This will come as a complete shock to anyone who has spoken to me in the last, oh, four to six years about where I saw myself after college.  I have been bound and determined to end up in Fort Wayne.  I love this city.  Yes, even with all its flaws.  I mean, it’s Fort Wayne.  My favorite description (not because I like it, but because it’s accurate) is that Fort Wayne is a large small town.

So, I had this conviction that I would be here.  My first year of college, I took care of homesickness with photos surrounding me and subscribing to The Journal Gazette’s RSS feeds.  (I grew up on The News-Sentinel, but they didn’t have any RSS feeds at the time.  They do now, but one that I can find.  The JG has different categories.)  Man, I was more up to date on what was up in Fort Wayne than my dad.  Then sometime during my sophomore year I discovered Fort Wayne bloggers.  Since I love getting info from blogs, a whole bunch of them ended up in my feed reader, too.  During my junior year, I was so excited to be up to date on what was going on in FW.  I have lived out of Fort Wayne since graduating high school, and since this past summer I have been home.  I knew what was up, and had all sorts of plans (which about 25% occurred).

Then I began to look for my “Real Job” as I have tagged all the related emails.

Now, I had done serious legwork in the past three years searching out opportunities in Fort Wayne.  In fact, that’s why I was home this summer and fall: two internships.  Also, I found a company I was totally excited about the prospect of working for.

At first, I applied to companies outside of Fort Wayne to have better chances of obtaining a job offer, and because the jobs found via DePauw are all outside of Fort Wayne.  When things started to get serious, I had a conversation with Kenny that completely caught me off guard: “Ashley, you were the one who wanted to live in Fort Wayne.  I am fine living elsewhere for a while.”

Oh.

Then it dawned on me I could get a job ANYWHERE.

Whoa.  Whoa, whoa, whoa.  Anywhere?  (Okay, so Kenny’s probably really glad it didn’t actually end up being ANYWHERE, because I was totally feeling the desert climate of Arizona during GHC.)

Now, back in May during the Imagine Cup, the Microsoft Campus Recruiter for DePauw sent a, “Hey, I exist,” email.  We were smack in the middle of the competition in Boston, so I went, “Oh, that’s sweet,” and promptly forgot about it.

Then at the end of the summer, the Campus Recruiter contacted me again to see if I was interested in applying.  Sure, why the heck not?  It’d be sweet to be able to say, “I got an offer from Microsoft.”  (Obviously, at this point I was totally still staying in town.)

I did my phone interview, it went well, a Redmond interview was mentioned, and then a month and a half went past.  In this time frame, the job hunt ramped up in terms of getting to the point of receiving offers from the companies to which I had applied.

Then out of the blue I received an email detailing my on site interview at Microsoft in less than two weeks.

PANIC.

It was shortly before that when I realized I could work anywhere, and that this wasn’t just for props anymore.  I had serious reservations about living elsewhere, specifically because I felt I was giving Kenny no choice since he still had a year of school left.  It took him a long time to convince me that he’s totally cool with that big of a distance from Fort Wayne (I still don’t fully believe him).

So, next summer I will begin working as a Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) on InfoPath at Microsoft’s Redmond campus.

It hasn’t sunken in yet.  This is mostly because my uncle had his heart attack less than twelve hours after I got back from the interview, and I’m in wait for next change (end of internship) mode.  But I have now officially accepted the offer, and can begin letting folks know.  This is to attempt to avoid another situation such as how Ed found out.

Ashley: “At least Kenny will like that it snows less in Seattle.”
Ed: *silence* “What’s all this talk about Seattle?”

Go me.  (I was planning on tell her in person, and instead told her over the phone the day I was going to see her.  FAIL.)

I am finding that in my email conversations of late, I ask people to donate blood and make their loved ones aware if they are willing to be a tissue and organ donor. I always include a link to where people learn more and register their willingness. Donnie Sendelbach, Director of ITAP at DePauw, asked me what she could do, and I asked her to pass on my request to the rest of ITAP which she did. That made me happy.

I think a key thing is letting your loved ones know of your wish.

The legal thing folks need to do is get themselves on their state’s registry. Even if you have a little heart on your driver’s license, it is encouraged that you register.

The Canadian site for organ donations reiterates it is vital to let your family know. Since I know I have at least one Canadian reader, this site has all the details for your country.

If you are willing to be a tissue and organ donor, declare so in the comments!

I admit I am a hypocrite on the blood donation request. Around the time I had mono, I began to pass out for essentially every vaccine or shot I had. It’s not a fear of needles, though at this point it’s a chicken or the egg scenario since I now stress about getting shots.

First Pass Out
The first time it happened, I had driven by myself to the doctor to get two vaccinations required for college. It was the second shot that did me in. Immediately after they administrated it, my stomach felt a bit woozy. I forgot about it as the doctor and I finished our conversation, and the nurse gave me my chart to check out. I walked down the hall, waited as the person in front of me checked out, and handed the receptionist my chart when it was my turn. While at the counter, all I remember is the receptionist asking me, “Are you okay?” All I could do was shake my head as I tried to stay upright. Somehow she got outside where I was with her office chair to catch me.

Worst Pass Out
The worst one ever was the local anesthesia used on my wrist when they drained my ganglion cyst. I was sitting in the chair next to the bed thing in doctor’s offices, because I always feel silly waiting sitting on that while fully clothed. The doctor came in and began setting me up and asked half way through his prep whether I’d prefer to lay down. I said, “I don’t care,” not putting together what this procedure was: lots of (okay, two) needles poking into me. The moment the local went in I told the doc, “I have to lay down. Now.” Poor guy. He had used the bed to lay out all his instruments. In my head he swept everything off the bed; I assume he actually moved them to the counter. It took me a half-hour to be able to sit up. It was not good.

This is why I’m convinced that giving blood is not a good plan on my part. However, with this going on with Rick, I think I want to try. Even if it means I have to lay around for the rest of the day. My mother is, rightly so, making me call and check in with the phone nurse first.

It gives me a little control in the situation. I can willingly do this.