A few years back all of our reviews (and raises) were moved to the end of July/August time frame at work.    So here we are at that time.  Maybe that's why I had a dream last night, or maybe my subconscious knew that there was an email in my inbox waiting for me to find it this morning.

The dream wasn't a great one, instead of getting a raise, I was let go.  It was one of those lucid and vivid dreams that, while I knew I was dreaming while I was dreaming, when I woke up it still felt very real.  I was physically in the office and seeing/saying goodbye to people, many of whom haven't worked for the company in a number of years.  I was upset to be going, but had noted that I already sold the house so it would be 'easy for me to move back to NC'.

Fortunately, the email waiting for me this morning was not telling me to turn in my machines.  The increases remain modest, but I am grateful for any increase - and a check every two weeks.  When I did the math as to how much it might effect my check I had a moment.  When I had my first job (you know, a teenager with a couple of hours here and there at the mall) I would have killed for a single check at that amount.  Often by the time I filled my gas tank (and back then it was only 99 cents a gallon) I had eaten into 1/3 if not 1/2 of my check.  Today I drop what would have been 2 or 3x that old check at the grocery store without blinking an eye.

A lot has changed.  I have a ton to be grateful for.