Hello, Carlson Travel

Well that was quick. After working for TQ3 Navigant for six months the company has merged. I now work for Carlson Wagonlit Travel. Unlike most mergers that I have been involved with, this one actually seems to be going good. Also, this merger is good for me personally. Sure, this company is bigger, (I mean wasn’t one of the reasons I left the bank, was to go to a smaller company?) but that does not mean it is going to be a problem.

So far six months into this job it has been everything I could have asked for. Sure the travel can get annoying from time to time but, really in comparison to the bank I am much happier. I only miss two things about the bank. One, was the holidays we would get off. Today is Columbus Day and if I worked for the bank I would just be getting out of bed about now in a Miller High Life induced hangover. Second, I miss the 401k that they offered. They matched dollar for dollar up to 5%. No company on earth offers that anymore.

Other then that, I could not be happier with the decision I made in April. I love my co-workers and I love my boss. I am wearing a lot of different hats here and I kind of like it. I have to support the entire Midwest which can be quite a daunting task at times but I manage. I have had to learn how to support a bunch of travel software which is extremely outdated, which to me is a good thing as it is always good to learn something new.

With the new company hopefully that means a year end bonus. That is the rumor going around and trust me that would be nice. Last year the bank screwed me out of a bonus. Still, I am not counting on one so that, if we don’t get them I won’t be disappointed. Also, with this new company comes better benefits are a lot more opportunities.

Anytime you go to the drastic steps of changing employers, at least with me, you go into it with some trepidation. I wonder was this the right move? You can’t help but second guess yourself. Sometimes, when I leave a job like with IRI and Harris Bank, I really miss it. I mean hell I haven’t worked at IRI in ten years and I still miss it. But in this case I can honestly say I don’t miss any of the bullshit I had to put up with at Chase. I have never worked for a company I liked less. I had to shower as soon as I got home to wash away the filth of that company. I would just feel like a beaten man everyday. I would dread the week ahead on Sunday night and not be able to sleep thinking about all the fires I was going to have to put out.

There is nothing better in this world then peace of mind. Now, I actually like going to work. I don’t fret about it. If I have had a rough night I can just login from home in my underwear if I want to. Career wise and hell, relationship wise I am in a pretty good place. So, in reality I don’t have much to complain about right now. I am going to try and enjoy the present as much as I can because, Lord knows I have paid my dues in both departments to get where I am at today.