I was right.

It should not be a surprise.
Being right is a thing I am usually good at.

I had to go to the office yesterday.
When the pandemic hit, our offices were in the process of moving. We had the entire main floor of our office building.
It was large, full of all kinds of stuff, disorganized and a little crazy.

In the fall when the orders for restocking sites came it, everyone's little office cubicles were stacked to the top with things like beanbag chairs and shelving units and boxes of LEGO. The supply room was bursting with markers and pencils and paperclips and pens and paper and a million other little things that most people needed to have a successful site.

So the effort was being made to consolidate the whole thing into half of the floor of the building and then the pandemic happened.
Suddenly we were closed.
Almost no one was working in our company.
Schools were shut down.

Well, now we're sort of ready to be back up and running. There are boxes and piles of stuff all over the office. It's one really big room, no dividers or cubicles, at least not yet. I don't know if there will be or if they're going to take advantage of the open space to make a big, friendly, everyone-in-your-business sort of environment.

Either way, I am so, so glad I am not part of it. I won't be collating papers, sitting in the middle of a wide open space where everyone can see everyone else.  I won't be making runs to Costco, I won't be driving to the office  EVERY day, either. Which is something I didn't actually consider when I decided to turn down the promotion. You'd think I would have thought about that, but nooooo.

Everyone there is very nice. They all seem to be comfortable with the level of chaos. Computers are hooked up, phones are being answered, everyone looks happy.

But there's no space to be alone.
No quiet spots.

The corner office, which does have a door and a big window, is occupied by three people, the next room over is a big conference room where several people have set up some sort of base of operations and where I sat with my manager person and the guy who used to run the program at the school where I have ended up. I sat there with them for over an hour, talking about the site, getting an understanding of the school's culture and discussing any possible child issues.

While we sat there talking, people had to come in and out gathering some papers and other things.

I learned that all our sites are moving on from the indestructable old flip phones that we used for years and years to brand new iPhones.

::sigh:::

I don't love Apple products, but I am sure we got a discount.
No one asked my opinion before taking the plunge.

I also learned that everyone will be getting a company email address so that people aren't using their personal emails. I'm sure there are good reasons for it, but I really don't want one. I wasn't consulted about that, either. (imagine that!!)

My impression of our new office is that it's chaotic and haphazard in some ways, organized and managed as it should be in other ways. They have paperwork done on time, children are placed ahead of profits, they respect the people who work there, pay them fairly and are appreciative of our efforts.

It's a great company to work for, but my heart is with the kids.

In other news, I drove up to my old school today and dropped off a couple cards and some candy for some of the people who were so wonderful to me there. Wrote some heartfelt words to them.

I got a 'thank you' email this evening from the school's counselor. She was, as usual, kind. She expressed my moving on as a loss for the kids and the entire school community. Made me a little weepy.

So school starts in Portland Public Schools a week from today. I've embarked on my last week of staying up late and sleeping in.

After talking to the former person who worked at my new school, I think it will be a great fit. I'll be meeting my supervisor person there on Monday so I can get a look at the space and think about what I will be bringing with me. I've planned a couple easy projects (we aren't sure when new supplies will be provided, so we will be depending on what's in stock at our respective schools) and I have the things I need here at home to take in *for* those projects. My kids won't be bored. Neither will I.

I do hate having to trade my six minute commute for a 20 to 30 minute one, but my choices are limited.

Except for no longer working in a familiar place, I think things will be okay.
I told the head guy that I did not want a supervisory position, that things in my personal life are too busy and too much is going on.

"I need a job I can do in my sleep, really. And I frequently DO this job in my sleep. My dreams are often filled with me taking care of kids... first aid and protecting them from monsters and doing craft projects. This is what I am meant to be doing. So thank you so much for the offer, but I want to continue doing what I do so well."

Speaking of sleep... nearly midnight.

ZZZ ya later.