Since I got the good news about the job I've continued looking and have narrowed down likely apartment complexes where I can afford the rent. Ironically, most of them are near the one I originally lived in at my first permanent job post-graduate degree in 2004 so I'll be back where I started this professional career in a very literal sense but, despite all that's gone between, at about a 50% higher income. In that way it was completely worth it.

I also was rejected from the local community college job I was in the running for, so without this position I would have had no job prospects in south Jersey again, proving that without remote work I just don't fit in here. I don't have the mindset or community focus that they want to see, I want to get to the point as quickly as possible without wasting my time or others. Is that so wrong? Down here it apparently is wrong.

There's been a slight hiccup with the outsourced HR department at SIB so I'm still waiting for the official paperwork, but spoke with my soon-to-be boss again today and SHE had negotiated my salary higher, a sign of an awesome boss and that they really do want me specifically! I didn't negotiate much since I knew I was lucky beyond reason to have a second chance in this field and my initial quote was already higher than what I made at LIB. I still half expect every call to be a notification that they were mistaken and they're rescinding the offer even though I know logically that won't happen, but hello anxiety. How I haven't missed you...

All is on track though, and once I get my signature on the paperwork it should just be a short wait until I start. I need to keep repeating "all is well."