Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Dutiful weekly update

The past week has been pretty good.

I celebrated my birthday.  One of my friends baked me a delish-tastic cake, and gave me knee socks that say "BOOKWORM" up the sides.  Another friend gave me a bag full of ice cream.   I got a birthday card hand-lettered by a six-year-old, with some of the letters facing backwards.  And I went to a huge second-hand book sale and bought as many books as I could carry home.  So obviously life is pretty great.

On the other hand, there have been some developments with my super-top-secret work situation.  In a nutshell, there is a small but real possibility that I might be out of a job in a week or so.  The more likely alternative is that I keep my job, the situation drags on in limbo, but I have to terminate one of my employees.   Don't even ask why.  It's a long story and I don't feel like talking about it.

So even though I have a lot to be grateful for right now, and that's what I'm trying to stay focused on, life is kind of weird at the moment.  I mean, I actually took home some of my personal property from work, little gifts people had given me and so forth, so that I won't have so much to carry home in a cardboard box if I get the axe.  No one knows what's going on except a small handful of managers, so with everyone else I have to pretend like everything is normal.  It's pretty disorienting wondering if this, say, might be my 3rd-last day of work, or my 5th-last, but carrying on as though nothing has changed. 

I feel sad when I think about losing my job, mostly because of the relationships I've built up at work over the years.  Some days I can keep up the illusion that nothing is going to change, but not every day.  When I get tired of feeling sad, I feel numb.  I know that nothing can last forever.  Maybe what's making it so difficult is not being able to talk about it.  Keeping this huge secret from everyone I've always been so transparent with makes me feel that I'm already at a bit of a remove.

Well, no one is dying; I'm incredibly re-employable; and maybe the future has something even better in store for me.  So no matter how things go, I'm going to be okay.  I promise.

8 comments:

LL Cool Joe said...

Sounds like a really tough situation to be in. Limbo land. I will pray for you and the job situation, and hope that your job is fine.

Oh and Happy Birthday!!

DarcKnyt said...

Huzzah for knee socks and used book sales!

BOO for awkweird work situations which make you feel all discombobulated and weird inside.

I'm sorry Spark. Of COURSE you'll land on your feet regardless of the outcome. Natch. But it's not fun in the meantime, and I completely understand.

I will be praying for you.

Warped Mind of Ron said...

Happy Birthday!! And {Hugs} Sorry work is all unpredictable for you right now. I'll keep positive thoughts headed your way.

Sparkling Red said...

Joey: Thanks. Since I wrote that post there's already been a development that indicates things will probably not change dramatically for a while yet. Still, your prayers are welcome. :-)

DarcKnyt: Yeah, even the cheerfullest person sometimes has to feel down in the glumps. Thank you for your prayers.

Ron: Thanks! *tunes into positive thoughts station* *receiving thoughts*

G. B. Miller said...

Having been in a similiar situation at my job (laid off in "03), I can sympathize with your very much.

But, if I was in a similiar situation again, I would have no qualms in bumping somebody out of theirs in order to keep mine.

It's a very tough choice that I wouldn't wish on anyone. All I can say is that you have to do what's best for you in the long run.

Jenski said...

Happy belated birthday! Hope things at work continue to get straightened out. Limbo land sucks.

Lynn said...

Please keep us updated. Losing ones job is the worst. (This happened to me several years ago, when I least expected it. And the odd things was - I had taken almost all personal things home the week before. I think I knew without realizing it.)

Vanessence7 said...

I will definitely be saying a prayer for you about work. I know how scary that is. And yes, you'll be fine. And there's every possibility that God is moving you forward to something even better. Still, change is hard and can be frightening.

On the upside, Happy Birthday! Books and knee socks - you're such a cozy girl. :D I imagine you curled up in front of a fire, sipping cocoa with marshmallows, and reading. I hope your day was as wonderful as you are. *hugs*