And the hits just keep on comin'.

I accepted a job offer today.

Wait, let me back up. I think I've mentioned the interviews here or elsewhere online. I may not have mentioned the great vibe I got about the company overall and from the people I'd be working with. I also may not have mentioned the return to data wrangling and the significant decrease in responsibility (both of which are exactly what I was looking for in my next job) coupled with the not-insignificant decrease in pay (which I was expecting with said decrease in responsibility).

Anyway, everything went well and my future boss called today to offer me the position. And I totally freaked out. I'd done the math numerous times and it always worked out just fine - I could enjoy the same 401K contribution, same savings contribution, half the rent cost of Oakland, approximately 4 miles of driving per week (and therefore less gas $$), etc. I asked her if I could have the weekend to think it over, and she said sure.

So I did the math again numerous times. With various permeations including increases in "fun money" expenditures and higher allotments for birthday presents and all sorts of variances.

And it worked out fine again and again. So I called her back and formally accepted. And then I walked out the door to head to the grocery store and realized I'd locked my keys in my apartment.

CRAP! I kept apartment keys on one side of this removable chain I picked up a while ago, and the car key on the other side, to minimize the number of keys I had to carry while running - because, you know, that car key was just WEIGHING ME DOWN, MAN - and when I got back today I forgot to reattach the two sides. So all I had in my hand was my car key...

There's no on site manager in this building, so I had to call the property management company knowing that they would charge me $40 for the service call. While I was in the hall cursing myself for thinking that removable key chain was a good idea, I heard voices from the laundry room next door that sounded like they were doing maintenance work. So I ventured over and said, "you guys don't happen to have keys for the units, do you?" One guy nodded, went back and got his spares and opened my door. He shrugged off my "do I owe you anything" question, and the other guy replied, "you got really lucky, that would've cost you $40."

Don't I know it, brother. Don't I know it. And now I'm booking a flight to Vegas because this Midas touch has gotta be good for something other than saving my own ass or getting me uneventfully to a new town...

________________
My third day here, I locked my keys in my trunk. Fortunately I still had AAA, and fortunately I was at Ikea at the time, so I shopped while I waited and the guy got to my car in record time. But I really don't need a "third time's a charm" test on the missing key situation, so tomorrow I'm going to Home Depot and getting three copies of all my keys to leave in the car, at the new office, OH AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS STUPID REMOVABLE KEY CHAIN.