Am I a Californian?

Whew - another long haitus - I need to be better about this...all around - although I suppose I've lost any readers that I ever had, or did I?

We did it.

This past year as been one of turmoil, heartache, and big decisions.

My job has been dwindling.  My company was aquired some time back, and since then our numbers had been dwindling.  It wasn't so much that it was a bad place to work, in fact, quite the opposite - a great place with great people and interesting work, for the most part.  But a lack of it.  We went forma 120 person company to about 20.  For the past 3 years, I've wondered every time I came to the end of a contract if I would be able to keep my job, and find a new contract.  Last summer I was faced with the fact that my contract was goign to be up the end of March, and I wasn't totally sure if I'd even have a job after that.

So we started talking.

And talking.

Matt also wasn't sure what was happening with his job.  He had also been aquired; 2x in fact since moving to the new job 6 years ago.  He evenentually turned into a 1 man shop, and pretty flexible.  We started thinking, if he can work by himself in CO, why couldn't he work by himself somewhere else?

March rolled around.  The end of my project was very near.  No work on the horizon.  I decide sorta on a whim to apply for 2 positions with the State of Montana.  2 interviews later, I had an offer.

We decided to ask, will they let Matt move the office?

No.

And we're going to lay you off.

And there we were.  Lay off was goign to happen June 5.  And we needed to make a decision.  Stay with the job that had a high liklihood of laying me off, or try something new.  Go for the lifestyle change, be closer to family.  Take the pay cut.  But be closer to MY family.

So we did it.

We sold our house, we moved to Helena, MT, and bought a house.  We closed on the house this past Monday.  I took the job.  We're here, and I just got to see my mom for 5 days.  And I see my sister nearly every day, and I'm tired but SO SO happy to be here!

Which leads me to my point....I will admit.  I lived in Colorado for nearly 15 years, and I got used to some things.  Recycling, namely.  Single stream recycling.  Who'd have thunk it was a luxury!  There isn't single stream curb side recycling in Helena!  It's 2015!  My mom said I've turned into a "Californian".  I want the lifestyle and remoteness of Montana, but I want the conveniences of a big city.  Helena has 30000 people in it!  I had recycling in Erie, CO and it's population is 20,000....  So I guess she's right, I've turned into a Califorian; is curb side single stream recycling really that much to ask for?!