A-Stigmatized
I've been notified that after 7 years, my job has been eliminated and I will be included in an upcoming "reduction in force." I thought it might be coming after three years of lay offs all around me. The mathematical equation is when so many staff members go, a company eventually doesn't need as many managers. It's been a great ride.
My emotions are mixed, but I plan to catch up on all of those things I never got around when I was working too many hours a week, like writing blogs and exercising all of those high-tech benefits: almost free computer glasses and the surgery my doctor recommended in January.
Speaking of vision aids, I have so many, I almost need a tracking system. Contacts with reading glasses; Regular glasses with bifocals; Clip on magnifying lenses; Clip on sunglasses lenses and now computer glasses for use without contacts. Good characterization for one who wants to see, or at least control vision. One simple eye surgery would render most of these spectacles useless, but the truth is sometimes I like wearing glasses and sometimes I like not seeing.
It's weird that most of my friends haven't contacted me since the lay off announcement. Survivor's guilt, I am told. I'm considering starting a line of humorous greeting cards for those laid off. The big question is should the cards be sent by or to people who were laid off? This will at least help to keep connections among friends. I think people don't know what to say, so they don't say anything. Even the friends I have talked with seem uncomfortable with my jokes. They always laughed before. I haven't changed, have I?
Overall, this is really a very funny experience. The people in my lay off classes were hysterically funny---not entirely intentionally. I thought one angry man was going to storm the campus and take hostages. He cussed and fussed until he made himself the laughing stock of the class. What do people think the job deal is? You work a week for which you get a check and then you and the company are even. Our company is even paying us to not work for two months. Isn't this a great deal? But I know how the angry man feels. It still hurts a little. This company employs thirty thousand people around the world and they don't even have one slot for him---or me.
Ever been stigmatized by your friends? Is there a big "L" on my forehead? (Laid off, not Loser!)People tend to be cemented to their jobs. When I mention to friends that my job is going away, I am treated with the same sympathy as I would for losing a loved one. This is absurd! I did suddenly lose a wonderful brother-in-law in February and the experience isn't even close. It is only a job. Yes, I've invested a great deal of my time there, but God has done His work and He is apparently done with my being there for now. Perhaps, He'll permit me to eat, pay the mortgage, and write? Ah, novels or screenplays that is the question?
I've been notified that after 7 years, my job has been eliminated and I will be included in an upcoming "reduction in force." I thought it might be coming after three years of lay offs all around me. The mathematical equation is when so many staff members go, a company eventually doesn't need as many managers. It's been a great ride.
My emotions are mixed, but I plan to catch up on all of those things I never got around when I was working too many hours a week, like writing blogs and exercising all of those high-tech benefits: almost free computer glasses and the surgery my doctor recommended in January.
Speaking of vision aids, I have so many, I almost need a tracking system. Contacts with reading glasses; Regular glasses with bifocals; Clip on magnifying lenses; Clip on sunglasses lenses and now computer glasses for use without contacts. Good characterization for one who wants to see, or at least control vision. One simple eye surgery would render most of these spectacles useless, but the truth is sometimes I like wearing glasses and sometimes I like not seeing.
It's weird that most of my friends haven't contacted me since the lay off announcement. Survivor's guilt, I am told. I'm considering starting a line of humorous greeting cards for those laid off. The big question is should the cards be sent by or to people who were laid off? This will at least help to keep connections among friends. I think people don't know what to say, so they don't say anything. Even the friends I have talked with seem uncomfortable with my jokes. They always laughed before. I haven't changed, have I?
Overall, this is really a very funny experience. The people in my lay off classes were hysterically funny---not entirely intentionally. I thought one angry man was going to storm the campus and take hostages. He cussed and fussed until he made himself the laughing stock of the class. What do people think the job deal is? You work a week for which you get a check and then you and the company are even. Our company is even paying us to not work for two months. Isn't this a great deal? But I know how the angry man feels. It still hurts a little. This company employs thirty thousand people around the world and they don't even have one slot for him---or me.
Ever been stigmatized by your friends? Is there a big "L" on my forehead? (Laid off, not Loser!)People tend to be cemented to their jobs. When I mention to friends that my job is going away, I am treated with the same sympathy as I would for losing a loved one. This is absurd! I did suddenly lose a wonderful brother-in-law in February and the experience isn't even close. It is only a job. Yes, I've invested a great deal of my time there, but God has done His work and He is apparently done with my being there for now. Perhaps, He'll permit me to eat, pay the mortgage, and write? Ah, novels or screenplays that is the question?
posted by Cynthia Duck at
5:08 PM
To email this post to a friend, click here.
