Howdy, Livejournal Land. Greetings from the Land of the Unemployed. The weather here is stormy, but the future outlook is partly sunny.
Thanks for all the prayers and good thoughts. I’m feeling mostly optimistic. I know it’s sappy, but I’m a firm believer that when a door closes, a window opens. The last time a company laid me off, it was my opportunity to go back to school and finish my degree. I still have to find the window this time around, but I know it’s there, somewhere.
So yesterday, I went to work knowing it was going to be a horrible day, regardless. Even if I got to keep my job, I was going to have to watch good people go. When my supervisor stopped by my desk and whispered to me that I needed to be at the 10:00 meeting in the conference room, I knew. After that it was just going to the meeting and listening to the management speech about how the economy sucks, and the clients’ businesses are sucking, and it’s making our business suck, and they’re so very sorry, and when things pick up they’ll offer us our jobs back. Then it was signing papers. Then back to my desk, where there were moving boxes and tape waiting and I had already been locked out of my work account. Then packing, packing, packing–I accumulated a lot of personal crap at my desk over two and a half years–interrupted by tearful hugs and goodbyes and promises to stay in touch and reference letter offers. Then I came home, unloaded my three boxes of office crap from the car, and sat on the couch with Matt, where we cuddled and held hands and then looked at each other and asked, “Now what?”
After taking an hour or so out to rest and let it all sink in, I got to work. Filed for unemployment benefits (I’m eligible for half of what I was earning at my job), got in touch with my old temp agencies, updated and submitted my resumes, applied for a part-time job. Once all of that was done, I didn’t know what the heck to do. The ice storm had started by then, and the house was dark and freezing, because now saving energy is more important than ever. So we got in bed and took a nap and then just forgot about it for the rest of the evening.
My plan to start today out with a disciplined schedule was thrown off by the ice storm knocking out the power for a few hours, but once I got up and around, I made a massive To Do list. It’s so massive that it’s overwhelming, so I’m not sure that helped me any. Anyway, next on that list is to create a new budget. We’ve still got a month’s worth of pay from my job coming in, and we need to tighten things up and make that last as long as possible.
After that, I don’t know. There’s so much I need to do. So much I WANT to do. I don’t know where to start.
The only thing I do know is that, right now, the possibilities are endless. And also that I love you guys.
OMG. Ouch. Good luck to you in your search, and I’ll be thinking about you.
Thanks. Maybe this is my opportunity to tackle my freelance writing goals.
Ooou freelance. Have you read John Scalzi’s You’re Not Fooling Anyone When You Take Your Laptop To A Coffee Shop? He talks about freelancing quite a bit, and how a good chunk of his income comes from that. It’s a fantastic read.
I’m sorry to hear about your layoff. The last time I got laid off from anywhere was about five years ago, and I remember how it sucks. You seem to have a healthy attitude about it though! Chin up and all that. I reckon you can turn it around to be a net positive, especially if you can leverage your writing into the game. Best of luck!
I’ve read it, but you made me want to dig it out and read it again for the inspiration. Of course, Scalzi is much, MUCH thicker-skinned than I am, but still. There’s always freelance work out there if you’re willing to do it. Thanks.
I am sorry dear one. I hope that window opens really soon. And that the view from it is spectacular!
baci, baci
Thank you, sweetie. Same here. *hugs*
*hugs and love and prayers*
Thank you, sweetie. *hugs*
Hang on–
You’ll get half of what you earned from your old job, right? And if you get a temp job, could that possibly supplement your former income? If that’s the case, then all that means is you’ll have the same amount of money as before, and able to work on your writing, which I personally feel is your calling anyway.
<–is crazily optimistic always.
This is what my gut is telling me. Of course, the unemployment runs out eventually, but hopefully by then I’d be making enough from writing and editing to fill the gap.
We shall see. Thanks, doll.
I’m sending good thoughts 🙂
Thanks, Sylvike. They’re helping. 🙂
I am so sorry you’ve lost your job. You are the second one on my friends’ list unemployed today which is kind of shocking.
Here’s hoping for a bay window with great views.
Yeah, the news said that it was Bloody Monday and a lot of companies laid people off. So at least I’m not alone in this.
Thanks, sweetie.
Bah. I’m sorry I missed the last post to offer my sympathy.
Let me know what you need, how I can help, whatever. I’m good for resume and cover letter reviews or just plain old sympathy.
My msn is garnigal at hotmail dot com, if you need me.
Thanks, sweetie. *hugs*