I'm not sure if I've mentioned it here any or not, but Jenn's job has basically been a balls-to-the-wall roller coaster ride for the past year, and really has been what most of us would consider a high stress, high demand job for at least a year before that as well. Around this time last year her company (a retailer) was bought out by some investors, who promptly merged it with another competitor they purchased, effectively doubling (maybe closer to tripling, I don't recall the actual numbers) the number of stores they have nationwide. And while they did expand the support/administrative staff they have here in Wichita somewhat, it certainly never was to a level that one would expect for such growth. This was on top of some substantial growth the company had been experiencing the year before that.

The end result of all this was a drastic increase in the workload for my wifes position of assistant/head of accounting/controller/head of IT/Mother Hen for the office (she's had a lot of titles and responsibilities, sorry if I missed any of them sweetie). This past year in particular, 70 hour work weeks were the norm, and there was more than a few times where she topped 90 and even 100 hours worked in a week.

Jenn will probably tell you that I'm the strong one for putting up with her working that much and having to do a few loads of laundry or whatever, but really, to type out the words "100 hour work week" just now....I can't even imagine myself doing that once in my life. This past weekend I had to put in some time to fix some sick servers, and all told I put in like an extra 9 hours on Saturday and about 5 hours on Sunday, barely over 50 hours for the week. No big deal of course, and I've certainly had worse, but still about 12 on Sunday or whatever it was I was like "Ugh, that's enough". Now double that? And to follow that up with a 90 hour work week? Again I don't recall the numbers exactly but I know there was a stretch there where she was over 80 a week for at least two months solid, hitting 90 or 100 several times. If it were me I would have burned the place down after the second week of that.

Things had settled down for her recently, but still the demands were high, and she just was burned out I think. Some pettiness from her boss over when some tasks were going to get done sent her over the edge on Wednesday, and she left that evening by handing in her two week notice. Thursday she went in early, suspecting what might be coming, and sure enough they told her that they accepted her resignation and she didn't have to work out the two weeks.

Jenn seems to be torn from what I can tell. On the one hand, she really did like her job, at least from the standpoint of what she did, she liked the challenge, she was paid well, and for the most part she liked her co-workers. Yet, the past couple days she has been fine with the decision, and has been noticeably less stressed and happier.  It's the right call. She'll have companies fighting each other to hire her, not at the same salary/benefits she had, but close enough that the reduced stress and demands will far outweigh anything monies we lose.

In other, quick hit news:

• Downloaded Punch Out on the Wii Virtual Console. First time through I actually managed to get to Soda Popinski, though I was painfully reminded that I never could quite get the hang of Bald Bull's Bull Charge. Good stuff.
• Haven't played a lot of WoW recently, though I'm sure that will change. With Jenn unemployed now she'll probably start leaving my Priest in the dust. Luckily I have like 6 other characters ranging from 26-62 to keep up with her ;)
• Lately I have been drinking the hell out of wheat beers, particularly Boulevard Wheat. If you don't live in or around Kansas you probably can't get this unfortunately (my friend Kevin tried to get them to ship him some when he moved to Idaho, they said they wouldn't do it unless he could arrange for a black Trans-Am to make the run with them), but if so I highly recommend it. I mention this mostly because we are definitely planning on a little drinky-drinky at some point this weekend to properly cast off Jenn's old job, and I find myself sitting here at 9:00 in the morning thinking "Damn that sounds tasty". I may have a problem; not an alcoholic problem mind you, just with wheat beer in general.
• Do you remember when you turned into a beer snob? I used to buy Icehouse a lot in college so I'd like to think the groundwork was there for a while, but lately my habit has been to go to this one particular liquor store where they have a wide selection of beers and get a 6 of Boulevard Wheat and a 6 of something else that looks interesting. I think the last time I bought Coors Light was for a New Years party at our new house two years ago, and half of it is still sitting in the downstairs mini fridge.