"Two months ago, I was doing what I had to do. Now I'm doing what I want to do. And looking back, it was a change I'd always wanted to make, but as long as I was drawing a steady paycheck, I didn't see it as a change that I could afford to make-for me or for my family. Looking long term, I'm not sure it was a decision I could afford not to make. Getting laid off forced me to make the change that I'd always wanted to make anyways. And it may work out or it may not. But the point is that I've made that change now. I'm doing what I'm passionate about."

--Fellow ex-Yahoo! Ryan Kuder, who's started blogging, started a company and is seeing the brave new world, post Yahoo!.

Susan sez: It's hard to let go of complacency and choose risk, but well-thought out risk is one of the biggest adrenalin highs, and a place where both opportunity and productivity can flourish.

I had coffee a couple of days ago with a friend and former co-worker still at Yahoo!, no longer at Personals, but on to the next adventure. He was pretty psyched about his role, felt he was having a good impact, was at a project core to the company, etc. and as he talked I felt amazed at how, over the past two months, I'd moved so solidly from us to them.  Or, in other words, to use a relationship metaphor, babe, I'd moved on.

Looking around at friends and co-workers who exited around the same time, it looks like most of us have moved on, even if some have not settled into new staff jobs (I know some great people still out there, DM me if you need product managers, SEO experts, and content types).  Interestingly, more than 50% of the folks have gone to start-ups, often their own; another chunk went to other companies, and a not small number went to new roles at--surprise!--Yahoo.

As I said yesterday, I'm not really ready to share everything that's next right now, but life is starting to take shape and form. Thanks, Yahoo, for giving me a shove out the door that's been a catalyst for what should be a year of challenges, growth and continued change, as well as a whole boatload of stuff to figure out.