And 2009 it is...

Oh, so many changes - writing about most of them at Facebook, but one of my resolutions (ha) for this year - especially for the next several months - is to keep this site better updated. For now - the superfast rundown:

1) I was not in Mexico for the Feast of Nuestra Madre (12/12) - and ached to be there.
2) The economy really sucks.
3) Yes, I'm still employed.
4) The economy - it's abysmal.
5) I have permission to work remotely all of next year should I choose.
6) The economy is terrible.

So - as a result, over the past several weeks I've made the decision that we're not going to be headed to Mexico next year. It's not a happy realization, not at all. However, as the primary income source for my family, and especially as the "safety net" for a handful of others right now, it feels ... foolish? selfish? imprudent? - to park myself out of sight of the corporate masters for such a long time.

And so we're going for "Plan B". Dates are still fuzzy, but at some point after school's out in the spring, the Kid and I will pile everything that's not previously been stored into a U-Haul and head to San Jose. My employer's headquarters are there, and I'm already there quite often for meetings or to conduct training courses. We have family there, although part of that family - the grad student - will still be in Mexico, doing PhD research. Getting to Mexico to visit will be simpler from there, though, so it's a workable compromise. Or so I'm trying to tell myself as a consolation, at least.

It's a big move. In many ways, going to Mexico for a year seemed simpler. San Jose may also just be for a year - or it could be longer. I won't say "permanent", because ironically, Mexico as a longer-term destination is looking more likely than ever. First, though, we have to get through the great recession - or worse. For me, my skills, my background - San Jose is as safe as it gets for that.

The photo above is from the Tech Museum of Innovation - one of the many cool places in San Jose. The Kid will be taking a couple of classes there this summer - similar to the ones he took at OMSI here in Portland. Good sciency stuff, good chance to hang with other geeky kids, and adjust to being there. I still have to sort out schools - I visited a parochial school a few weeks ago, and will check out a couple of other options when I'm back later in January.

Anyway - that's the news from rainy Portland for now. Still grumpy about the loss of the year in Mexico, but it's for the right reasons, and all will be well in the end.

A safe and happy 2009 to all of y'all. Pax.