Florida Sunsets

Departure

It had been over two years since I had seen my family in-person and I was more than excited to see them.  My parents had recently moved to be closer to my sister and my nephew.  My dad started a new job with a large corporate company completing retirement plans for its customers.

The days leading up to my departure had been filled with a heavy workload and the nervous energy of an interview.  I have been making a focused effort to learn and expand my talents beyond my regular workload.  I had been completing job shadows with two different groups at the Analyst level.  I was glad to see my family after all that work related stress.

On my way to the airport, I could already see the end of the harvest season.  The clouds filled the skies and the corn stalks faded from brilliant green to dusty brown.  I welcomed the beauty and distraction after months of settling into my new house with all its quirks.  Work had not provided a respite either.  I wonder what the new year will bring even though it’s only the last week in September.  If nothing else, it marks the 15^th year with my employer, which is no small feat.  I’m currently in my eighth role within the company (including two Temporary Work Assignments).  However, this trip was about catching up with my family and seeing my nephew for the first time. 

Speaking of small children, as we waited for our plane to arrive at our small airport, I observed the similar mannerisms of child and parent.  It seems obvious now, but I was really struck by the walk or the facial expression matched almost perfectly. 

The flight was very smooth and clear as we made our way south.  I was surprised by how clear the sky was after our gray beginnings.  The sunset from 36,000 feet above the surface of the Earth was magnificent.  While observing the sunlight refract through my window, the lights on the plane turned to a deep orange to match the mood.

Uncle’s First Visit

My first visit with my tiny nephew was an interesting experience.  He is very smart and likes to move around a lot.  This is very normal for his age, but my exposure to toddlers in recent years has been limited.  His grandparents had purchased some fun animal books that he really enjoyed.  They played famous pieces of music at the touch of a button.  He also was impressing us with his memory of a few words like “head, ear, nose” while pointing at each part of his body.  We watched the learning in real time.

Dad’s Fancy Workplace

I have given my parents the tour of my corporate buildings a couple of times, but this was my dad’s turn to show off his workplace.  He works for a large insurance company, so there were some similarities to my workplace.  One major theme I observed was physical fitness.  There are several levels of programs that even reduce your health insurance based on health data and in-person events.  The building housed a full-sized gym including locker rooms and showers so you can still arrive at your desk feeling fresh.  Your badge is also your form of payment for any on-campus purchases.  I know this could be dangerous for some; I think it makes a lot of sense.  If you are not working or running on the treadmill, you can relax in the dedicated quiet rooms for an hour or two. 

Board Games

Even with my attachment to movies, TV, and computer games, my childhood actually had quite a few analog activities.  Card games and board games were the most common.  These can teach strategy, math, and how to lose with some grace (No comment who in the family is better at that).  In that spirit, we found an afternoon where we played a new game.  It was called Cat-opoly.  Built off the premise of Monopoly, we dove in and learned that cheaters never win.  My dad has enough financial credentials to advise multimillionaires and has studied real estate his whole life.  I have done math for fun on a Friday night.  However, we were absolutely wiped out by my unassuming mom.  I guess all those years of calling out the phone bill fees every month secretly built her negation skills. 

Unexpected Phone Call

My family has been pretty good about not having their phones with them while we are having dedicated family time and I do the same on big trips.  As we waited for dinner to be ready, I checked my phone and noticed I had a missed text from my boss at work.  I called back to see if there might be news about my interview.  A brief exchange of pleasantries occurred before I got the news: I had attained an Analyst level position.  I was speechless.  It has been 15 years of learning and accepting multiple lateral positions to maintain my employment.  I had finally reached that “Professional Level” role I had been working towards for a while.  My parents were thrilled, of course, and I was able to make a few phone calls and texts to key people to tell them.  I did have to hold the news for about two weeks as they arranged everything for me.  That is always the hardest part.

Dinner with an old friend

There are friends that come and go.  There are friends that you knew when you were ten and never saw again.  This is a friend I have known since we were two years old.  The first half of childhood was spent together.  I moved to Illinois eight years ago and he was in a whole different city in Florida, even when I was living there.  Long story short, we have done our best to keep in touch, but it had been ten full years since I had seen him in person.  He is a father of five and loves his working life.  He teaches music and history at a small private school and speaks on Sunday mornings at his church.  I had to catch him up on some past events over several years of my career before I told him the good news.  Interestingly enough, he and my dad went down a tangent of teaching stories and music and books.  It was a surreal experience to observe my friend, the fully formed adult, speaking with my father.  This may change in the coming weeks, but there is a large feeling in myself that even though I’m technically an adult, I don’t always feel like it.  I’m sure his life, like most, has its struggles, but at that moment, he was glowing with excitement.  On our way home, the Florida sky was orange as the sun started to set.

Walk through the Woods

A lot of my visit was experienced in the concrete jungle of downtown Tampa or endless suburbia.  Luckily, in the middle of several neighborhoods, there was a private park that had a few hiking trails that run along a stretch of river.  It was a fun way to start the day after a hearty breakfast.  My dad and I explored a trail that was off the main path to see what we could find.  A hidden fishing spot and rope swing were proof that we were not the pioneers of this trail.  On our way back out, we observed a couple of fawns and their deer mother in our path.  We took a side path to avoid disturbing them.   When we found the main path again, we were greeted by a small collection of butterflies.  They were with us for the last half of the return journey.  (See my poem Butterfly Escorts for more details).  The park also offered some good bird watching.  My dad tested out a new app that can listen to the birdcall and identify the species.

Technology Assistance

My entire life has been a series of informal technology support sessions with my friends, my parents, my grandparents, and my coworkers.  I usually enjoy a good puzzle to solve and indeed find a way (if not the best way).  I do have to point out that the request hinged on the lack of development of the mobile app. It was not able to perform the request we wanted.  You could do it on desktop website, but you couldn’t integrate with Google Photos.  I’m sorry, but what technology doesn’t integrate with one of the largest photo hubs in the United States?  Anyway, after a few hours of struggle, we got it submitted.  Even after all that, we still would have to pick up the printed photos, put them in an envelope, and mail them.  My uncle is a bit old fashioned and doesn’t have a smartphone.  After our little adventure, maybe he has the right idea. 

I truly live in two worlds.  I am trying to keep with the latest technology while my dad is restoring antique cameras.  I’m pushing for real-time payments at my bank while my neighbor wants cash when he offers to mow the lawn.  I listen to a podcast about the newest telescope going out beyond the Moon, but my systems at work as older than I am.

Next Chapter

Being the absolute math nerd that I am, when I arrived back home, I spent some time with the AI chatbot running new financial scenarios.  I calculated my net income after the salary increase.  I explored several different retirement simulations.  There is no logical reason to do this now as I am at least 20 years away from even thinking about retiring from working full-time.  The new job was exactly what I needed in my life right now.  I feel like I can focus on other interests now (like writing more on this site).  After such a long time working toward this goal, it’s time to breathe.