Emory, Ice Storms, and Cosmic Coincidences

It seems that there may be a little bit of magic in the intersection of Emory University, January 22nd, and Ice Storms.

Eight years ago today, a major winter storm hit Georgia, leaving much of Atlanta and North Georgia without power and covered in ice for several days. It also happens that on the same day, though a little earlier in the afternoon, I married the love of my life. We had a beautiful wedding ceremony in the Glenn Memorial Chapel at Emory University. Our wedding reception was just across the campus in the Carlos Museum. It had started raining during the ceremony, and as the rain fell, the temperatures dropped, and by the time we made our exit from the reception, the rain had turned to ice. The ice would cancel our honeymoon and ultimately shut down the city.

Two weeks ago I was laid off by the builder I had been working for. I wasn’t prepared for it to happen when it did, but given the state of things in the housing market, I can’t say I was surprised at the news. I immediately began looking for a new job, searching career websites, networking, and contacting a recruiter. While searching job boards, I came across a posting for a web development position at Emory University. I applied for the job and before the end of the week I had been contacted for an interview.

The interview, I was told, would consist of an hour long meeting with the search committee, a 45 minute meeting with the technology committee, and then an hour long presentation (given by me) to the technology committee and anyone in the school who wanted to attend. Apparently, I did well, because the very next day I was made an incredible offer.

My recruiter had setup three interviews for me the next day. I went to the first one, but as I was driving home, it occurred to me that the date Emory had asked me to start was January 22: my wedding day and the day of one memorable ice storm. The offer had come on the same day that snow began falling metro Atlanta for the first time in three years. That pretty much sealed the deal for me. I called the recruiter and canceled the other two interviews and accepted the offer from Emory.

I don’t generally read to much into coincidences. I know that if I analyze it logically there are perfectly reasonable explanations for the seemingly strange coincidental things that happen in the world. However, part of me still sees a little bit of magic in these happy cosmic intersections.

So, today, I start a new job on the campus of Emory University. Eight years to the day after I was married here, and sitting at a desk with an unimpeded view of the Carlos Museum and traces of Georgia’s last winter storm still visible in the shade.