Plucky 0 Posted February 27, 2004 Share Posted February 27, 2004 A bittersweet day to say the least, but it feels like a lot of pressure has been lifted from my shoulders. I should be officially out of here around June 10th. It's not something I necessarily wanted to do, but for various reasons, felt it was time to move on and take care of some other things. The shitty thing is, I gave notice to my boss during my yearly work performance appraisal today. After getting a great review for the past year and being recommended for a promotion (which likely would have taken me somewhere else in the Pacific), I dropped the news on him. I don't really have any plans for the future either. All I know is that the work I've been doing for the past 4 years has made me lathargic and has been pretty boring. I finally have come to the conclusion that I was not made to sit behind a computer for 40 hours/week doing what I've been doing. So, my plan for the time is to go back to the states, jump in my jeep wrangler, and drive all over the damn continent and explore and think. It's something I've always wanted to do anyway, and I finally have the means to do it. I just don't know where it will lead. I may go back to school for that elusive PhD (scary, eh?), open up my own enviro consulting firm (with some friends), start up a surf shop and surf supply distribution center for the NW US, or find another place I really love and settle down doing more of the same crap I've been doing - until I get itchy feet again. Who knows? I'd really love to see more of the world, but first I'd like to explore my own backyard - the United States. There is so much I haven't seen or done there and I don't want to wait until I'm 65 and cruising around in an RV to do it. I've got 3 1/2 more months here in Japan. I plan on making the most of it Kintaro, you listening??? You folks in the US - maybe I can swing by for a visit. I plan on covering a lot of ground. Start in Oregon, hit the NE, down to the gulf and on through the SW. Just thought I'd share the news. I needed to tell someone and my dog wasn't paying attention Link to post Share on other sites
Snowhaus 0 Posted February 27, 2004 Share Posted February 27, 2004 Hey Plucky, Congratulations on your decision - I think you always feel better once you make a firm decision and act upon it! Its wierd that I saw this tonight, because I've just made the exact opposite one. I told my boss that I was going to leave (had commitments back home), and then today I just decided I couldn't do it - I love my life over here so much that I asked if I could revoke my decision. My work is happy, I'm happy, and I get another season at Hakkoda (= happiness x 10). Link to post Share on other sites
MistaSparkle 0 Posted February 27, 2004 Share Posted February 27, 2004 Plucky, congrats man! Nothing better than that feeling of weight being lifted off your shoulders after leaving a job... Travelling cross-country should be an adventure. Good luck! Link to post Share on other sites
Plucky 0 Posted February 27, 2004 Author Share Posted February 27, 2004 Congratulations on yours! It sounds like you've got a great setup here! I love this place, but the job is killing me. I'm glad that you've been able to find a balance and be happy! That is great I'm taking this weekend off to let the knee rest. PM or call me or I'll let you know what I'm up to in the coming weeks. I'd love to hook up and say good bye to Hakkoda in the proper way Link to post Share on other sites
A Very Boring Man 0 Posted February 27, 2004 Share Posted February 27, 2004 Did they plead with you to stay? Link to post Share on other sites
xxx 2 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Good on ya mate Link to post Share on other sites
OzOzOz 2 Posted February 29, 2004 Share Posted February 29, 2004 Good on you, dude. Good feeling, hey? Link to post Share on other sites
badmigraine 0 Posted February 29, 2004 Share Posted February 29, 2004 Great call to do this, Plucks. This kind of thing is best done sooner rather than later! Congratulations. Where have you been keeping that Wrangler during your Japan gig? How about a camper van as opposed to an RV? Smaller, better gas mileage, cheaper to buy a used one, and less obtrusive if you want to park/sleep in a grocery store lot in the middle of nowhere. I'm at the end of a 1.5 year "vacation" that began with Tokyo job frustration and missing my country/my family. It was well worth it, and now that I am going back into the "world of work" I have a different perspective on things. Of course 3 hours at my old desk will probably erase all that, but at least I found I have a place I can always go back to and just be Me. If I have the chance to do it again--and this may be hard now that my wife is pregnant--I would be more deliberate about how I spend my time. It was too easy for me to fall into a kind of college-student lifestyle of hanging out, wakeboarding, drinking with family, reading books all the time and working out. These are all great things, but when my small pile of savings ran out and I had to start looking for another job like the one I left, I wished that I had spent less time aimlessly basking in the pleasure of being back here, and been a bit more diligent about pursuing the Next Thing, whatever it might be. You've got some great ideas, the PhD, the surf distribution center. All I can tell you, as a man at the end of what was probably my last Long Vacation, is, WORK 'EM! A final note to myself: why is it that I'll bust a** for a company I don't care about, doing things I really hate, flogging my brain into action day after day and even on weekends focusing on spreadsheets and contracts and meetings, to the exclusion of health, family and recreation...and then when I get a 16-month chance to follow a dream, I let the days flow by in an endless river of idle pleasure? ANSWER: I'm lazy, very lazy. I can't motivate myself the way others can motivate me. Link to post Share on other sites
kintaro 0 Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Hey Plucky! I'm listening and waiting for your arrival! Have you thought about checking out some of SE Asia before heading all the way home? You might want to take advantage of your logistics and the time between jobs or whatever and visit some cheaper Asian countries. Just an idea . I think you've made a good decision. I've met too many gaijin that have traded in their dreams for the 'comfortable' life in Japan. Let's face it, for most of us it's a pretty cruise life here in Japan but something is usually slightly missing. I've decided to leave too. There are just too many things I want to do before sitting back and cruising into old age. I've got two more years here while my condominium is being built in Hawaii then I'm heading out too. In the meantime, make a list of some of the Japanesee things you haven't done or would like to do and we'll try to have some fun in Sendai! Aloha brah! Link to post Share on other sites
wendy-cake 0 Posted March 2, 2004 Share Posted March 2, 2004 I gave my notice as well today. I feel relieved. Not decided what to do next, or even whether to stay here or not. Link to post Share on other sites
wendy-cake 0 Posted March 2, 2004 Share Posted March 2, 2004 ...and I can't sleep! Link to post Share on other sites
sweetaz 0 Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Plucky, was there a particular event(or series of) that has prompted you to make this decision? All hail Plucky!! He's broken away from the hive! Link to post Share on other sites
xxx 2 Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 You know talk of this has me thinking about where I'm going. At the moment, it's all too easy, but it s not going anywhere. I hate having to do these serious thinks, a complete pain in the but.t. Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts