Yesterday I put on my brand new dress and went to work. After work I went to Maggianos in DC to meet with professors from the Journalism departnment at my college and a few students who were visiting DC this weekend.

While I was at work I got compliments throughout the entire day. I know a normal person would have just taken the positive feedback as an ego boost and moved on. I couldn't though I was sure there must be something else going on. So when my boss complimented me I spoke up. I told him I couldn't tell how to take the compliments; that I wasn't sure if they were really that simple or if it was a way of suggesting something about my choice in clothing ( I was worried that my dress may have been viewed as inappropriate).

But after hearing this, my boss only told me that people  will often assume that a person must be going to a job interview if they are dressed up the way I was. At which point he then instructed me to never tell my employers if I was looking for a different job. But then the conversation took a new turn.

We sat down and talked about what I was going to do next. Was I looking for something after Americorps? Had I thought about it?  Of course I have. Not that I have come to any concrete conclusions after weeks-- months actually--of thinking.

Nothing we discussed was anything that I didnt already know was coming. He told me he wanted to put a position back in for a person to do communications. He told me I have been doing really well and he saw a lot of room for growth if I were able to continue on the path I were on...

So even though I have expected this conversation to occur, somehow having it actually happen felt different than I thought it would. I'm not quite sure how though.

When I got to dinner last night and spoke to my professors again and I listened as they talked about all of their lessons and my old classmates complained about how hard the professors were being on them.  Last night it all made sense. My degree from a small college in a small "big city", everything my professors had talked about, my year as an Americorps member...  Things happen for a reason and now I realize how much better off I am and how much experience Ive gained and will gain...