Sunday, May 4, 2008

Homeward bound

About three years ago we began this mission with an updated resume. That summer one of the rare copy editing jobs on the Star Tribune sports desk opened up, ever so briefly. They filled it from within. I didn't get a formal interview with the job, but did chat with the sports editor in-person for about a half-hour. I had a phone interview with the Pioneer Press sports editor for a job I was not qualified for.

In the spring of 2006, a job opened up at NBCSports.com, which was starting up with operations based in Mendota Heights, Minn. I was a shoo-in for a job there, I figured, with my journalism experience and my willingness to relocate to Minnesota. (I mean, seriously, who wants to go where it's cold, right?)

So I eventually got that job. Only in the interim, it was moved to Connecticut. I took that one anyway, just to get away from the dead end at USA Today and in hopes of jumping over to the company in Mendota Heights.

Near the end of my brief tenure at NBC, I applied for two jobs simultaneously -- the Mendota Heights people had a project manager job open that our PM thought I would be good for, and Verizon had the job back in Northern Virginia. I think I would've gotten the PM job if I'd been around to finish the process, but had to take something to get a little security.

Now, I'm not about to pose on an aircraft carrier (or a snowmobile) with a large banner or anything, but we're ready to finally make the move to Minneapolis. On Friday, my boss at Verizon signed off on me working from home ... and home being in Minneapolis.

There's a lot of work to be done. We've make some progress in the state of the house the past six weeks but there's much more left to do. Thankfully, our "W"elfare check arrived on Friday, so we have some cash to play with. We have two new appliances to get in order to finish out the complete set. We'd like to do the kitchen floor and we have to repair a bathtub. Trees should be trimmed and gutters cleared.

At least the housing market appears to be picking up, at least in the micro sense. Another house on our street sold and at the moment, there's only one on the market in our two-block stretch of Argonne.

All this with a goal of being in Minneapolis in order for the kids to start school in the fall. Uhh ... what date is that?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Minneapolis Public Schools start on September 2, 2008. I am soooooooo excited about your good news---your good news is our good news.

Neil said...

Hooray!

Anonymous said...

Great news! Guess it looks like I very well might have to own up on the steak dinner wager we made last year about whether you guys would be moving to Minnesota in the next five years.

We're excited to have you settling in Minnesota. We can't wait to get together on a more regular basis.

Cate- I think I heard you play golf...I've been looking for a partner...

Ryan said...

Cate plays golf? Wow, I didn't know that.

Way to go guys! Pat, let me know when you're looking for the help and I'll be on the next cheap flight out.

The Coleman Family said...

I'm assuming that the photo in this post is supposed to represent our future springtimes in Minnesota. :)

I *used to* play golf. It's been a long time (I hesitate to say years because I think it might be closer to decade) since I played more than mini-golf but would love to try my hand at it again.

Ryan, you're a sweetie to offer but... you have a job! No 1,000-mile pop ins. I promise you can help us move into the new house. In fact I'll count on it.

Neil said...

You should look in the Highland Park area of Saint Paul - that's where all the cool kids are moving.

Ryan said...

I'll want to get out of here, though! business trips just don't cut it (sorry Pat). Plus a mid-summer exercise is good for the weight loss regiment I haven't gotten myself on yet. How much weight did Pat lose the last time during the move? :)

The Coleman Family said...

I gained about 15 pounds in the change from Virginia to Connecticut.

Ryan said...

I forgot about CT. I meant from Reston to Sterling :)