I just got back from another "Goodbye, I got a new job" lunch.
我剛參加了一次午宴，主題是“再見，我找到新工作了”。
Unfortunately, I wasn't the guest of honor. Nonetheless, I am genuinely happy for this lucky soul who is moving on to a new title (a promotion, of course) with the accompanying salary increase and perky benefits package at a company that is actually profitable. How refreshing! This also includes relocation to South Carolina, a kinder, gentler state where the dollar is sure to buy more than it does in the metro NYC area, particularly in real estate. Good for her!
不幸地是，我不是特邀嘉賓。不過我還是由衷地爲那個幸運的人感到快樂。她在一家效益不錯的公司獲得了新職位（當然是晉升），工資上漲、福利增加，還可以搬家到更溫和、友善的南卡萊羅那州，和紐約相比，在那裏錢更耐花，尤其在房地產行業。真讓人振奮啊！
So why is this event so bittersweet, even melancholy, for the rest of us? Because we are left with "more of the same" except that there is one less person to shoulder the burden of the workload. At least that is what we tell ourselves and we console one another in picking up the extra pieces in the longer hours of our day together and shorter lunchtime at our desks.
那麼，爲什麼吃這頓飯的`其餘的我們這些人會苦甜參半、甚至哀傷呢？因爲對我們而言，除了少一個人幹活之外，“情況沒什麼兩樣”。 至少我們就是這樣覺得。爲了彼此安慰，我們會加班加點幹更多的活，花更短的時間在辦公桌旁吃午飯。
If we were to get real, we might find that the real source of our mixed feelings is that to some extent, we want to be leaving, too. There is a whole big world out there waiting for us and our talent. What are we holding on for? Well, first, another job offer would be nice. Why let go of a sure thing? We have to hold on to this bird in the hand—frankly, we need the income. Beyond the dollars and cents, this position is security. Granted, we are fully aware that the industry is falling down around us, global competition is killing us, and the internal politicking and fighting causes our work fiber to be full of holes. Yes, all of this feels familiar, no matter how bad it looks. This job is a territory that we are comfortable in. We know the players, the energy, the vibe of this place. We know our role in this chaos, regardless of whether it is good, bad, or ugly. Why get moving?
坦白地說，我們有這種複雜的情緒，某個程度上是因爲我們也想離開現在的公司。大千世界正等待我們一展拳腳呢，我們還在固守着什麼？呃，首先，另一份工作也許會不錯，可是爲什麼要把到手的工作放棄？我們必須抓牢到手的這隻鳥。老實說吧，我們需要收入。除了鈔票之外，這個職位穩定。不錯，我們完全意識到這個行業正處在蕭條之中，全球競爭步步緊逼，國內政治活動和紛爭讓我們的職業藍圖千瘡百孔。是的，儘管看上去糟糕，可我們對所有這些都很“熟悉”。這份工作是我們的舒適之地。我們瞭解對手，瞭解這個領域的態勢。我們知道自己在混亂中的角色——不論好、壞、臭。爲什麼要辭職？