My life has taken a sudden turn for the worse. Well, at least my professional life.

I've not written too much about work because I don't want it to totally overshadow my life, as work can sometimes do. But the past couple of weeks have been very hard indeed.

My job is to oversee a multi-tiered agency, and as anyone who has worked with bureaucrats and governments, and of course, their egos, knows what a political minefield that can be. So it goes with my job.

Lately, things have been heating up and recently, and, without going into too much detail, I've become completely and thoroughly frustrated and disgusted with the political landscape.

Truthfully, I haven't liked working where I work almost since day one. But the weird thing was -- I LOVED the work itself and the industry and my colleagues and the fact that I knew I was accomplishing things; all this despite all the horrible political undertones and landmines. So I was able and willing to overlook the annoyances and challenges that regularly came my way.

But lately, the politics have begun to overshadow the positives, as have personal vendettas and agendas, and I know the only thing I can do to preserve my sanity and my health is to walk away.

Last week, there were a few things that essentially, sealed my fate for me. A run-in with a higher-up that resulted in lines being drawn in the sand, and basically the refusal of other higher-ups, who refuse to provide me the necessary backing to do my job the way it should be done. For some reason, the majority are letting the will of the few rule and I've decided its fruitless to try to stop them or fight them, or continue to keep putting my head on the chopping block in an effort to do things right, when no one will join me or support me.

Now, some would say, "well then, why not just go with the flow, and take the path of least resistance"

My response is: I can't. I'm a helpless underdog who believes in honesty and integrity and in doing things the right way. No matter how hard, or how much of an uphill battle.

So now, I've determined that I'm done. D-O-N-E, DONE! White flag thrown, spirit broken and any hint of fire or spunk completely snuffed out.

I now, officially, thoroughly hate my job. I hate the few conspirators who are behind the incidents that have brought me to this place of hating my job, and I am on the job hunt with a vengeance.

Resume dusted off and posted online and a renewed sense of urgency in checking the classifieds each morning. I'm also getting the word out to trusted friends and professional acquaintances that I'm looking and what I'm looking for.

This weekend was tough. In my head, I kept going over each different scenario where I could get myself to a place where I wanted to stay -- but none of them worked. I thought of just up and quitting, but a review of my finances proved that impossible right now. I tried to envision how maybe I could meet with the enemy and get to some common ground -- but I know that that wouldn't work either.

No, I have to leave. And the sooner the better. But I can't do it until I have something else to fall back on. That much is certain.

A friend of mine suggests just riding it out and trying not to take things personally. Well, its not personal really. In my opionion, its blatant disregard and disrespect for the right way of doing things and, also, I am being treated more like an intern that can be disregarded, ignored, or worked around, rather than the professional in charge -- which is, after all, what I'm paid to be.

I usually handle stress fairly well. Not this weekend. I had headaches, knots in my stomach, trouble falling asleep and high blood pressure. I once had borderline high blood pressure, and so have one of those handy home monitors. At one point, my reading was 160/90. That is just insane.

Thankfully, an hour later, it was back down to a more acceptable level, but still.

As a good friend of mine put it -- "no job is worth your health."

And she's right. I'm just hoping that fate smiles upon me in the very near future and that I find a better, more enjoyable and yes, even better paying job than the one I have now.

I need a change and it can't come soon enough.