14 sleeps

Job. a paid position of regular employment (As defined by oxford dictionaries)

No where in this description does it say 'when you take this "job" your world will open up on many levels". Friendship. Frustration. Joy. Sadness. Satisfaction. Anger. Angst. Love.

In mid 2010 I applied for a job that if I'm to be honest I don't really remember applying for. Oh the joys of Seek! But, none the less I was invited to interview. I received an email from a young lady who was the administration officer and if I'm to be blunt, it was her email that swayed me into actually turning up for the interview. In her email to me, amongst other things, I was informed in great detail of the buses that would take me from the city centre to the stop right out the front of the office. What times they would run and even how to get back after the interview. This email made such an impression that when I walked in I asked for her by name and thanked her because even though I hadn't caught the bus, just the fact that someone would go to such trouble, it made me think this was somewhere I wanted to work.

I met with the then HR representitive and the man who would be my boss. At 29 and newly promoted to his position within the company I was dubious as to how I would go as PA to someone who had never had a PA, never been a Manager at that level and who, quite frankly, looked like he was 12. I put this aside and discussed the role and expectations etc. From there I was invited to a second meeting with the then CEO and my would be boss again. I was offered the job, I accepted and I started a week later.

My boss was away for the first 6 weeks and to say that I felt a little like a fish out of water would be an understatement. Being a very male dominated workplace and industry for that matter I found the blokiness so refreshing after my stint in a very high profile government office where nobody said what they really meant. Here, right before my eyes I almost witnessed a punch up on my first day! I was giggling and looking at my keyboard pretending not to watch and be totally enthralled by it!

Fast forward a few weeks and we're at drinks and one of the 'blokes' says to me, 'do you know the rules Princess?' Stunned by the arrogance of his statement I replied 'go hard or go home'. He looked at me and we shared a knowing smile. Several hours later I put him in a taxi! I could share 100 stories of drunken nights with the crew from this company and they are nights that I may not completely remember but KNOW I had a great time!

This company seemed to attract a certain type of person. Talented. Bright. Tenacious. Hard working. A group of fantastic people all in the same company. Yes, there were those who didn't fit and usually didn't last but for the core group, they fitted. They worked. They were a great reason for getting up. For facing even the toughest days. There are so many people I will miss, there are so many things about the company I do miss (I no longer work there) but as a collective, number 18 'will miss' is ICON.