Ketchup
Our story so far...
- I got laid off in October. (Made redundant for our British friends) (Got told 'don't let the door hit your ass on the way out' for our Irish friends).
Actually, it was all very, very nice. They were sad to see me go, I was overjoyed to go. Severance, a trip to Walt Disney World, unemployment checks and tons of freelance ensued.
- I'm writing for the Herald again, which is what I always really wanted to do anyway. It's freelance, which is fine. I can work from home. It's exclusively TV content, and for some reason I always get assigned TV shows that I've never seen. Except for the occasional Doctor Who story, which is a lot of fun.
- I'm into my second book. It took a little while to organize my thoughts and ideas, but it's off and running. My publisher basically told me "whatever you want to do, go for it." I'll bounce some stuff off them when I get back from yet another WDW trip in two weeks.
- Yup, I'm going to WDW again. I'm averaging a trip every other month now. This time it really is research for the book. It's a 'press availability' where we'll tour resorts and do a lot of 'non-theme park' activities. I swear I think karma is paying me back for all the horrible jobs and bad days I've had. Dish washer, ditch digger (literally), bus boy, not to mention tyrannical editors (rare) and assorted idiots (also rare) that most everyone will find at any job. Oh, and that last nightmare I had to endure. That nearly broke me. There's one reason to be thankful the health care industry (big iron, specifically) has seen better days. Although I also wish I was the only one let go.
- I am endlessly thankful for the extra time I get to spend with Katie. I put her on the bus every morning and I greet her at the door every day when she gets home. That time can never be replaced or done over. It's a gift.
- Financially things are bound to get a little tighter the longer I'm out of steady work. The unemployment and freelance help, but I can't stay on the dole forever. I'm just unbelievably gun shy after the Philips debacle. It's a long story. Suffice to say crazy people abound. Including me, evidently. I've worked in some insane environments, but never pressure-cooker, mean-spirited, pure evil like this. People in my department were dropping like flies, and more than one took mental health leave for six months. So to sum up this graph: Happy to be laid off.
This is exactly the life I would choose if given the opportunity. Except with maybe a financial windfall. And thinner. I guess I can't have it all.
Oh, also, it's wicked cold.
Wicked. Cold.
- I got laid off in October. (Made redundant for our British friends) (Got told 'don't let the door hit your ass on the way out' for our Irish friends).
Actually, it was all very, very nice. They were sad to see me go, I was overjoyed to go. Severance, a trip to Walt Disney World, unemployment checks and tons of freelance ensued.
- I'm writing for the Herald again, which is what I always really wanted to do anyway. It's freelance, which is fine. I can work from home. It's exclusively TV content, and for some reason I always get assigned TV shows that I've never seen. Except for the occasional Doctor Who story, which is a lot of fun.
- I'm into my second book. It took a little while to organize my thoughts and ideas, but it's off and running. My publisher basically told me "whatever you want to do, go for it." I'll bounce some stuff off them when I get back from yet another WDW trip in two weeks.
- Yup, I'm going to WDW again. I'm averaging a trip every other month now. This time it really is research for the book. It's a 'press availability' where we'll tour resorts and do a lot of 'non-theme park' activities. I swear I think karma is paying me back for all the horrible jobs and bad days I've had. Dish washer, ditch digger (literally), bus boy, not to mention tyrannical editors (rare) and assorted idiots (also rare) that most everyone will find at any job. Oh, and that last nightmare I had to endure. That nearly broke me. There's one reason to be thankful the health care industry (big iron, specifically) has seen better days. Although I also wish I was the only one let go.
- I am endlessly thankful for the extra time I get to spend with Katie. I put her on the bus every morning and I greet her at the door every day when she gets home. That time can never be replaced or done over. It's a gift.
- Financially things are bound to get a little tighter the longer I'm out of steady work. The unemployment and freelance help, but I can't stay on the dole forever. I'm just unbelievably gun shy after the Philips debacle. It's a long story. Suffice to say crazy people abound. Including me, evidently. I've worked in some insane environments, but never pressure-cooker, mean-spirited, pure evil like this. People in my department were dropping like flies, and more than one took mental health leave for six months. So to sum up this graph: Happy to be laid off.
This is exactly the life I would choose if given the opportunity. Except with maybe a financial windfall. And thinner. I guess I can't have it all.
Oh, also, it's wicked cold.
Wicked. Cold.