Thoughts on the journey

What a week it has been.
Several weeks ago a competitor in the industry in which I work contacted me about taking a similar role with their company. The considerations were the usual suspects, better pay, better job description, less travel. But, let's face it, it was a competitor. so instead of looking for their weaknesses, I had to consider all their strengths and as I discovered, they are many.
So Sunday walking around an antique with my bride I got the call to finalize the deal, so I closed the deal. I was leaving the next day for California and had decided to turn in my resignation first thing Monday morning. Only problem was the owner didn't show up. Agonized the rest of the day, told the comptroller, who promptly shut off my access to the computer..no blogs.
Marched in the next morning, waited an hour until the owner showed up and promptly told him I was resigning. He as most gracious, he wanted to know all about the position I was taking, he was very complimentary and wished to stay friends.
We are not even to the hard part. I asked if I could stroll through the building and tell the folks who worked for me that I was leaving. He just ask I stop back by before leaving the building. Shock by the folks in Design, but all of them were old ready-to-wear folks and were used to the coming and going of staff. Then I needed to tell the folks in the customer service area, who all worked for me. Tears all around, hugs, distress, I felt terrible. I kills me to make people sad, particularly people that I care a great deal for.
Walked out of the building at 10:30AM, drove to a major account in the L.A. area and met up with the folks at the new job, went to my first meeting at 2:00PM. As I did so, I remembered the words I had spoken to another work associate several years before when he decided to switch companies..."Take a day or two, perhaps a long weekend, to clear your head, to get your attitude right..." I didn't even have lunch.
Thursday morning at the new headquarters in Dallas. Got there early, couldn't get in, sat in my truck and drank the last of my Starbucks.
Then spent the day meeting people, strained smiles, everyone trying to get a read on each other. Is this guy going to be someone who is good to work with, or will he be a horse's hind end? More importantly, how will this affect my job? Will he make it easier or harder? Sort of a relational sigh or eye roll.
It went fine, I strolled and introduced myself. After the lunch the president realized I had made the rounds without official introduction, i think he felt a little embarrassed by that. No big deal, I know how to work a room.
I suspect my 15 minutes of introduction are up, now on to work.

Anyway, new bend in the road, should be fun.

Godspeed.
Don