Mazel Tovs

I sit here at my desk in a huge temporary office that I'll be occupying here at The Jewish Museum until my permanent office overlooking Fifth Avenue is remodeled. Although this is most certainly not my first time settling into a new job, this time it's different. I knew a bunch of my colleagues personally before starting and I carved out exactly what I'll be doing here with my new boss before I even came in for an interview. It's strange and new and wonderful. I often find myself thinking, how the heck did I end up here?

Earlier this year, a good friend and former colleague calls with news of a possible position opening up at the organization where he works, The Jewish Museum. He asks if I'm looking for my next opportunity [I'm not]. He asks for my wish list of all the things I'd want in a next job and I tell him. We chat about life and vacations and laugh a lot. I'm reminded of how much I had enjoyed working with him at Lincoln Center.

A week or so later he calls me again saying the wish list job that we'd talked about will be real. And shortly after that, an interview is scheduled. Scratch that. 4 back-to-back interviews are scheduled for one hot morning in July. I went in optimistic, nervous, but mainly very excited. I left the marathon of meetings feeling good.

I receive the call with the offer. A perfect next position for me, more money than I had asked for, and the chance to work for a colleague I admire and respect. I think long and hard about it. I love working at Lincoln Center - my commute, my role, the people I work with. But can Lincoln Center offer me what I need to take my career to the next level?

Before diving in head first and saying yes, I bring up the offer to my boss at Lincoln Center. She talks through my options at Lincoln Center but ultimately tells me she would not be able to look at herself in the mirror if she encouraged me to stay because she knows she can't match what I'd been offered at the Museum. I then take a huge leap of faith, accept the position and put in my official notice.

I've been at the Museum for about a month and I love it. My boss is someone I know and have worked with before. My team is strong. The hours are more reasonable. The salary is high. I constantly feel like I'm not doing enough work. That is probably because I was a bit over-worked and burnt out at my last job (despite the fact that I really loved it). I'm settling in and most importantly, I'm happy.

And to put the cherry on the sundae, Alex and I got engaged last month! Alex proposed quietly in our apartment after a New York City Football Club soccer game and before the most amazing dinner at Ichimura at Brushstroke. We're planning a wedding for next fall and I couldn't be more excited to call Alex my family.

It's been a fantastic end to the summer with many mazels.