I think it’s smart marketing to put advertising on your blog that garners you noticeable revenue (we’re talking real pennies here people!) right about the time you slow down stop posting to your blog every day, thereby drastically lowering your daily hit rate. Timing is everything.
Speaking of timing, life has recently thrown me a curve ball (more on that in a minute) in addition to which I’m already up to my eyeballs in projects I’m trying to complete before Christmas the end of the year. Catching a cold, not once but twice, did nothing for my productivity. Stress, in addition to the bitter cold and darkness that falls around three every afternoon, is wearying and by the time ten o’clock rolls around some nights, I can barely keep my eyes open. Blogging has fallen by the wayside. And it’s official, my holiday cards are now New Year’s greetings. It’s a big relief knowing I don’t have to deal with compiling writing my annual Book Recommendation List until next year.
So, back to that curve ball. I don’t blog about work, it’s not worth it and it’s not interesting (unless it has to do with the antics of a certain soon-to-be-three-year-old.) But things “at the office” have taken a turn worth mentioning and life is about to get a lot crappier more interesting so it’s worth mentioning here. Plus it saves me the hassle of telling people on an individual basis.
Some of you who read this blog know I’ve been with the same company since oh my God! 1994. A lifetime ago. I was the very first employee and now I’m one of the last. At the end of this year, my company will crawl up to the finish line, reach its anemic finger across the line, and die turn off the lights for good. The final death knell didn’t exactly come as a surprise; the writing has been on the wall for some time now, but this most recent incarnation of the job gave me the flexibility (and the health insurance) to be a part-time nanny.
I have the office gig completely to thank for my past two years with JD and for that I’m amazingly grateful. I mourned the loss of the company a long while back when we down-sized considerably. With this ultimate down-size, purging files and packing up the few remaining boxes hasn’t taken long and shredding paperwork is amazingly cathartic. I’m definitely ready to move on and I’m naive enough to think optimistic that I’ll find new challenges and opportunities that will interest me as well as pay the bills. While I don’t know what the heck I’m going to do next new direction I’m headed in, I do know whatever it is, I’ll want to make it work around my time with JD. I’m determined to keep up with that little tyke as long as her family is willing and I’m able. Say, when she heads off to college.
My first hurdle and top priority is to find affordable individual health insurance, a process I began today. After years of dreading the prospect of getting individual coverage, I met with a broker this morning and the news wasn’t that bad. So far. Fingers are crossed as I await the underwriter review. This is huge no small thing for me and if once I jump through this hoop, a lot of the stress of this new situation will be lifted.
So, I’m living the economic headlines. 2010. A new decade, a new direction.
2 Things @ Once 
Wow! That was the most creative description of a job loss I’ve ever read.
SO let me congratulate you on that– losing a job is always a stunner even tho you did know it was coming. Sounds like its chief benefit was the insurance.
May I suggest: don’t drag yourself to stay awake until 10–get your rest, which will relieve your stress and rid you of that cold.
Send out your book recommendations as Valentines–buys you time and everyone likes Valentines.
And a retreat center awaits you here–where it doesn’t get dark until about 5:30, soup is always on the burner nd bourbon is always in the cupboard.
You’ll be fine. Great potential awaits!
As usual, Raja is more optimistic than I am, but I have great faith in your ingenuity and abilities. People who were laid off from my former employer always seemed to go on to better things. I wish the same for you.
You join us inching our way into the new way of applying for jobs…..the only way now is networking.
Kathryn (incidentally my elder daughter is Kathryn and spelled the same way…) I wish you luck in your future whatever it may turn out to be. Life has a habit of throwing a wobbly every now and then and I honestly believe this is a way of making us stop and think and making a change. Last year I finished a contract with a law firm in London when the recession hit and they made huge redundancies across the board and contract workers were the first to go. I had always obtained work easily but suddenly it was more difficult and, for the first time, I began to seriously consider retirement, I had worked on past the time I could have stopped. I thought I might get another job later on. Silly me! Well, I have now been retired for 9months and love it. Yes money is not so plentiful but I don’t spend much now, I can manage and the joy of having time to read, write, see family and friends, the list is endless. I have a new grandchild due next year so will have time to help my daughter whenever she needs it, taking a proof reading course at home and also have a job working from home one day a week which earns me ‘mad money’.
Sorry I am wittering on far too long, but just to say that you never know, really never ever know, what will turn up! Good luck and happiness for 2010.
Elaine–
Thanks you so much for taking the time to leave this wonderful comment. I’ve been following along on your blog for a while now–and especially with interest during these past nine months–and I have to say your journey (and your outlook) have been an inspiration.
It’s a cliche, but oh so true, that change is hard. You are one of many people I know who have shown me that when a door closes, another window of opportunity opens and always for the better. Thank you.