Happy Birthday

Well, it's a new year, in a new city, in a new continent, a new occupation, in a new field, speaking a new language. How fortunate it is that, to keep everything in balance, i have a lot of old regrets.

Did you know that despite the fact that i told everyone i hated my old job, i did in fact love it.

Sure, it wasn't very challenging, but it was always interesting. I learnt something new every other day. I was in a position of power. I worked with people from dozen's of countries, and they all relied on my expertise and help to keep their respective divisions running. They called it a "thankless" job. It was nothing fo the sort. I was appreciated and respected by so many people, older and more experienced than me. It was a heady feeling.

And then i had a beautiful apartment, independant means of transportation, fun weekend activities, and family i loved very much and visited as often as i could. Sure i didn't have much of a social life. But i would've gotten around that eventually. So why had i been so desperate to leave?

Lets look at this logically. I was happy and made more than enough money. There was scope for moving up the corporate ladder at a not-slow pace, what with all the extra responsibilities i had asked for, and had handled well. By any definition, i should have stayed where i was. Why had i been dissatisfied? Why had i felt ashamed to work there? Why had i felt angry with my own contenment? Sure i love physics and engineering. But i also love programming, i love my martial arts classes, i love languages, i would love to learn how to fly. And at one time or another, each of these fields had presented me with an opportunity for a career. But i had felt that to keep me sense of self-respect, I had to pursue engineering. I had to get my masters degree, at least. But now that i'm on this side, i find that there is so much i have given up to be here.

I hope all this turns out to be worth it.