As it turns out, I did find a new job. I’m at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City, Missouri. Technically, the company is located in Missouri but we now live in Kansas. It’s kinda the difference between Sterling Heights and Warren. On this side of the road, it’s Kansas. The other? You get the idea.
Anyway, we’re slowly adjusting to this new environment. We chose to rent a place for 2 years instead of buy. Hmm, Matt’s not motivated to buy* a house lately? Go figure!
Realistically we only had 4 days to find a place, and this was the best of the lot. It’s certainly a nice house and neighborhood, but we’re just not able to determine if this is the final destination in Kansas.
The job is good and nuts at the same time. Tons of massive corporate change plus a bad economy makes for alot of freaked out people making interesting decisions. Luckily, my job is pretty damn safe, which is a big change.
Melissa and the kids are trying their best to assimilate and meet as many neighbors as possible. It’s not easy but luckily they are all quite cute, which I’m certain helps in their efforts. 
When I explain what the hell I’m doing in Kansas, I tell them imagine if a big tsunami rose up out of the Great Lakes and just washed us to Kansas. That’s what it feels like. We lost our house (horrid short sale), the investment we put into it, all of our friends and family, and had to essentially flee the flood.
We feel eternally grateful for Hallmark lining up at the right time like it did. It really was an amazing feat and we will never forget it.
That’s probably why I’m working so many fricking hours there…out of flat out guilt. Luckily I’m in a great position to influence many things and bring my expertise to bear in ways that I didn’t imagine prior to accepting the offer.
Many things are in the works but I can honestly say that if you are even reading this blog, hopefully you will see or hear about some really impressive developments coming from Hallmark. I am looking to make a big impact there, and so far, that’s my #1 role – with the authority to make it happen.
I’m excited, inspired, and most of all, tired.
I’m not used to working a) at all and b) so hard. It’s been a while since I’ve had to really apply myself in a big way but it is somewhat refreshing. I know I’m needed and feel really good about that when I’m walking the halls of Hallmark.
I wish my Detroit comrades only the best and consistently say great things about the auto industry when asked because we truly didn’t bring this cataclysmic change upon ourselves and the outside world needs to understand it. They like to think the domestics just weren’t selling well, therefore they are having hard financial times. The national media has done an amazing job casting this as a sales issue rather than a complicated financial industry chain effect.
Because I’m on facebook quite a bit posting photos of the kids for fam and friends to see, I’m considering closing this blog and shutting this URL down. I rarely have time to sit down with a glass of wine and write a post as I am doing right now.
Other than work, I’m listening to the audiobook of Craig Ferguson’s “American On Purpose” and it’s great stuff. I’m hoping to set up a band here, but I know that’s really just crazy talk. I can’t even imagine the logistics of such an effort despite having a great imagination to begin with.
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