Last day...

Yup, last day of work here after exactly 11 years, 2 months and 2 days.

The first day here was "interesting" - I was dumped into the middle of student registration, sink or swim, expected to get everyone through the system! With no prior admin training and no-one to teach me how to do thing, I was now "secretary" (having just finished being "cheese & butter maker"), had to type stuff, answer questions etc. It wasn't until a few years down the line that internet/email arrived. Then I was running an extension over lunchtimes to the only phone line that could handle it! Until they gave me my own.. :-) That opened up a whole new world.

Few years later it was a job split - from handling both secretarial and admissions, I moved over purely to admissions. Well, not entirely accurate - the website was chucked at me to do "in my spare time" as a hobby (ie unpaid). And that managed to split me rather equally down the middle, wearing two hats and trying to balance them. Funny how I never actually ended up with an official job description...

Now it's off to something new and different. Another chance to learn, grow, change, innovate and get excited about filling up the brain with interesting stuff.

And today? Today I'm clearing the last of the office, the last of the computer files - and having tea at 10 in lieu of a farewell. :-) The official one will still take place next week in my absense.

I've hit this day with mixed feelings. I've had a good run here, and loved where I've lived and worked. I've had the chance to learn a lot, both about my work and about me - and to grow and develop in so many areas. So I'm sad to be leaving. But at the same time I'm looking forward to the change, the challenge, the chance to head off in a new direction and expand the skills I've built upon for years, ones that I really enjoy using. Although there are terror-tremors now and then at the process, I have a good gut-feel about it. It's a step toward a great future and one more marker on this long journey.

Here's to the last day! Dark choc and JCleRoux all round! :-)