. . .

[queerbychoice]

. . . Guess who got laid off from work today?

. . .

It's not as though I wasn't aware of the possibility. It was clear that the company was not doing well and it had laid off other people. But . . . I'm an optimist.

I mean, I'm not in any immediate danger of starving to death. I have a year's worth of salary in the bank and I qualify for unemployment from having worked there for over five years. Also, the company's financial problems had prolonged a hiring/promotions freeze for so long (and forced us to keep doing twice as much work every year because every time anyone left the company there would be no replacements hired or pay raises for those of us who took over their duties) that it was becoming just plain stupid of me to put up with the job and being laid off was probably the only thing that could give me sufficient motivation to endure the necessary interview process to get a different one. Only . . . I've never been unemployed while not living with my parents before. And being unemployed while living with my parents after graduating from college lasted nine months and was really really really horribly unpleasant.

But I'm stuck with it.

The person who told me (the vice president of the company) said that I seemed to be taking it well. I suppose she meant that I just sat there looking stunned instead of screaming at her, cursing her, crying, begging her to change her mind, or whatever else. That's because, see, when people do horrible things to me, I don't believe in giving them the satisfaction of a visible reaction.

At least they waited until after my birthday.

Comments

[wanderingrogue.livejournal.com]

That sucks. :(

If it's any consolation, I've been uemployed for over a year and am currently mooching off of my folks. This shit sucks. It's never easy. I hope your quest to find a job is quick, painless, and successful.

[gamesiplay.livejournal.com]

Oh, jeez. I'm sorry.

[deadinmotion.livejournal.com]

I have no words and my brain has been overwrought by the heat here, making me even less able to give proper consolation, so, here's an attempt to pimp my cat out to create a positive feeling inside your brain:

[failsafeheart.livejournal.com]

a year's worth of salary!? you are amazing with money.

[allyscully.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm sorry. I hope you find another job soon. That's awful to be laid off after more than five years!

[lavendertook.livejournal.com]

Ugh--"you seem to be taking it well"!! What an awful and idiotic thing for someone in that position, who just did that to you, to say to you! The mind set is totally insane!

*hugs*

[sammka.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

I always got the idea you were a good worker, so you'll probably get good references. Hopefully that way you'll find work soon enough. And at least this time you're not living with your parents.

[yourapple.livejournal.com]

Oh that really sucks.
But at least you didn't like it all that much.
Maybe this will lead you to something you really like. Sort of like that classic tale of the old guy whose son fell off of a horse or something like that. Or was that a Chinese story that no one else knows? I can't remember.

[queerbychoice.livejournal.com]

What's the rest of the story? What happens to him after his son falls off the horse?

[yourapple.livejournal.com]

Here's the story (it's quite long)--
This old guy's horse ran away. Everyone in his village was sympathetic but he was really optimistic about it and they said, oh, what a crazy old man; his horse is gone but he isn't upset at all.

His horse came back with a mate. When the village people (!) congratulated him the old guy appeared very pessimistic, and they said, oh, what a crazy old man; he gets a free horse but he's gloomy.

The old guy's son fell while ridding the new horse one day. As a result he was handicapped. When the townsfolks visited the old guy's family to give their regards the old guy was fine. Of course, the townsfolks said, oh, what a crazy old man; his own son is severely injured but he isn't grieving at all.

Then the country went to war. When conscription came, every able young man was sent to fight except for the old guy's son, whose handicap from the horse incident got him off the hook. The old guy and his family lived happily ever after. Whereas his neighbours either died on the battlefield or lost their loved ones there.
I guess this is supposed to be about always thinking a few moves ahead; it's not worth getting too caught up in what happens in the present because whatever happens next may be totally different and make the present seem completely irrelevant.

Now that I have retold the story, I realize it really has nothing to do with your entry.
Well, whatever, this is what came to mind. And you got a fun Chinese story.

[yourapple.livejournal.com]

The story seemed a lot longer in the Hotmail reply box.

[queerbychoice.livejournal.com]

The story seems vaguely familiar to me, although I'm not sure from where. I'm hoping that it actually has a lot to do with my entry, because it is true that I was not happy in my job and potentially I might now end up in a better one, and if so, I wouldn't have ended up in a better one if I hadn't been laid off first.

[joxn.livejournal.com]

This totally sucks. It's great that you're frugal, and good that you qualify for unemployment. Maybe it's a sign that you should take a breather for a while and see what happens ... ?

[charliegrrrl.livejournal.com]

Oh fuck, I'm so sorry... that totally sucks. I'm sure you'll totally bounce back and triumph. But still... bleugh.

[thezerosystem.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear about the job. I'm sure you'll find something even better soon. :)

[blahflowers.livejournal.com]

They obviously weren't worthy of having you ;)

[inkstained.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry Gayle *huggles*. Maybe this is what you need to give you the motivation to find something you really like though.

-ink

[mariness.livejournal.com]

Yikes. I hate the whole job searching process.

On the bright side, given your financial situation, you will have the opportunity to look around for a bit, and not merely grab something in desperation.

[rekraft.livejournal.com]

Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. That's always horrible at first, whether or not any good comes of it later. But maybe this'll be the chance - or cue - for you to try a really different direction?

[legolastn.livejournal.com]

Ouch! Oh well, as you say it's not all bad since you didn't really like the job anyways. Good luck in your future job search. Do you have any ideas about what you want to do?

[queerbychoice.livejournal.com]

Only to the extent of . . . "I have a degree in English and 5+ years' experience as an editor; it would be nice to be hired in a job where the fact that I'm literate is worth something."

[interjections.livejournal.com]

Sorry dude :\
I hope you end up with a way better job so you can secretly laugh at them.

[chisparoja.livejournal.com]

Wow, I can´t believe it.... I´m also stunned. :| I´m so sorry and good luck with finding something!!!

[irnbruise.livejournal.com]

Sorry I'm late in replying to this - I'm very sorry to hear about the job, but I'm sure something better will come along. And I'm very impressed at your money-saving abilities.

People say really stupid shit when you get laid off (it's happened to me twice now). They start treating you like the walking dead and expecting you to fall to pieces at any moment. That woman sounds like a real moron.

[mainfisch.livejournal.com]

Hm... good luck for the quest of finding a new job.

Even though laws and circumstances were different over here in Germany and even though I almost never found something like the perfect job, remembering a 2-year phase of unemployment way back in the 80's is still quite scary.

Again, good luck!

[asrai-d.livejournal.com]

you can be my editor. when i actually finish something.

[donutgirl.livejournal.com]

ohmygod! And to think I nearly missed this shocking news.

Well, all platitudes aside, I really do think this will be best for you in the long run. That job sucked.