Jaci Dawn

Tomorrow, this photo will be removed from the company website. I have mixed feelings about that.

I made the choice.

I have been with this company for 14 years. FOURTEEN! That’s unheard-of in my work history: prior to this company, I worked a maximum of three years at any job I held and then I moved on. I got bored and the job became stale.

Fourteen years! I never even thought of changing jobs for the first 12 years – I loved it. Then the corporate office moved to a different location. It was easy at first: my first position was five miles from home. My second position was 13 miles from home. The switch from the east side of Portland to the west side was only made because the commute was the same distance: 13 miles. The last move added 9 miles to my commute.

22 miles is not a big deal to a Nevada girl. 22 miles = 22 minutes. OK, 25, but maximum 30.

22 miles in the metro area is a different creature altogether. On a good day, I can make it in 30-35 minutes. That’s no one else on the freeways and over-the-speed limit driving. I travel three different highways: I-205, I-5, Hwy 217. Alternatively, I can come up Hwy 99E, go through downtown Portland, and catch Hwy 26. Six of one/half a dozen of the other.

Today I made it home in an hour and a half. 90 minutes of my life, my marriage, my free time – spent in traffic. I put my car in park twice.

I can head out with all the little traffic lines in green on the Internet, but five minutes into the drive there’s a wreck on the fly-over ramp and a 45 minute delay that turns into a 90-minute commute.

If it was just me, maybe I could live with that, but it isn’t. My husband recently retired and the time I spend away from home between work and commute is time that I do not have to spend with my husband. I own pets, specifically a very needy and emotional dog (there are two dogs in the household and both greet me with enthusiasm, but let’s be honest – one dog is my husband’s dog and one is mine. The dogs know the difference). After a 90-minute drive one way, I have nothing left to give, emotionally or otherwise. I’m exhausted and I want to hide in a hole for the rest of the night. Others may have different “mileage” on this, but for me – it’s a KILLER.

I started looking as soon as we moved, but I felt that I had the time to be patient, cautious, and very, very, very picky. Whatever job came along had to be “perfect” because the job I was leaving was with such wonderful people. I did not apply very often and most of the time when I did, I quickly withdrew the application. It wasn’t right.

Well, that job found me. Or I found it. More on that in another post.

I applied, I was given an offer, I accepted. It is three miles from my house.

Tomorrow is the last day I make that 22-mile commute (one way). I leave behind a plethora of beloved real estate agents and friends.

I want to thank the family of Prudential Northwest Properties (now Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices) for the past fourteen years. I wish the best for all of you. Thank you, especially, to founder Bert Waugh Jr.

Last, a little plug for something very near and dear to Bert’s heart: Transitional Youth.

Please take the time to follow the link and read up on TY. Portland, Oregon, has the highest rate of homeless youths in the Nation. Bert is making a difference.

Thank you to all the Brokers and employees at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices who have made the past fourteen years such an amazing adventure of my life. If you are already a friend of mine on Facebook, we will remain friends. I appreciate you so very much!