Notice has been given.
Once the boat deal was signed and stamped, Cat and I dropped the news on our respective employers. It was a bit early in the game since we were still more than 3 months out from leaving.
Providing resignation notice that far in advance comes with risk. My company could quite reasonably conclude that since they can’t place me on long-term projects, they ought to cut their losses and let me go sooner rather than later. A lesser employer might even make that decision punitively simply for having the gall to quit. We’ve all heard stories of people giving notice and then finding a security guard at their desk with a box. Maybe its corporate information security, maybe its vindictiveness, either way the result is the same. It wouldn’t be a show stopper if we lost the next 3 months of income, but it would alter our budget for sure.
So given the risk, what was the upshot of giving early notice? It just seemed like the right thing to do. We know that we’re leaving, we like and respect our co-workers and companies, so it’s a good opportunity to make sure that the transition is smooth. It would be disingenuous to spend the coming months pretending that everything is business as usual. We may be making unconventional career and financial decisions, but we’re not looking to burn bridges.
And as it happens, the risk never came to fruition. Both of our employers responded with enthusiasm for the adventure, thanks for the long notices, and assurances that the door will be open on our return. Maybe a few “are you f-ing serious?†raised eyebrows as well.  All in all, can’t ask for a better reaction than the ones we got.
So that’s one of the big hurdles complete. Now for the fifty three other tasks we have stuck to our living room wall on post-it notes…
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