I'm so filled with things to write about that I'm not sure where to start. I'm so thrilled to have the public blog back. Even people who were insiders had trouble getting to it before, and I missed sharing what's up with me with the whole world. I no longer fear problems with any current, former, or future employer and will choose my words wisely throughout the future and also put a concentrated effort in to editing.
That said let me say that March 2010 was perhaps the best month I've ever had. Lots of stuff went down. I did tons of traveling, and it opened the gateway for what you all really came here to read about. So I'll get to March in another blog later but instead of looking back let's look forward...
Many people have heard rumors, or even started their own, about me coming back to Vermont. Lots of factors all went in to this but I address all that and more now with...
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
When are you coming home?
I think people have this notion that I did't want to come home, or that I somehow needed to be talked in to it. Rest assured ever since the BC termination I've considered it. As time wore on it became more and more of an option and ever since my November visit I've been paving the way for the comeback, hoping that it would be at UVM. Having a full-time job is important to me and the fact that my lease is up at the end of June coupled with the end of my unemployment being around then too, means something has to give. I applied all over looking for jobs. Milwaukee, Vermont, Maine, Florida, you name it and I considered it. Ever since I was terminated I've used the phrase, "everything is an option." Well Vermont came calling first with job offers, and therefore has won. I am coming home very soon.
Yeah, but when?
Still working out the details but I will be back in Vermont in early May.
Where will you live?
I plan on moving in with my Dad and step-mom in Colchester. This makes the most since for me due to the fact I'll still be sending rent back to Dan and Neil through June. This way I can live in VT rent free and get re-settled in before figuring out where I'll move next?
What about the Weav?
It's no secret that my family plans to sell this property in the near future. More importantly Ed, Laura, and Cara (and the furious fighting cats) all still live there and there's no spot for me nor would I want it for the sake of what could only be a few months. I'd rather get settled somewhere I can be for awhile. I'm sick of moving so I'll be looking for a permanent spot to be for a few years. I'll still hang out at the Weav' quite a bit and I look forward to some sort of "PichStock 4 festival" to hopefully welcome me home.
So you won't move away again?
Well who knows. Maybe someday when I'm older I'll follow the trends of moving to Florida or down south, but for the foreseeable future I see myself in Vermont. I've learned a lot about myself, life, and what I want to be doing. I had always wanted to live in a big city and I did it. I'll miss things about it but if I ever did it again I'd be more prepared. Like I said though I don't see that happening for years. I've learned where I belong. I'll still have the itch for big city stuff so I'll continue to try and travel like I did before and take in as many sporting events as possible along the way.
Do you blame the Bradley Center for all of this?
No. In fact I'd like to take this moment to formally thank the Bradley Center for being the main reason I moved out here. I could never have met the people I did, and have had the memories and experiences I've had here without them. Of course I was unhappy about the way our relationship ended, and I'll always wish it had been handled differently by not only them, but me as well. I've chosen to remember my time there for what it was. I can't thank them enough for bringing a wet-behind-the-ears kid from Vermont into the big arena world. The memories I have there will last me a lifetime.
However it did lead to the feeling I got that I had no reason to be here anymore. I moved out here for that job. To be a supervisor. To make more money. To have the experience. When I got fired I had none of that and really it was the want to still succeed here coupled with my lease, which I had just signed, that kept me going. As job offers didn't come I quickly realized that the Pettit National Ice Center wasn't going to be my future. I like working there but they simply don't offer me the hours, pay, benefits, and job challenges to keep me here. They were open and honest about that from the get go and I too told them of my wants. We both knew it wasn't going to be long-term. It worked while I collected unemployment but that well is running dry along with available hours for me to work there over the summer. That all said I love the Pettit and can't thank them enough for allowing me to work there and get some cool experiences I could never get anywhere else. I'll always speak highly of them and wish them all nothing but good things in the future.
What are you coming back to do? UVM? Leddy Park?
I interviewed at Leddy while I was back in mid-march and they are still in the process of searching. I have been contacted to tell me hours and make sure I'm still interested. To be honest I like the money and benefits package that the Leddy job offers, but I know I'd really still want to work where I loved it.
UVM has a few openings including a spot in the rink. Things moved a little quicker with this than I thought and hopefully by the time I get back to VT in early May I'll have been hired back full-time. The wheels take a little while to spin on things like this but I figured it would be easier to move now while vacation days and time off aren't hard to come by. I realize that by not sticking with the idea of the Leddy job that I might be leaving some money on the table, but let's be honest... if you know me at all... you know where I want to be, and where many would say belong.
The dollar signs lit my eyes up to move me to Milwaukee, and I'll be damned if I make that mistake again and end up unhappy. Plus the option of taking classes for free and also working off some of the only debt I have left (classes from UVM when I only worked there part-time) is too inviting. Oh, and of course the option of once again working for the teams, and people that I love and support. My blood runs green and gold and a return there is really the key cog in my storybook comeback. I had always said if I had to live in Vermont there's only one place I'd want to work, and that will never change. How lucky am I to be able to come back to that?
Will you revive Talking Trash?
Eventually... yes. I'd like to get settled in and figure out my days off and what time will work best but yes I think Talking trash must return if at all possible. Kyle needs it to get all of the sports thoughts out of his head, VCAM needs ratings, and I would love to get back to doing some television!
Are you excited to come home?
Yes, but it comes with some baggage. Obviously I've made some good friends and great memories while I've been here and saying good-bye will be tough. Hopefully my final month here is filled with many more great memories that will encourage me to come back and visit. I'll speak more on that when it's closer to leaving time. Also I think there will always be that "what if" with so much here. It's sad that not all parts of life can be answered but that's the way it goes. Unless you know someone with a time machine... But yes, I'll be glad to get back to a place that is familiar and reunite with many familiar faces. I've grown tired of seeing the bulk of my friends only twice a year. I'm anxious to get back to seeing people regularly. However I've still got to get my stuff and car back to Vermont so there's a lot to do before I can truly relax.
Any worries about coming back?
Yup, a whole bunch, but there's more worries if I stay here with no full-time gig. This is the best case scenario for me right now. My main concern is this, and I don't think this point will ever be stressed enough. In fact if you only read one part of this I hope it's this. If you only bring up one part of this in conversation let it be this. And if you're thinking about me at all coming back think about this...
To everyone back in Vermont I've been gone for a little less than 2 years. Sure a lot has happened in their lives, but so much stayed the same. For me it was all different. A ton happened to me. You just didn't see all of it. In fact if you're not a computer person you may not even know about all of it. Regardless I hope people realize that "The Pich'" coming back isn't the same one who left. I've learned more about life, and myself than I thought possible in this span of time. I've done a lot of growing up and although I'm still always going to want to put the F U in fun, folks need to realize that I'll be 31 years-old by the time I get back. I have a new lease on a old place. I hope everyone understands why I had to come here, and that if it wasn't Milwaukee it would have been somewhere else. I hope everyone welcomes me back and can forgive me for mainly using Facebook to keep up with them for the past couple years. When I'm back and you see me... I'm going to want to bring it in for the real thing, so be ready to hug. This time of my life will be truly evaluated as positive when I use what I've learned to make my future in Vermont everything I want it to be. Sadly I had to move half way across the country to figure some of that out.
Well that ends the FAQ portion for now. Pretty heavy stuff, but it's a pretty heavy topic for me and it's not over yet.
I'll post separately about March and it's impact on this and other stuff. Wow the Catamount Country in me was running wild! Stay tuned for more soon, including dates of returns and PichStock 4 as the details shake out!
