Today is my last day of work at Target. I have spent the last 5 years and change working there. I started as just another entry-level team member doing this thing part time, but as time went on I came to really like the company, and want to grow with it. I worked hard, really hard, and climbed the ranks.

I have worked at three different locations over the past 5 years and am very proud of the work I did at each one. I met some really amazing people and created lasting friendships that I hope will just grow stronger after I leave. People always say “it’s not the job, it’s the people” and I have always found that to be true. We went through Black Fridays together, endured a massive data breach together, and (on average) had some fun along the way.

People come and go in retail all the time, so it’s great when you get that right group of characters who help you kick ass. I’ve been lucky enough to have a team like that a few times in my tenure at Target, and that’s what I’ll miss the most.

My new gig will cause a massive change in all aspects of my life. I’m going to be doing completely different work, and I could not be more excited! My wife and I are also going to be able to move to the area we’ve been trying to get into for a while. Finally, this new job gets me into the tech/web world in a big way, which will be the start of a brave new direction in my career.

It’s going to be profoundly weird walking out of work this afternoon and know that I’m not coming back. I’m happy that I’m leaving on my own terms and am headed in an exciting new direction. Here’s to what’s next.