solar squirrel

Winter leaves

I always wondered what people did when they got laid off - do they go home and change into pj’s and sit in front of the couch wallowing in sorrow and self doubt, eating whatever they can manage to find in the refrigerator.  I didn’t really know.  Today I found out.

I went in to work as usual, but somewhere waaaaay in the back of my mind, I had a very teeny tiny feeling that something might happen today - since we knew the lay off’s were coming and the rumor was that it was happening today.  Got into work, checked email, went to cafeteria to buy a milk since I used the last of my organic milk last week and hadn’t had time to buy any more.  On my way back from the caf. I decided to swing by the CT service group to see if they had heard anything.  Ugh.  My friend had already had a talk with HR.  He would be allowed to finish out the week. 

When I got back to my desk I received a phone call - it was from HR - they wanted me to go to an office.  Great.  I already knew what it was about - in the 6 years I’ve worked for Philips I have never had an interaction with HR with the exception of getting hired.  Now I was getting to see the other side of things.  I went into the office and my boss’s boss was in there along with the HR girl.  I started crying and asked them if I would be able to get reimbursed for school (I’m 20k in debt at the moment and was hoping to pay part of that off with my tuition reimbursement).  How funny that was the first thing I wanted to know - I didn’t even let them talk!  HR reasurred me that I would be eligible for tuition reimbursement for this semester (I looked over the docs. they gave me and indeed I am - phew!)  Then they went through and told me about some career services that they would be providing…something at a Hotel…resume writing…interview assistance…I wasn’t really paying attention.  I was just thinking - are you kidding me?  I am so loyal, so hard working, no work hour or travel restrictions, no family, young, enthusiastic, full of energy…yet I was the one that was picked?  What is wrong with these people?  Don’t they realize that there are people who work here that surf the web and look at porn?  That there are people that sleep at their desks when they think no one is around?  People that openly vocalize how much they hate their jobs and the company?  And yet I was the one who they decided was the best candidate to be laid off!?  Me - who praises the company - volunteers for EVERYTHING - welcomes a new project and works late trying to get up to speed on it - and NEVER openly puts down the organization even though some of the things they do are just outright RIDICULOUS…  Humph. 

So I take my little folder that they gave me that had a sticker with my name on it and my HR stuff that I wasn’t paying attention to that they went over with me.  I wondered back to my desk and told everyone.  My boss didn’t even know until this morning.  He was so nice.  Great guy.  Everyone was shocked and disappointed and sad.  I told them that I would go home for the rest of the day but I would be back tomorrow.  (I have until Friday to work ‘if I want’).  I was sending instant messages to people - asking them who was hit in their work area.  Quite a few of my friends - crazy!  I still don’t know everyone that was effected - I’ll find out tomorrow, I guess.  In total the number was supposedly 55. 

So I drove home.  I got my laptop and then headed for Todd’s house.  He had stayed home today because he wasn’t feeling well.  I immediately got to work.  I polished up my resume and had Todd review it.  Then I sent a few emails relating to some of my school projects and in between talked on the phone since word travels fast and people wanted to know what was going on.  I had lunch (it was actually leftovers that I forgot to take with me from Sunday).  Then Todd and I went for a walk in the park to look at the beautiful snow.

Now I’m waiting for dough to rise and I’m making some rolls. 

The day seemed to go by really fast now that I think about it.

So - if you know any company that has good values that is looking for someone to help them in their quest to be less of an impact on the world and more of a source for positive change - please - let them know about me.