I landed in Charleston on August 3rd, with intentions of returning to Charlotte, permanently, sometime around November 4th, right in time for high school basketball season! However, at that time, my wife’s job was pretty secure. Well, it was as secure as any job can be, I guess.
Looking at today’s news about market conditions and knowing the makeup of the Charlotte I.T. market, either you work finance, or you don’t work (almost). Of course, I’ve been watching the battle between Wells-Fargo and Citigroup with a keen eye, as my wife works for Wachovia … well, I guess Wells-Fargo now. Things are a lot different now than they were two months ago.
Historically, this time of year, between October and February, it’s not easy to find a job in I.T. Usually 3rd quarter numbers have been seen and companies get all worried about yearly earnings and stop hiring. Then, in first quarter, they are cautious. They start to loosen up near the end of the first quarter. Then hiring begins.
Rather than to put all of our eggs in one basket, we’ve decided that it is better for me to stay here, as we have no idea of what the outcome of the merger will be. Better for only one of us to be in finance, than both! Perhaps I’ll be here another 6 months. I don’t know.
We, like a lot of others, businesses included, have started to rein in the expenditures and increase our savings as well as increase our payments to those few bills that we have remaining. Making hay while the sun still shines, so to speak.
I’m really feeling good about this because we’ve sort of settled into a rhythm. Tony is doing well in school and has taken a lot of initiative on his own this year. My wife has resumed her yoga, which she loves; I get plenty of time to go shooting and also to go for walks. Each of us is benefiting in some way individually, yet we maintain our feeling of family.
As today is Friday, I’ll be heading north again. Tony is involved in community service this weekend and I’m going along. Hopefully I’ll get to take some pictures of the guys (basketball team) doing their service.
So, keep stopping by, reading, posting comments. I’ll be here in Summerville, SC for a while. If you are in the Charleston area, let me know. We’ll do dinner … cheaply! 
Related Posts :
Charlotte I didn't know which title to pick for this post. I had many to choose from: Self- ...
Our family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina just over 4 years ago. We moved here because of ...
This photograph marks the possible end of the basketball season for me, but not for Tony. Th ...
5 Responses to “Maybe 6 more”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Paul, It sounds like a wise choice and it’s great that you can extend you job/stay in Charleston.
No matter who wins the Wachovia prize the final results are anything but certain for the Charlotte area.
Charleston in the winter could be nice!
It surely sounds like your family is strong enough to endure whatever life throws your way. You do what you have to to make things work. It seems to be working out for you ok.
Reading this about Charlotte makes me worry for my nephew. He is in I.T. in Charlotte. I don’t know what company, but he’s been with them for a while now and was doing really well. I will have to ask his mom although even if he were in distress he would spare her the details I think. He doesn’t like to make her worry. His wife has an excellent job. She is a professor in the University and she has a degree in Criminal Justice herself so I think they will be ok.
@Laurie: Probably no need to worry about your nephew. If he has been there for a while, more than likely, he’s not going anywhere. If he’s not working for a bank, then that’s even better! The vast majority of I.T. in Charlotte is in banking, some 90% of it. Maybe more, but there are other places other than the bank, but they are hard to find. Mainly, this is because the recruiters/job placement agencies like to deal with the banks … the have(had) deep pockets!
This does, indeed, seem to be a good plan. Judging by the description of your wife’s and son’s actitivites they are staying focused. You all sound strong and calm. I am taking notes.
It’s strange, isn’t it? Those long-distance relationships seem to work surprisingly well, don’t they? As long as you had solid ground on which to start, I guess.
Anyway, sounds as if you have a plan that everybody involved can agree to. That’s more than half the battle I’d assume.