TX Trip

My lunch in Texas went well. One of the three attorneys was out sick with the flu, but he was the one I had previously met. The two women I met with were both pleasant, and I could see myself working with them. I had noticed one of them was involved with an open-source technology industry group. Since my current employer is heavily involved in the open-source movement, I used that as an opening to talk shop with her. She seemed pleased and said at the end she enjoyed the exchange of ideas. Lunch was on the top (43rd) floor of a downtown building. Too bad I was too focused on the conversation to much enjoy the view.

I felt good about the interview and my chances, but I won't find out for a few weeks whether I will be offered the job. There are actually two positions available, but only one open headcount, so they are trying to decide which to fill first. I think I might enjoy the capital project procurement attorney position more, but the IT job would be a better fit out of the gate.

On the flight home, the pilot pointed out Canyonlands n.p. as we passed by. After being in Texas, it looked so dry, but it was also stunningly beautiful, even from 36,000 ft. It's easy to see why the section they call the Maze is so named and is one of the most remote and inaccessible areas in the United States. Then, a few minutes later, I could see the abrupt edge of the Colorado Plateau in a way that you don't see from the ground. It looked like a vast table for a feast of the gods. A few minutes after that, the Wasatch Mountains came into view. We flew up Highway 6, passed some giant wind turbines near Spanish Fork Canyon, flew almost directly over my home, and along the Wasatch Range.

I've visited many states and have found natural beauty in each one, from the Berkshires in New England to the sand dunes along Lake Michigan in Indiana. However, I think that only Oregon and California can match the variety of different types of beautiful scenery in Utah. We have everything from lush, rainy subalpine forests to some of the most inhospitable deserts. And the state is a geologist's paradise. The Colorado Plateau and Grand Staircase (including the Grand Canyon, just outside the state, of course) have exposed more layers of rock than probably any other place on earth.

So, with all that, why would I move to east Texas? Not for the scenery. Texas has its own beauty, but for me, geography is a barrier to overcome, not a selling point. Nevertheless, I'm very impressed with the company and the career potential there, so I may end up moving away from the mountains I love so much, as well as many dear friends and family members.

It's not something I'm considering lightly. For me, as a believing Mormon, the decision will be a matter of prayer and careful pondering, weighing it out in my mind, but ultimately relying on my heart to tell me where I believe the Lord would have my family at this time. Maybe I won't be offered a position and I won't have to make that decision, but I am preparing myself all the same, savoring every opportunity I have to be with family or enjoy the natural beauty around me. On Sunday, for example, we went for a ride up a nearby canyon and enjoyed the changing fall colors. It was beautiful, and a part of me hopes I end up staying here. But I am also excited about the positives that could come with a change.

Soon, I may have a new place to write about and new cultural or geographic wonders to enjoy, but for now, Utah is home, and I think it will always have a big piece of my heart.