Taking Measure

As I sit in my home office, the kids are neatly tucked into bed I finally have a brief moment of quiet to take measure of what has occurred in the last two weeks. There has to be some reason why I am both tired but feeling more settled than ever. First of all, two weeks, is that it? Fells more like a month. While we are still awaiting our sea shipment that would close down phase 3 of the move (for those of you keeping score at home) there is a lot that has transpired. Jen has gotten the kids sorted in school. She has interviewed for a job and is evaluating an offer. We have mostly emptied the boxes of stuff from storage although I think there are just some boxes we will not ever unpack. Wow. It is all starting to feel quite good.
Walking around the Reston office is like going to 10 year high school reunion. It is hard to believe the time has flown (in this case, 2 years) and the people remember you (luckily) however everyone's lives have changed. Everyone wants to hear the London story which I am pleased to tell but more interesting to me is how the people have grown and changed since I left. There have been babies born and some still to be delivered. There are many new faces in the office and others have left. The office still has the comforts of home- seeing Sri, Lillian and Harpreet is the best feeling- my old team, still hanging together (mostly- Harpreet has made the leap to consulting) and still keeping it real- working very hard on projects and delivering.
The big difference in the UK is the size and scope of everything. The projects are in the tens of millions of £, here they are in the tens of thousands of £. One of the biggest challenges to coming back to the USA is the recalibration of the mind- identifying the relative size of things here on a satellite planet as opposed to life on the sun.
I miss the buzz of BT Centre. Walking the halls and feeling the sense of pace and urgency within which it all happens there. In Reston, it is a more measured cadence of activity. Today I had a cup of coffee and conversation that was pleasant and not rushed. BT Centre certainly has that centre of the universe feel to it. I remember meeting Ben in the coffee shop (yes, Ben buys his own coffee and sandwich) and wishing him luck before Davos. More frequently seeing Hanif walking the halls. Its different now. No longer can I run across from St. Paul's Cathedral to have lunch at Yo! Sushi with Jeff.
There is still excitement in Reston. They have just gone live on GFP and the next project is on the horizon. There is an upbeat feel to the office and it is a good feeling. I am currently working on transition of my old role as Project Director to a new manager. About 1 April I start my new role.
I always look back fondly on my UK experience. However the body and mind now feel the urge to move on.