What August Means to Me...

It's amazing to me how life's rituals we grow up with continue to last me through my life.  August was the time I went back to school in the rural Nebraska town where I grew up.  Twenty years after leaving traditional school, August still marks a fresh new beginning of the year that carries me to the end of the year.  Just so you understand how important August has been for me, here's a quick timeline:

August 1990 - I started full-time for Neodata in a call center in Omaha, Nebraska.  This would be the beginning of a seven year career in third-party contract work.

August 1994 - I transferred with Neodata to Bouder County, Colorado and moved to Denver. This woulld be the beginning of thirteen years in the Denver area.

August 1997 - I interviewed and was offered a job at U.S. Bank (although I didn't start until after Labor Day).  This would start a nine-year banking career.  This is where my technical writing experience started.

August 2000 - I interviewed and was offered a training position at U.S. Bank (again, I didn't start until mid-September).  This is where my technical writing skills really got a nice workout!

August 2010- I start my new job returning to call center where I hopefully will be able to work more consistent hours and have more time and energy to devote to my writing.

It's my mom's birthday and my grandma's birthday this month as well.

What most of the these job and career changes have helped me do is re-energize to accomplish my goals through the end of the year.  August is an exciting time for me to refocus my efforts to accomplish what I set out to do in January. 

Quite a few years ago, I vented to a co-worker in late May or early June how I hated to have to work during those times.  She reminded me it was because when we were younger we were out of school.  My dad was a teacher, so I was used to him being around in the summer as well.  That epiphany helped explain why August was a re-awakening for me...it is traditionally the beginning of the "school year."

So this August is yet again a new part of my career and renewed energies into my writing.  What are you working on to get finished by the end of 2010?