Our dream situation was for Erik to have a job that would pay wages comparable to DC-salaries, but that would also let him work from Austin. Other req's were that he would love the people he worked with, and that he'd love the work he's doing. Seems like a pretty far reach after having a really, really bad job where he was not respected or appreciated at all. His last A-hole boss told Erik that he should go look at the market just to see that he wasn't worth more than what Aristotle was paying him (and that his situation was good comparatively).
Apparently "the rest of the market" doesn't agree, and Erik landed his dream job. Now we can see what it's supposed to be like. He now works for a foundation (so money isn't a problem for them), making more than he did at Aristotle, doing exactly what he wants to do (senior developer) AND they're going to let him work from Austin. Oh, AND they're going to fly him back to DC 6x/year. I could go on and on about the added benefits, but I don't want to bragg... It's just nice to see that Erik's talent is finally being recognized and that he's being appreciated the way he should have always been. That bastard boss of his will forever be in my wine club (those on whom I would like to throw a hardy glass of red wine).
See his new digs above - not bad...
And what will Cristina be doing, you ask? The truth is that it's as much of a mystery to Cristina as it is to anyone. But there has been a development in the plot, so the ending is becoming more predictable (but truly good plots never give anything away).
I'll tell you what I do know: I am sick to DEATH of politics and advocacy. If I have to try to move Congress and/or the public on one more thing, I may literally scream (people in the office are about to be startled because I am about to send an action alert after I finish this post - maybe I will just scream inside...like I do everyday...). It's not that I don't love children (I'm a child welfare advocate), or that I'm sick of the gays (that's what I did before this), I'm just burnt-out on trying to get the attention of Congress and the public on issues that should go without saying (civil rights, children's rights...HELLO PEOPLE!). While advocacy in the 2.0 world is becoming more and more exciting everyday, it's probably a sign that I am less and less excited about my relevant duties. I KNOW that it would be different if I worked in a place that actually had resources, and made my job easier, but these are typical non-profit [non]operations that produce typical burnout. I AM OVER IT.
Here's something else that I know: I'm not sure why it took so long to make the connection, but I am in love with the human body and with knowing the things that affect it. I don't want to go to med school, and fitness instruction is not my thing, but healing with diet has always been a side interest (the stack of books on my nightstand will attest). Ask any of my friends and they'll tell you that my "side interests" have been abundant (Pie Diner, anyone?), but I can honestly say that the nutrition thing has been a steady constant. So why have I always kept it as a side interest instead of nurtured its rightful place as a main interest?
One reason is that I didn't go to school for it, so I didn't even entertain it as an option. The other is that I really was passionate about advocacy and politics (which is why I moved to DC), and I needed to burnout on that before I could see this more clearly.
So what does this even mean? Well, it means that I am DONE with politics (unless I can get involved with agri-policy while in Austin, which is highly possible), and that I want to help people heal their chronic pain and bodily problems with diet. So what's the problem? Sounds easy enough, right? Go to school, get some training and start it up, right? That's sort of how it works...kind of.
The issue is that the industry seems to be saturated and untapped at the same time. Saturated in that there are a million different online programs that offer "certificates in nutrition", and other quick educational avenues. The problem is that there is no way to know which programs are "quackery" and which ones are relatively legit. There's the same problem with getting "certified" - the association that seems to legitimately certify people with an extensive test has been known in the past to certify even a poodle (I read that on a quack-watch website).
That said, there seem to be many respected nutritional consultants that have their certification from this association (and countless other associations that all have their pros & cons) - these places essentially get you to a point where you can start doing consultations without having to attend a university for a full 4-year degree in it. Getting an actual degree in nutrition (from UT) is my dream, but I couldn't even apply for in-state tuition until next year, so this is a quick-fix for now. Many, many people go this route, and Texas is a state that does not require a 4-year degree to do what I want to do: consult people on their way to better health through diet.
So what's the plan? For now I will probably take an online program that specifically sets you up to get certified by the AANC (American Association of Nutritional Consultants). I've wanted very badly to take an in-person course here in DC, but it doesn't start until Aug... After I get certified, I will then hopefully be able to build a client list (that is not critical of the AANC). I am big into nutritionist stuff and have not been critical of nutritionists certified by the AANC, so I'm hoping I won't receive much discrimination either. I'm making the AANC sound a lot worse than it is - it's pretty much THE association that certifies nutritional consultants. It's just such an unregulated industry (the untapped part), which is good and bad at the same time - good because it's easy to get into; bad because it's hard to know which route you should go.
It's not cheap, and it's very time consuming, but I can do an online program on my own schedule, and now is a good time to prep for the next career move in my life (like the kind of work I'll want to do when I have a toddler). Seeing clients at home while I have small kids sounds pretty awesome, especially when you consider that Erik will also be working from home - that would rock (separate work spaces required - others need not apply)!
So for now, I am a Political Drop-out. The picture in front of the White House above will be the closest I ever come.
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