Hi, Hubski! I got a raise yesterday, which is WILD and the first time I've ever had an employer up my salary unprompted. I'm not sure what to make of it. I should feel proud, but my paranoid mind is trying to find a reason why this is happening - I've been here for less than a year, so what's the story? I don't think I'm doing THAT well... Whatever. Gift horses, mouths. I've been put on a short-term contract as the only developer. It's for a client that we've been making overtures towards for years, and this is the first time they've actually signed an SOW with us. I think my superiors are eager to see this go well, and they're hoping to have it lead to more work in the future...It's a lot of pressure. I'm hoping I can meet expectations, and I'm fearful that I won't get it done quick enough. I've been 'walking' with 25% of my body weight on my leg. It's been the most liberating feeling, and it's been a significant boost to morale just to do anything with this stupid bone-and-blood-cudgel I call my leg! The bone doctor man says I'll be walking without boots or a crutch on January 7th. I'm so fucking excited, there's no way Christmas or New Year's is going to compare to walking again! 2019 was a stupid difficult complicated busy year. I'm glad that I get to do all of my healing during its dying gasps, and that I'll enter the new year as a newly reformed person.
It can definitely make you a bit suspicious! I got a raise this year unprompted and I sat down with my manager and asked pretty bluntly "what for?" and she essentially said "If we don't pay you competitively, you'll go somewhere that will!". She's right, I would leave if the right money came along and getting raises keeps me hungry for the job. But I really like my job and the team so staying and being paid more is very nice indeed. Congrats man!