come sail away

My last boss in Miami was great. He was from Mexico and had a large family. He was surrounded by all females, from his daughters to the nanny... even the dog. He was very different from my prior boss. Still challenged me to push harder, but he took much more of a hands off approach. I think my time in Miami was the only time during my post-college working days that I had to deal with taking some direct challenges from co-workers that were unwarranted, and he was super supportive and helpful in standing on my side of the battle.

Our line of work, especially at my former big corporate employer, went in peaks and valleys. During the peaks, he would arrive early in the morning and stay long past the other employees. Before the others arrived or after the door had closed behind the last one to exit in the evening, he would crank up the music and Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, and the like would be cranking out of his office.

It was fun to watch him with his family - just in general. Somewhat comforting that even once you "grow up" you don't have to lose that sparkle of who you are. He would instantaneously shave off some 10 years in the look in his eye as he boasted he was off to Mexico to enjoy "tacos and tequila". But of course. He made me feel like less of a chicken as I ran time after time from the hurricanes. Whereas I was just jetting out to anywhere possible with myself and items in tow, he was off with his full team, down to the dog. I even remember getting an email from him after moving to DC where he told me jokingly he was going through his midlife crisis and had bought himself a Porche.

Since moving here, he's sent me job opportunities in NYC as well as the occasional job opening in Miami. He recently left my former employer as well so he could stay on in Miami. I guess some people love the Miami world, myself excluded from that club.

I hadn't heard from him and thought that was one connection lost. Last night though I got an email from El Senor. He's now working for a cruise line (now that has some amazing perks, I would have to imagine!).

And he mentioned opportunities in Miami.

Would I consider?

It's funny. I'm very career-oriented. I would rather have almost any sort of job within a larger corporation over shuffling files in the smaller HR realm of an organization in the South. But I'm not ready to give up my whole world now for the job.

There's a balance. Somewhere where the challenging work and the world I want to live in converge. Will it be DC for forever? Who knows. That's TBD. I'm always looking for that location. But what I know it's not is Miami...

The opportunity would be amazing, I'm sure. But I'm just not at that place anymore. Just not there. And I'm ok with that, but simultaneously pleased with the repeated offer and the fact that mentor's no longer MIA in MIA.

[cross posted on indiebloggers.org]