An update on my life...
Well, it's been another prolonged period, and change is in the air, though nothing has happened yet. Here's the scoop:
I'm still working at Highlite. A lot is happening at work. We hit a real bad slow period, and shit hit the fan. It started a couple months ago when a job got real screwed up. For starters the ink coloring wasn't consistant, and because he didn't feel like getting yelled at and was already moonlighting on another job, the pressman just walked out. In addition, the same job was folded poorly. The lady who operated the folder was fired. I think there was more to this decision, as she was pregnant, making her a liability to the company, plus they were going to have to worry about maternity leave in a couple months, and that was a problem they couldn't deal with, given the current financial situation. So that's two people gone, although they replaced the pressman the next day or so. Then, they laid off Brent, one of the collator operators. Then, they were going to lay off Vicki in bindery, but Dave (who also works in bindery) asked to take a vacation the next week (it was a Friday). Management was tired of him asking for vacations at the last minute, so they offered him an ultimatum: show up Monday or be fired. Dave doesn't work at Highlite anymore. (Not a big deal, he's retired, and was only working to keep busy. He had plenty of money.) THEN, Vicky got her job back working at Saturn, so she is also no longer employed at Highlite. I also got a letter in the mail referring to COBRA, which, in short, deals with the loss of health insurance. NOW, all of a sudden, we only have 1 person working in bindery (which really isn't enough). So then things inevitably pick up and Highlite finds themselves suddenly helpless. Brent is back on, working the 2nd shift now, and I've been working a lot in bindery the past week. I've learned how to work the folder, but I've got to balance these responsibilities with my regular job duties: it's not easy.
So to sum it up, Highlite is making me nervous right now employment-wise. Yeah, Don's talked to me about getting me a raise, but frankly it's not enough. It's no secret right now that Nicole and I are trying to get an apartment or something, and I don't make enough at Highlite to cover all my bases, even with the raise. Vicky's talked to her friend at Saturn, and I'm seeing if I can't get a job there as a sales rep, but it makes me nervous since they work primarily on commission and all that. I'm stepping very cautiously there, because I don't want to screw myself in the end. I've had to freeze my attempts to set money aside for an apartment, because I'm starting to fall behind on my bills, which obviously isn't a good thing.
Aside from all that stress, everything is fine in my world. Nicole and I are still very happy together. My mom is preparing for our annual garage sale tomorrow (Saturday). This summer is going to be a fun one.
~*Mike*~
(I love you Nicole! 0:) )
I'm still working at Highlite. A lot is happening at work. We hit a real bad slow period, and shit hit the fan. It started a couple months ago when a job got real screwed up. For starters the ink coloring wasn't consistant, and because he didn't feel like getting yelled at and was already moonlighting on another job, the pressman just walked out. In addition, the same job was folded poorly. The lady who operated the folder was fired. I think there was more to this decision, as she was pregnant, making her a liability to the company, plus they were going to have to worry about maternity leave in a couple months, and that was a problem they couldn't deal with, given the current financial situation. So that's two people gone, although they replaced the pressman the next day or so. Then, they laid off Brent, one of the collator operators. Then, they were going to lay off Vicki in bindery, but Dave (who also works in bindery) asked to take a vacation the next week (it was a Friday). Management was tired of him asking for vacations at the last minute, so they offered him an ultimatum: show up Monday or be fired. Dave doesn't work at Highlite anymore. (Not a big deal, he's retired, and was only working to keep busy. He had plenty of money.) THEN, Vicky got her job back working at Saturn, so she is also no longer employed at Highlite. I also got a letter in the mail referring to COBRA, which, in short, deals with the loss of health insurance. NOW, all of a sudden, we only have 1 person working in bindery (which really isn't enough). So then things inevitably pick up and Highlite finds themselves suddenly helpless. Brent is back on, working the 2nd shift now, and I've been working a lot in bindery the past week. I've learned how to work the folder, but I've got to balance these responsibilities with my regular job duties: it's not easy.
So to sum it up, Highlite is making me nervous right now employment-wise. Yeah, Don's talked to me about getting me a raise, but frankly it's not enough. It's no secret right now that Nicole and I are trying to get an apartment or something, and I don't make enough at Highlite to cover all my bases, even with the raise. Vicky's talked to her friend at Saturn, and I'm seeing if I can't get a job there as a sales rep, but it makes me nervous since they work primarily on commission and all that. I'm stepping very cautiously there, because I don't want to screw myself in the end. I've had to freeze my attempts to set money aside for an apartment, because I'm starting to fall behind on my bills, which obviously isn't a good thing.
Aside from all that stress, everything is fine in my world. Nicole and I are still very happy together. My mom is preparing for our annual garage sale tomorrow (Saturday). This summer is going to be a fun one.
~*Mike*~
(I love you Nicole! 0:) )