of months 'round these parts. Far more busy than I could have imagined... Right after getting back from my mini vacay after getting married, I learned that I got the promotion that I interviewed for. I was really happy, excited, stressed and totally bummed out at the same time.

The first three reactions are pretty obvious. Of COURSE I would be happy and excited for this new opportunity. Of COURSE I would be stressed because of all my new responsibilities and because I would, essentially, be doing 2 jobs until they hire someone to take my old position. But bummed out?

Let me explain. When we moved to our new offices, so far away from our old office (and more importantly, home), one consoling fact was that I would be sharing the hallway with all of my crazy friends. See, the office is build in 2 sections with a main atrium in between. Because of the way the offices were distributed, our division got offices on both sides of the atrium, with the majority of the group on one side of the atrium. So, a bunch of us plotted to choose offices on the OTHER side. And once we moved in, it became exactly what we had hoped - a hallway full of misfits, where crazy would break out at any moment, and where laugher was the rule versus the exception (oh, and because of the personalities, we are also able to get all our work done too).

Well, one of the things that had to happen when I got promoted to management was that I had to move into a "management" office, i.e., an office in the main group with everyone else. I begged and pleaded to stay where I was. There were plenty of members of my branch on that side of the building. It was "quieter." I would be able to work more effectively. Nope. I had to move. I was able to delay it a couple of weeks... but it could not be avoided. And so came the fateful day...

And the day I moved, I had some "help" from my friends... who would occasionally steal some things back from the cart I was using. I know. Wah wah. I got a promotion. There are consequences. But I truly feel like I'm missing out on the fun. Which I guess is part of the point of management, huh? But I miss them. And the joy. And laughter... across the atrium. But I know they miss me too...

*sigh* It makes me sad too.