All's swell that ends swell

Some things, you want them to be long and hard. Not a job hunt. After nearly eight months, mine came to a successful conclusion this evening when I received an offer to write and edit at DaVita, a provider of dialysis and, in my newly formed opinion, the world's best company. If I can pee in a cup, and if the pee meets quality control standards, I start Feb. 1.

I wouldn't go so far as to recommend unemployment as a character-building exercise, but I did find a few positives to temper the obvious negatives. The tagline of this blog -- communication, commerce, community -- betrays what I was longing for when I launched it, and I found all of them among the generous people who helped me with my search. Here's a roll call of some of them:

• Beth, for introducing me to Kathryn.
• Kathryn, for telling me about Brian.
• Brian, for interviewing me.
• Jason and Paula, for hiring me.
• Sandi, for unwavering encouragement.
• Mark, Danielle, my mom, and sometimes even a few people I don't personally know, for reading my blog.
• Becca, Shawna, Evan and Steve, for finding something positive to say about my time in their employ (say, there's a movie you might enjoy, "The Invention of Lying"...)
• Steve (other Steve), Evan (other Evan), Phoenix (only Phoenix) and Nikki for part-time gigs.
• The Public Relations Society of America, the Colorado Healthcare Communicators, and Andrew Hudson for world-class networking.
• Diane, for introducing me to Jacque.
• Jacque, for introducing me to Catherine.
• Catherine, for offering me the job I would have taken if I hadn't taken the job I've taken.
• Patricia, for the HR viewpoint.
• Ernie and Pat for trying their hardest to initiate me into guvmint work.
• Jewish Family Services, National Jewish Health, and Saving Antiquities for Everyone, for keeping me occupied with volunteer work.
• Carrie, for the eye-catching cards and Web site.
• Whoever at the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment had the idea to have the "hold" guy say, "We know you're frustrated."
• Noah and Maddie, for agreeing to drink water instead of soda when we go to Noodles & Co.
• And most of all Karen, for not losing her job -- or her cool!