back with a vengeance

It's wonderful what a couple of weeks will do to your outlook.  Right before I left for my American vacation I left my job.  I had been pondering quitting for over a year but couldn't bring myself to do it.  I liked the company, liked the chairman, liked my director and had never left a job unhappy.  But then the supervisor who was troubling me gave me that bad appraisal and I realized that my options would always be limited under his direction so I grew a pair and challenged him, starting with my appraisal.  SB cheered loudly if not a bit smugly because he had been heavily encouraging me to stand up for myself, not to mention that that he thought a year-end bonus was a poor retention scheme for what it was costing me to stay.  In the end I received a better package than I was hoping for (maybe I need to listen to SB's business advice more) and left very, very happy.

I had a few blissful weeks in the States where I visited friends, former professors and SB's family.  Autumn is my favorite season in the Northeast and I was able to take many walks in the morning fog while kicking up fallen leaves and enjoying the idyll of the gorges and waterfalls.  It began snowing on the day that I left.

Now I am back and taking it easy before committing myself to the job search.  I have been enjoying Hong Kong through the lenses of a tourist: taking long walks across the Dragon's Back, spending long, wine filled lunches with friends and relaxing with a book and a pastry.  For the time being, I am really enjoying this lifestyle.  I know that I will eventually feel the need to work but for now life is good.