It goes without saying that changes are definitely afoot in the life of your very own Carmen Jones.

Last Friday I did something that people are calling crazy, ballsy, exciting and awesome.

I provided two weeks notice, and I quit my day job.

Lately I’ve been professionally abused, unsupported, and I’ve felt completely alone. Even after I asked for help in negotiating the endless “number one priorities,” my boss repeatedly chose to do nothing about it.

After last week, I decided that I’d had enough, especially when there was talk of my employer trying to force me to quit writing for this rag.

I’ve actually been thinking about making this move for the past three months because I know for a fact that there’s no way that I could manage the relentless and ridiculous demands of that day job while going to school to earn my master’s degree.

Thus, I made up my mind and I offered my resignation.

What will I miss about this job? So many of the smart and talented people that I enjoyed working with, the unique teams that I got to be a part of, and helping to push projects toward great success.

Now, my short-term plan is to survive off student loans and freelance writing until I find any kind of lower-maintenance employment in this town.

So many folks around town have asked me if I’m scared, and I openly admit that I do indeed have some anxiety about how I’m going to make the ends meet, but any fears that I have are completely overshadowed by the utmost sense of relief.

 

With this move, I’m now free to say and do whatever I want, and I no longer have to worry about how I come across as a company representative in everything that I do.

I can also leave all of those unrealistic demands for my services behind forever and ever.

If it’s any indicator to you about how much of a relief this is, let me just say that the stress has left my shoulders, I’m no longer having nightmares about not having enough time, I’m sleeping up to 10 hours a night and I’m greeting each day with a big smile.

I sincerely have to thank all of the friends and colleagues who have supported me in this move through words of encouragement, job referrals and many, many shots in celebration.

Above all else, for the past three years, I’ve been entirely focused on doing right by this community through numerous forms of professional and volunteer support, and I’ve decided that now is the time for me to leave all of that behind and focus on my own success and future.

My last day will be Sept. 19, which will give me one full week of freedom before I start the master’s program at The Evergreen State College.

It feels so incredible to be free, and I simply have to believe that after everything I’ve done for that company and the community, that everything will indeed work out for the best.

Tell me where you like to party at permanentlipstick@hotmail.com.