It's the end of an era....11 years in the making

So, most of y'all know I work two jobs. Mean managed care lady by day, mean crisis hotline worker by night. Well....tonight is my last night at the part-time job. It's weird that I feel nothing but......relief. I'm so ready. My sis says that's a sign that I've made the right decision.

I realize I should probably be sad-I mean, I have worked there nearly 11 years (started in Nov of 2000). That's a long freakin time and a LOT of crazy ass crisis calls. I was full time for 6 years and the last 5 part time. Earlier in the spring I cut back on my hours, clearly inching my way toward the door. Tonight, I will go out that door and not come back. It hit me a few months ago. I was sitting there in the call center and suddenly had this feeling that I no longer belong there. It was very strange...yet peaceful. Will I miss the extra cash? Sure, but working 8 hours a MONTH was hardly making much of a difference. I think I will be ok. It'll be nice to have my sanity back. Well....most of it.

The person I will miss the most is my boss Bart. He hired me, a 24 year old kid fresh out of grad school, completely clueless about the world. We've had an up and down relationship (he's one of the few people that calls me on my crap and I know he's right), mostly up. He's the greatest clinician I know. And a really, really good supervisor. And he writes damn good letters of recommendation. He's made me the clinician I am today. I wouldn't have grown as a person or as a counselor without him. True statement.

I made promises of keeping in touch, but you know how that goes. Time goes by and people move on. But....I will have (mostly) fond memories of my time at the crisis line, but I sure won't miss taking those calls.