8 years later

The last time I wrote a blog post in this blog was 2005. That was 8 years ago and I was 16 years old. I graduated twice since then, started dating and got married, and am expecting my first child exactly 1 month from today. So I have several reasons to be introspective. More than anything, I feel like I need to get a message in a bottle for myself so that I don't forget.

If I were writing a story about the recent history of my life there is certainly a lot to tell, but I don't have the time this morning to tell it all. Maybe down the road, if this goes anywhere. For the sake of something different, I will deny my natural detail-oriented tendencies and forgo a rigorous timelined history. I will try to keep the purpose of this post simple: how do I feel today?

I'm 24 years old. I'm married. I have a BS in Mechanical Engineering and work as an Engineering Manager at a mid-size manufacturing company. I live 5 minutes from my job. I work about 45 hours a week. I don't get bored at work because I don't have time to get bored at work. There is too much to do.

I feel bored. Is bored the right word for it?

The thing I want most right now is a change. That sounds hard to believe given that I have a baby on the way, but its true nevertheless. I don't feel like doing the same things. I don't feel like driving down the same road. I don't feel like I'm spending the 17 waking hours I have doing something I don't like.

I guess I'm not really content with being an engineer. I don't think an introspective analysis of this statement is worthwhile... its just true. And I'm not really afraid to admit this. I don't feel like I wasted time or money on my degree - I learned something - but I need to take the next step. My vision is that there are many next steps, which will lead to more steps. Steps on a path to... what? I don't know, it doesn't really matter. I'm not going to NOT move forward, regardless of whether I can conceive or articulate the end goal.

If I'm not happy, then I should change something. Since I have no better ideas, I'll pose a simple question: what has made me happy?

Learning how to profit at something