I don't talk about work on the blog too often, but it seems appropriate now since it's been on my mind 25 hours a day lately. I'm starting a new job Monday. I'm excited, nervous, sad about leaving my current team, and looking forward to something new, all at once. I have all the feelings one normally has about starting a new job, with added sadness about leaving my current crew.

Without getting into too much detail about the new gig, I'll still be doing online marketing, but switching gears and going "client side". I've been working with agencies since 2006 so it's a big change.

My first job was in Grade 10 at McDonald's. I worked the front counter and then got "promoted" to drive-thru after several months. I worked there after school, on weekends, and throughout the summer until I graduated. I went to college, studied journalism, worked as a reporter for a bit, progressed into PR, and then moved into the big bad world of advertising. In total I've worked at nine different places.

I also just realized I've spent half my life working. UNNNNHHHHHHH

For someone my parents' age, the thought of having held nine jobs by the age of 32 is outrageous, but I think things are a lot different now. You don't graduate and go to work and stay at the same job until you retire anymore. I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing. I do think it's good to grow. For someone like me who hates being bored, the thought of going to work every day and doing the exact.same.thing. is frightening. I need routine and familiarity, but I need to be challenged too. I guess that's why I like online marketing so much - there's never a dull moment and always something new to learn.

Deciding to leave my current job wasn't easy, since I love the team and it's been such a good experience. In a way, I think it would be easier to leave on a bad note, so I could be like, PEACE OUT, blast Free Bird on my computer speakers and go out in a blaze of glory and no regrets. But I'm going to genuinely miss the office. It's scary to leave a good job that you know you enjoy for something unknown - if you've gotta spend half your waking hours at work, it certainly helps to like who you're with and what you're doing - but it felt like a good time to take the step.

For me, this move is about growth and being able to focus more exclusively on the things I like most about the industry, which I'll be able to do in my new position.

So that's that. The next couple weeks will be all about settling into my new office, learning a bunch of new names and routines, figuring out where the bathrooms are, and desperately trying to make a good impression.