Holy Moly

Alright, a new blog is in order due to the increasing mess of CHAOS that 2008 has brought along with it.

As for the timeline of things to accomplish before March 7, 2008 - when I leave for Houston, TX to fly to Spain on March 10 - I appear to be in good shape. I got my apartment rented, all is clear with the landlord, and I am set to be out of there by March 7. I saw the dentist and should have decent teeth and gums to chew with while I am in Spain. I also completed treatment with the orthopedist at Tulane, so I should be clear to settle my claim with Geico once all of my medical bills and records come in. I'm fiddling with trying to get those as soon as possible, as the majority of my near future is resting on whether or not I have money to LIVE on in Spain for at least two months (it's looking iffy without the settlement, folks). I just filed my 2007 taxes, and I should get at least $724 in refund for both Federal and State taxes - yippee!

So, all of that aside, there has been a SHITSTORM at the office since the New Year. One of the partners at my law firm decided to dissolve the partnership, retroactive as of December 31, 2007. Since my boss is neither a partner nor an associate (he's somewhere in between), he has the choice to continue business with one or the other partner. The day we found out about the dissolution, he pulled me into the office to ask if I was willing to go with him, wherever that may be. I said of course, I work for YOU, not the firm, as far as I am concerned.

Anyway, long-story-short, while I was dealing with that mess, my boss's major current case which was originally set for trial on January 7 keeps getting bumped further and further into 2008. I was waiting for him to (hopefully) win that trial, or at least get it over with, so that I could drop the bomb about Granada. Well, it seems fate has other plans, as the trial is now starting the week of Mardi Gras, which will be an official 1-month and counting from the date of my departure. I'm worried that if I tell him I'm leaving in less than 2 months, it will fuck up his head before the trial and ruin his life (dramatized for effect). To top it off, he calls me into the office today to tell me he's reached a decision about which partner he wants to continue to work with, and he asks me whether I still want to go with him or not. I say, again, of COURSE I'll go with you. And the guilt-trip-o'meter soars.

I guess my issues with the whole thing are tied into the fact that I really do respect and enjoy working with my boss - he took a shot on me when he hired me with little experience, and it's rare to find someone willing to do that in the business world. Also, he's just a swell guy, very polite and understanding, patient as I learn new things, and direct and clear when giving instructions. Plus, he's representing me as my de-facto "attorney" in my Geico settlement, so I think about that too. I just feel bad, is all. Now that he's decided to move with the other partner, he's talking all these ideas about how things will improve, how I'm going to have my own office (finally!!), how we'll be making more money and hopefully holding on to a lot more. Part of me wants to make this move with him! Part of me regrets what I might miss. Am I insane?!? I'm worried about a measly legal assistant job even though I'm moving to Spain?! MY Spain! The experience I've talked about non-stop since I graduated college in 2004, thinking for so long there was no way in hell I'd be able to ever make it happen!!

I need to have my head examined. Seriously. I'll add that to my to-do list for before I leave. Shit.