Tighter lending standards

No wonder no one can get a loan. It seems lending standards are getting tighter at nearly every bank these days.

Congratulations, Wendy!

I just got the happy news that my sister and her husband have finalized the adoption proceedings for their precious little girl. I'm so happy for them and am sure that they will continue to be good parents, and I wish them all the best with the hundreds of sleepless nights yet to come.

The Omnificent English Dictionary in Limerick Form

I like writing lyrics and poetry and am also a bit of a "word nerd." So, it's' not surprising I found something very charming about a dictionary with a limerick for every definition.

Now this to worry about?

It seems the earth may be part of a giant hologram and that everything we do is simply a projection of some process happening elsewhere in two dimensions:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126911.300-our-world-may-be-a-giant-hologram.html

This is what happens when you stack assumptions on top of assumptions on top of other assumptions. Physics and philosophy have merged.

From the dead

So, the company I first interviewed with back in early October and had given up for dead contacted me again today, reiterated their strong interest, and sent me a bunch of their confidential information to review. Based on everything that was said and the history, I think it's reasonably likely I'll be offered the job. So, here's my dilemma:

I like my current job pretty well, and the salary is plenty, but the growth potential is limited. My boss is really cool, though, as are my team members. Job security is reasonably good given this economy. I'm part of a decent-sized law department at a company with several thousand employees.

The new job would be general counsel of a start-up with about 80 people. Being in senior management of a smaller company is something I've always thought I'd like to try eventually, but it will be a learning curve now because I'm still relatively young. The new people seem pretty cool, and I get along with them, although they've been pretty slow at communicating. Salary would probably be a little better, which I don't care about much, and I'd get some ownership in the company, which would be great, because I could retire early and go on several missions. Sounds great. BUT...I'm very risk-averse, and this company is operating on a shoestring, limping from financing round to round, and they are not yet even cash flow positive, so there is a big risk. It would also surely be more stressful than my current job, since I'd go from mid-level, non-management to the legal go-to guy in a company with some unique challenges.

Bottom line: security with a job and people I know I enjoy, or take a pretty risky shot in a bad economy at a dream job with a chance to prove myself, grow a new business, and make money I don't need to meet my needs? Oh, and there's this: my wife and I have felt for several months like we were supposed to move to the metro area with the new job, which is about an hour from where we live now. If we successfully sell our home (we showed it again today) and don't take a new job, it will be an annoying commute to my current job for as long as I remain there.

New year

Man, I've been slacking at posting anything on my blog. Part of it was I was waiting for a final resolution on that interview I mentioned in my last post. Unfortunately, the company has reeeaaaly been dragging their feet. They say they like me, but I think they're afraid to hire a new employee who won't be directly producing revenue, given the current economic climate. And I confess, I'm nervous about going to a startup in this climate, too. So, the waiting continues. In the meantime, I'm trying to recommit to my job here and get on with other goals for the new year. A few of them:

Exercise at least 3x per week. I've been using the elliptical almost every day the past two weeks, and it feels great. It's a nice way to keep my energy up in the winter months especially.

Study my Spanish a couple of hours per week to get ready for the trip to Latin America I'm taking with my dad, brother, and brothers-in-law in November. My Spanish is surely the worst of the bunch. So far, no progress there.

Family scripture study and prayer (almost) every night. Doing pretty well.

No raising my voice in anger. Always room for me to improve here and keep my home a pleasant place where the Spirit is felt and where family members and friends want to be.

So, that's it. After a great trip to Hawaii with the family in December, it's time to hit the ground running. I'm excited to see what changes this new year will bring, even if the economy doesn't seem to warrant optimism.