...That's What She Said

When I moved to Daytona Beach in June, I was adamant about telling coworkers and friends in Orlando that I had no desire to live in Volusia County and that Jason and I would likely move closer to "home" (which is what I've considered Orlando for the past 10 years) as soon as we were able to sell his house. Despite the sometimes aggravating hour commute to and from work while being very pregnant, I clung to my beloved O-town. Continuing to work in the city of my former residence kept me close to my friends who I'd be able to meet up with for impromptu lunch and dinner plans while I was in the area. Then of course, Jackson came into my life and maternity leave began. Since I could rarely take a shower, let alone get out of the house before 5 pm with the new baby requiring all of my attention, I began to loose touch with the city I felt most at home in. Several girlfriends kept in touch well and some even visited on the weekends so that I wasn't completely cut off, but my drives West on I-4 nearly ceased. As regular readers of my blog already know, I was laid-off from my job in Orlando on my first day back to work. In the month that followed, I searched for new employment in all counties within an hour radius, finding legal openings only in the Orlando area. Shortly after receiving a somewhat low paying job offer in Maitland, I was told of a law firm in Daytona Beach that was not publicly hiring, but was looking for a new legal assistant to replace one they were unhappy with. Thanks to Jason's mother's hairstylist's husband who is an attorney, I immediately interviewed and was hired to work at the Daytona office. After dealing with a near financial crisis, I should have been elated to have found work. Sadly, my first thought was that I was officially "stuck" in Volusia… all ties to my former zip code severed. It was not until Monday, my first day on the job, that I began to fully realize how lucky I am. Of course, there are the obvious advantages of saving small fortune on gas money and wear and tear on my car. However, when I arrived home at 5:15 instead of 6:30, it hit me how important an extra hour with my family really is. Little Jackson generally falls asleep between 7:30 and 8:30, so after being away from him for 8 hours, that extra hour with him in my arms is precious beyond words. I never imagined previous to having my son that a person could miss a baby so much. I thought I'd relish the quiet time away from home, but instead I find myself counting the minutes until I can count my little one's tiny fingers and toes again. On a different note, the benefits at this firm are astonishing compared to what was offered at my last office. Health care is free, 401k is free… the benefits are actually beneficial. The people I work directly with are very nice, friendly and easy to get along with. There are some women in the office who gossip loudly all day long and by Friday had given me a headache, but that's a blog for another day. The computer system and organization at my new firm surpasses what I've previously experienced and it's a big office that's been around for a long time, so lay offs are rare, if they happen at all. The other assistants I work with have been with the firm for well over 10 years. As for me personally, my desk is big, I have my own printer, we have an employee who does all of our filing (anyone who's ever worked with me knows how much I hate filing), there is no time clock, free soda (if I drank it, that would be nice), donuts on Fridays and last but not least… my window overlooks the ocean. Ok, it's not my personal window, it's shared, but I've got a clear view from where I sit. Yesterday, I caught myself watching a sailboat gliding across the surf nine stories below me and I thought to myself, "This is beautiful". Then at 5:00 when I was gathering my things to leave, I gazed through my window again at a perfect sunset over the water and thought, "This is REALLY beautiful". Who would have ever guessed that I'd be saying that about this place? Having been spoiled by the crystal clear, turquoise colored ocean and white sand of Miami during countless visits to my mother, I've always put down central Florida beaches. I always thought that I'd be like a New Yorker who hated New Jersey. However, the tides have changed… quite literally. I've been happy with Jason and Jackson, but for the first time I am also happy here in Daytona. My new life is slowly replacing all the bad memories I have from growing up in Volusia County and suddenly I am feeling at home again. I only hope that my friends who live an hour away won't mind coming to visit me sometimes… it's actually a pretty place, once you change your view.