My boss is out today

How anticlimactic.

But I think I've made my decision anyway. I'm going to stay put for the time being. I know it's not the most exciting choice, but I think I'll come out ahead in the long term. Having a job makes it a lot easier to find the next job.

I do plan on aggressively job hunting for the time being; all of you were right that I don't have anything that says I MUST stay. Hopefully I'll get a job anyway in the next few months and all this worrying will be for nothing. I already have a good reference from a former superior, so if I didn't get my current boss's reference it wouldn't be the end of the world. I was explaining my choice to SO and used Miso's response from the thread: May the bridges I burn light my way!

I also did a little digging into the project I'll be working on, and came up with somewhat of a compromise for when I would feel comfortable leaving. By the beginning of May the project would be over 3/4 done, with all the planning done and just the execution phase to do which is a LOT less work. I could set a date of the first week of May that I could be leaving no matter what. A few people I've talked to say spring is a busier hiring time than fall anyway, besides seasonal temp jobs. Having a definite end date makes me feel better.

I really hope I'm not letting anyone down. If it wasn't for MM's advice I wouldn't have the savings I have, and I wouldn't even be considering moving if I didn't have that money. I'm a little sad about not taking the big leap right now, but I know it will all work out in the end. I'm still young and 6 months will go by before I know it. In the meantime I'm signing up for art and yoga classes to fill my time and keep myself distracted. I think I also see vacation nicer than tent camping in my future.

pandce.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=mm&action=display&thread=66877&page=1 <---Link for anyone who missed my trainwreck thread the first time around.