This just keeps dragging on!

Okay, so I forget who I've told what to in regards to this whole Portland thing, so I'm just going to lay it all out here.

Last Wednesday Dan was offered the job. He asked about relocation costs, and the manager said he'd get back to him. Dan was told a short while later that they don't do that for his position. So we agonized over the decision for a couple days, and told Parker (his manager if he takes the job) that he really wants to take the job, but that we just can't spend the money to move ourselves out there. Parker said he really wanted Dan, so he'd try and work it out. At first he said he'd get back to him by the end of the day (that was LAST Friday), then as it came to the end of the day he said to sit tight, that he was still working on it.

So over last weekend we became very comfortable with the idea that it was out of our hands. If they decided they want Dan badly enough to pay a little bit towards relocation expenses (we were hoping at least $2000), then we would make the move. If they really wouldn't do it, we would stay here and be fine with that. I really felt okay with whatever happened.

The exact days of the past week have blurred together, but at some point in the last couple days Parker told Dan that he received "preliminary approval" for a $2500 "signing bonus." Sounds awesome! Only problem is, bonuses are taxed at 45%, so we wouldn't see much more than half of that until tax time. But still, I would've gladly taken it. Dan told him that we were hoping for $2000 net, and Parker said he'd see what he can do. Later that day (I'm wanting to say Wednesday, but I'm not sure...) he told Dan he was "hashing out the details." That sounds promising!

So all this time we thought Dan would need to be in Seattle on Monday for training. Then yesterday Parker said that he would give Dan at least 1 week (possibly 2, but I'm not holding my breath for that) of paid time off before either going to Georgia next Monday for training, or just starting in Portland the next Monday. So it was looking like not only were they going to pay some relocation expenses, they were going to throw in a free week off so Dan could help get the house ready for moving!

But now, here it is Friday night, and we still know NOTHING! Apparently today Parker's manager and who knows who else were in some kind of "closed door meeting" (whatever that means...) about it! And still no decision! Hello, you're spending way more company resources on this than you would have if you'd just said "Yes, we'll pay for your U-Haul & gas." I've been saying that this is ridiculous for a week plus, but I have no better word for the situation!

So right now, I don't know what the hold up is. I'm getting everything from Dan, who is getting it from Parker, who has said that he is getting the run around, and he's the Branch Manager for crying out loud! So, I don't know if they are debating whether to do it at all, or if they're pretty sure they're going to but just can't decide on an amount. I know they're worried about setting a precedence of paying relocation costs, but I don't see what the big deal is. If somebody is worth more to you, you pay more. You are under no obligation to do it again. So I think that's a silly argument. If they're just worried about the amount, at least tell us that it's a for sure that we'll get something!

So, at this point, Dan is still on the Platinum (the team he's on now) payroll. So he still has to go to work on Monday, unless something happens over the weekend I suppose (I don't see what will make the decision happen over the weekend if they couldn't even do it in a meeting today!). So instead of getting a week or two off to help pack & spiff up the house, and knowing he's getting X amount of a signing bonus, we're still in this awful limbo! We don't know where we will be living in a couple weeks! Part of me wants to say that it isn't worth all this hassle & stress, but I want to move to Portland so badly!