It's helpful in life to have enabling constraints. You know, constants upon and around which you can make other decisions. Without some of those, it's a little bit like trying to nail jello to a wall or secure a tent on a windy beach.
Since I last wrote, circumstances at work have changed considerably. I'm much more optimistic about my continued employment and I have an opportunity to shape what that might look like. My project and job responsibilities are likely to change, but I'll be involved in that process. It's intimidating and the possibilities at this stage are so open that it's hard to know where to start or what to focus on. Wide open possibilities are a blessing, a curse, and a lot of work. That's where I'm at right now.
This current reorganization is probably going to take most of 2016--it feels like we're losing a year to the process. I am strongly considering applying for another fellowship just in case I end up reorganized out of a job next year. I'm not excited about applying, but it would probably be foolish of me not to.
In the short term, there are so many things up in the air that I'm unlikely to lose my job in the chaos. At least there's that!
