Bitter-sweet symphony

Have you ever had the chance to taste the feeling of saying "I quit!" ?
Sometimes, work and work relations come to a point where you want a knife and either cut your wrist's veins or kill someone. Since I am not aggressive by nature and religion, none of these was an option for me. So plan C was to quit.
There were moments when I wished I had another job lined up for me and tell my manger right there: You idiot, you brownnose.. I can't work like this with you anymore, I quit right here, right now!
Then there were moments when I thought: It is not that bad and going somewhere else wont be any better, there are problems everywhere.
So I was in limbo between leaving or staying, trying to find reasons to keep myself going where I was. I knew the people, I knew the products, I knew what I had to deal with and if I could resist, something good would come from it. Like a promotion for example. And then I would take a step back and see how my position was in edge and how my role was setup for failure. And then was the yearly performance review where I heard: Great job, but can't make any change to salary or signority this time, sorry!
That was it! I updated my resume and put it online to all the job engines out there. I even contacted a recruiter and had an interview. It was really bad.The guy told me that he used to be a car salesman and then he started in the agency as a helper but when the economy went tits up, they needed recruiters and so he was promoted. What a joke! He really looked at me like a car, what was my engine, how many doors, what colour, what material for the seats, automatic/stick.. and then looked if there was any customer that was asking for something similar. Never heard from him after and that's good.
Meanwhile, on my gmail account, there was a message waiting for me for a while. See, gmail is not my primary account and I check that every once in a while. Since I was busy posting resumes, I didn't look at this message where someone I used to work with, was making me an offer to apply where he was working! Careful what you wish for ..cause you might get it all ...and then some more!
So I applied, went for an interview that went well. And then another interview that went ok. Then I had to wait for a while but was asked for another interview that was sort of messed up. None of the two people that I was supposed to meet was available and then at the last moment, they sent downstairs someone to interview me on the spot! The guy did show his anger on how this was dropped on his lap but at the end, was ok.
So, here we are, I have my old job in a big corporate that is killing me and where I see no more growth, but where I have been for 11 years, I know everyone, I feel like home and I have 27 days vacation piled up. On the flip side, I have now this offer from this small-ish company, very sexy, lots of room to grow if you are smart but where people work like mad and response is expected at any time of the day/night. And to top it, the guy that asked me to get there, resigned and went somewhere else with less work.
What to do!?
I waited for an official offer from the new job and then I pulled my manger and told him that after the last review, I wasn't happy and I started looking for a job and now I have an offer. I told him that I haven't accept it yet in order to give him a chance to make a counter-offer. He asked for 2 days to work on this but then came back the very next day and said : Sorry, we are not investing in your team this year so there is nothing I can offer to you. You can look to other areas within the company if you want!
Wow! That made me think that I really had to get out of there.. quick! So I discussed my offer with the new place and accept it. And then told my manager when was my last day. I had to google a template for official resignation to find out what to write. He didn't even book 10 minutes to say to me a proper goodbye!
I was really sure that I was doing the right thing leaving that place. I knew I would miss the company of the people I hang out and I consider them friends now, but friends can stay in touch and they do understand what is good for me! That was exactly what happened.
Took a week off to Orlando, Disney. Vacation with family was mandatory before starting a new job. That was fun, material for another post.
And the day came to start the new job!
I am now on my second week in the new job and I have to admit is not as bad as I thought. There are some elements of wild-wild-west in the everyday flow but my tam seems to be ok. I have to really loosen up those guys because they are a bunch of geeks. My previous life as a geek might help. My goal now is to grow in role, and to make this job a place I like to go to work everyday.
Wish me luck because I really need it!