Boss or more?

4:45pm Friday afternoon hits and I decide to go to Greg's (my boss AKA Bossman) office to resign. He's busy clicking away doesn't even look up, signs whatever I put in front of him and I close the door and sit down in front of him. He looks at me - slightly perplexed and raises one eyebrow, "Greg, I wanna talk"

I tell him if I've never said it before, I appreciate how he always looks out for me. whenever it's been a long day or long week, he always says at the end - call me if you need anything - anything - doesn't matter what time. At the very beginning of the yr, he would say - yes, i'm being selfish, if anything happens to you, i'm through.

One time i had a really bad week or friday and i went to LA for the weekend. He kept calling me and I was SO irritated. I was SO irritated because here i was friday night, saturday, sunday morning and i refused to answer. i'm not working - stop calling me! but he wouldn't stop. monday morning - wakes me up again and i answer. he wasn't calling me to work, he was calling because he knew i wasn't happy at work and wanted to fix it.

Greg - he's a burly guy. he's a stocky white fellow, maybe like 5'11"? and just big, not fat but he has a big stout body type. He always looks mad and he's always walking around like he's doing the buff guy walk but really, that's how he's walking. one time he told me he even sloutches to not make it seem so noticeable. but he's a "Big Rough Tough Cream Puff" because behind closed doors, he likes to laugh at and with me. One of his favorite sayings from me, is "cliff hangers" AKA boogers. i don't even have to put it in a sentence I just stick out my nose "Greg - cliffhangers?" and he's rolling. Or today he just started laughing at me and I said what? whhhaat? he goes, I just remember that one time you told me you were sleeping with someone....and the story is one time i was sleeping (actually sleeping) and i woke myself up because i pooted. but who doesn't!? come on! he acknowledges when i kick my own a$$ at work. i work from the second i walk in the door until i sneak out. i deliver - for him. i know that the more i take on, the more he'll teach me. and i may stress myself out, or scream it off and just b!tch it out sometimes but in the end, he's taught me alot. and not just technical he's been teaching me about life since i walked in the door.

one pitfall is our group dynamics. it's 4 peeps and him, but one of them is in NY. and it's like we're tag teaming. there's my next door neighbor and me and then greg and our other ee. but that's a whole separate issue in itself. that's the only part i question but yeah...that would take forever to get into.

so back to today, i told him what i wanted to do, that i was giving my 30 day notice and he pulled out the caring cards. in the end (30+ min later) i told him i'd think about it and here's why. he understood, yes, i will be doing this but he just wants me to plan it out more. if i need to take time off to find a place to live to work or anything he understands. but to go there cold turkey without a job or a place - wasn't adding up for him. but i never thought it would be an option to say hey, greg, can i take three days next week, see...i have this interview in seattle? or greg you'll be getting these calls since you agreed to be a reference. i didn't think that was an option? but for his support? i'm not used to giving my notice and them being cordial after the fact (except at my nonprofit i worked at cuz well, it was a nonprofit) to let him know now what i want to do and for him to let me take whatever time i need and to be my reference and support while i'm still working - that's enticing.

he also kept throwing in annual merit reviews in too (dirty trick). that means, all the sweat and tears i've put into my job this last yr will guarantee me the increase and bonus. and put into words, that it would suck, for me to leave right before they are administered - all that work for nothing.

he admitted that in the end, he's being selfish but he's also looking out for me. and i agree, he is being selfish but i think he is looking out for me. he always says it like it is and that i admire. but now that i have his support at work - it creates a practical career advancement option that i didn't think would be there? our bonuses and increases are administered first paycheck in april. it's only december now. even if i stay at a bare minimum cut off - that first paycheck in april, i will get formal training on our new HRIS - ADP - i think the closest training is in San Diego, assist with the merit and bonus on the back-end for 2005 performance yr, i can say i've implemented and completed a company wide I-9 audit for 500+ ee's by myself and assist in implementing a new vacation accrual policy and hopefully software by then and some additional exp covering for our benefits administrator - that's HR talk for - a whole lotta exp in a short timeframe. i would also have the time to work in the bookstore like i wanted. if i take a trip in january to take a peek around and start applying in like march...but i guess the question is more of - can i wait?