You have been unhappy with the job for some time Bite the bullit and make a change.

I have to agree with Leslie, David. It’s not a failure on your part to decide that your current job is not fulfilling, and strive to move on. In fact, I’d say that it is a sign of maturity.

Well, thank you for the advice. I am not sure that you realize how difficult it really is. This is not the ordinary kind of difficulty. I don’t take vacation, so the generous vacation package I have is not really that big of a deal. Heck, I currently have at least two months of vacation saved. The money would have to be at least the same, and if I left the company, it would have to be better, but that’s not it, either.

When I first arrived in the Silicon Valley, there were these things that were called “the Golden Handcuffs.” These were stock options that people wanted to stick around for to see if they turned into significant piles of money. Those days are long gone, but a new set of handcuffs have been placed on my wrists.

When school is on, I wake up, check my e-mail, get Annie up, make breakfast, and take her to school. I like that. When she comes home in the evening, I can work on the computer, make dinner, and help her with homework all at the same time. That is very important to me. Not everywhere will allow me that flexibility. Heck, I fought tooth-and-nail for it at Sun, and it took years to get there.

There is a balance and a sacrifice that is required, and I have to weigh the sides of the scale. It’s not like I have someone else to juggle schedules with to ensure that Annie has everything she needs.

Your comments are welcome, but make sure you know the whole picture. It’s not easy…

Oh, I know it’s a hard situation to be in… I didn’t mean to sound flippant. It seems to me, though, that you’re beating yourself up for not being fully satisfied in your current situation. I don’t want you to do that. I guess what I’m saying is that it can’t hurt to keep an eye open, and to go into anything new with your needs and expectations laid out fully on the table. (Maybe that advice can be applied to any kind of situation...)