My 5 Years

I’ve been at NBCUniversal (formerly NBC Universal – yeah, there’s a difference) now for 5 years, as of yesterday.  It’s kind of stunning that it’s been five years.  I won’t pretend to say that the time flew by.  It really hasn’t.  These 5 years have felt like 5 years, so for me, it’s not that it flew by, but that so much has happened.

Just over 5 years ago, I had separated from the US Air Force.  It was a happy time for me, honestly.  I had become more and more discouraged with where my career was going, especially when it seemed that I couldn’t escape supervisors and commanders that I had very little respect for.  It’s hard to focus some of that back on to myself, but it needs to be said.  When you constantly get the same problem – perhaps the problem is me.  I freely admit that I was good at some aspects of being an officer and lacking in others.   Faced with this being my future in the Air Force combined with the seemingly unending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, I was in misery.  When that Voluntary Separation Pay offer came up, it was a no-brainer.  Buh-bye.  Especially once I had been hired by NBC and was set to move to New York City.

My life while working at NBC Universal was and is an amazing experience.  I’ve managed to luck my way into a dream organization, with a great boss and a mission to create new systems and software in a hectic yet effective pace.   The people I’ve met have changed me.  Living in NYC was a dream come true.  I got to start dating for the first time in my life and eventually met Larry, the love I never knew I was missing.  I’ve moved almost as much as I did in the military, amusingly, from Colorado to New Jersey to Manhattan and then back to Los Angeles/Santa Monica.  I’ve worked with some impressive people and I’ve been put through a lot of stressful challenges, and for the most part, I think I’ve managed to not only survive but emerge stronger.  I don’t know if I’ll be with NBCU for another 5 years, but I wouldn’t regret it if I did.

So here I am – about to turn 36 in just over a month.   Very excited to see what happens in the next 5 years.   If it’s anything like these past 5, it’s sure to be an adventure!