A Night Like This....

{Image By Me}

I finally did it, everyone! I gave the notice to my boss that I am leaving my job at the end of this month! Oh my goodness, you have no idea how hard it was for me to do this... My last day of work will be exactly two years from the day I started two years ago. It's been an interestig journey. I talked about my very first day at the job here and here.

I think I've learned a lot from my receptionist job. We have over 3600 clients in our system, of which 2500 are active. I can honestly say we're the busiest salon in our town. I was fortunate enough to meet many different clients and I befriended with several of them personally. I also have encountered numerous "Are you fricking kidding me??" incidents which have taught me how not to behave... Seriously, there are many crazy people out there, my friends!

Anyway, I had thought about quittig since the winter of last year. Both of my girls had complained that I was never home or didn't do stuff together. I was working five days a week including Friday and Saturday. When JT left to work in NJ, I was able to change my shifts to only in the morning, so that I could pick up my daughter from school. But the truth is, I was exhausted. I know there are mothers who are working for a lot more complicated job, but dealing with demanding clients and boss ad hearing them yapping pretty much drained all my energy. I really was exhausted.

JT and I had talked about it for a long time and one of the options was to keep the job and to see if I could keep working the two days shift only on Mondays and Tuesdays. But the reality is our salon gets ridiculously busy during fall/winter and spring, they need two receptionists on Fridays ad Saturdays, which I can't work any longer, espcially JT's being gone. Also, we don't get any special days off except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's, which totally sucks. So my mind was totally set for leaving the job.

But it had taken almost five months for me to tell my boss that I want to quit. Seriously, it was like my boss could read my mind. I go to work every morning thinking, "Today is the day I'm going to tell him.." - but as soon as I open the door, my boss greets me with smile and he acts so kind towards me. If he was an a-hole, then it would be so much easier to quit, you know? Anyway, the other day, he had a last minute cancelation and he was eating lunch in the break room. JT was telling me that I had to give him a notice, so that he could find a replacement before the season starts. I went to the break room and walked in and tried to find the right timing, but I could't say it, so I left. Then 10 minutes later, I did the same thing. Again, I couldn't pull myself to say it to his face. Now the third time, he looked up. I knew, that was it. I had to tell him.

I told him I had to tell him something. When he looked my face, he thought something terrible happened to me. He was all worried and told me to have seat. I explained to him how I loved working for him and his wife, but I wouldn't be able to give my hours to schedule that the salon needs. I told him, "It's from my heaviest heart that I need to quit...." Oh boy, he was in shock. Seriously, he didn't see it coming. He was very understading and he said, "That's okay. I'm a business owner, so I know people come and go.." But he was totally in shock. He wasn't angry or anything, just disappointed. Then I had to tell his wife, but forget it. She just said, "Don't say that..." and wouldn't listen to me.

After giving him the notice, we had another client who has MS. Her condition is getting worse every time we see her. I help my boss with her chair and stuff, and while I was helping, my boss, said, "Oh my god Maki, what am I going to do????" and he had tears in his eyes. "It's so hard to find a decent girl who is willing to do all the work for me..." I felt horrible about it. But there's nothing I can do.

My spirits have been really good. My heavy weight is off my shoulder. My girls are so ecstatic as well. I get to drive them to school or pick them up, and I can take them to park and play with them - all the things I haven't been able to do because of my current job, I will be able to do it soon..

I took the pictures above while walking around the lake with my girls this evening. The view from my condo - sunset always beautiful and I felt such peace withing myself today. I think I can start a new life doing all the things I love - painting ad being a mother to my girls.

Have a lovely weekend my sweetness... xoxoxo