Well, they stripped him of his equipment yesterday. All my husband's electronics were taken from him, his computer, his blackberry, his keys. He said it felt naked when he walked out, like everyone could tell that he was unemployed... well, not yet... but after tomorrow.
It is interesting how much of his identity is wrapped up in having consistent access to his email and phone. He was so upset that they took his phone, he told me he tried to hide it from them, so he could keep it until Friday. I think it would have been humane to let him keep the badges of his job until the end. What did they think he would do today that he couldn't have already done yesterday. How stupid do they think he is?
My husband is now President of the company in title only. He has been completely stripped of power and prestige. Why do they make him continue to come in? It seems like some sort of mid-evil torture. I guess people don't understand the impact of their actions.
While it is not good mojo to be negative, I sort of hope that the karma that these people have created for themselves comes back around. I also hope that the fact that we are good people, generous almost to a fault, will help us land swiftly on our feet.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Reconnecting
As part of the whole job loss thing, we are starting to reconnect with old friends. So many people have reached out to us, it has been amazing. It is just good to hear from all these people, some doing well and others also in the throws of unemployment. I am sure as the days go on, it will be nice to know that there is this group of people that care.
It is scary, because it sounds like jobs are going to be very hard to come by. It seems like seeds of growth are germinating, but it will be a long time coming before anything opens up. This is sort of concerning.
That said, I knit like crazy. It seems counter-intuitive to put pointy sticks in the hands of a crazed, stress-out mommy, but it really does help. Right now I am making a panda for Sam. It is a birthday present of sorts. I am also working on some socks. They are from a pattern for my May sock club, but may also be the June pattern. I didn't like the June pattern, so I guess I have another month before I have to start another pair.
It is scary, because it sounds like jobs are going to be very hard to come by. It seems like seeds of growth are germinating, but it will be a long time coming before anything opens up. This is sort of concerning.
That said, I knit like crazy. It seems counter-intuitive to put pointy sticks in the hands of a crazed, stress-out mommy, but it really does help. Right now I am making a panda for Sam. It is a birthday present of sorts. I am also working on some socks. They are from a pattern for my May sock club, but may also be the June pattern. I didn't like the June pattern, so I guess I have another month before I have to start another pair.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
On a Tuesday it Happened
After 9 months of worrying, fretting, and generally being scared, it finally happened. Bob lost his job. In a perverse way it is a good thing, because now we don't have to worry about him losing it any more. But, now we are a family of 5 with no income.
Bob was so despondent about his job, it was a very frightening period. The owners never respected what he did for them, and they were so negative all the time. Definitely from the school of management by fear and loathing. It just doesn't work, and Bob began to believe that he was worthless. I guess eventually you throw your hands up and do what you are told. Bob did some amazing things for them in the short 9 months he was there, he really could have turned this business around if they would have let him. OH well. The part that is so hard for me to cope with is that he now feels like a failure, when the reality is that the owners failed him. Now we have to fight with them about the severance. It never ends.
I started this blog when Mac started Kindergarten, didn't touch it again until we started this process of coming to Chicago and moved. I didn't want to say anything when all of the stuff was going down, but now I think I need to let it all out. These people stole my husband from me. They took the father of my children and left me to pick up the pieces. I hope that we are blessed with an opportunity that brings us back to a place where we are content. I hope we don't have to move again.
Bob was so despondent about his job, it was a very frightening period. The owners never respected what he did for them, and they were so negative all the time. Definitely from the school of management by fear and loathing. It just doesn't work, and Bob began to believe that he was worthless. I guess eventually you throw your hands up and do what you are told. Bob did some amazing things for them in the short 9 months he was there, he really could have turned this business around if they would have let him. OH well. The part that is so hard for me to cope with is that he now feels like a failure, when the reality is that the owners failed him. Now we have to fight with them about the severance. It never ends.
I started this blog when Mac started Kindergarten, didn't touch it again until we started this process of coming to Chicago and moved. I didn't want to say anything when all of the stuff was going down, but now I think I need to let it all out. These people stole my husband from me. They took the father of my children and left me to pick up the pieces. I hope that we are blessed with an opportunity that brings us back to a place where we are content. I hope we don't have to move again.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Faces
I see faces. I am not crazy, but I see faces of the people that I left. I think it is the minds way of making all the change seem familiar. To look for the people and things that are like the way it used to be, to make things seem like they are familiar.
I am painting every room the same color it used to be. I am decorating the house to look like my old one. I feel like maybe I should change, do something different. Perhaps it is too much for me to process too much change, I need to make something, the things I can control like they used to be. I want to go home, to go back.
The kids are struggling with the fact that everything is different. They are overwhelmed by all the change, all the new people. Hannah hates everyone. She only likes people that are familiar, which of course are the ones that are not here.
We can not go back. Even if we did, it wouldn't be the same. That bridge is burnt. Our old lives are left in a smoking heap. They don't exist anymore.
So, I look for faces, things that are like they used to be. Anything to chase the overwhelming loneliness away. Slowly I suppose we will make friends and less and less will we see the faces of our old friends in strangers in the grocery store.
I am painting every room the same color it used to be. I am decorating the house to look like my old one. I feel like maybe I should change, do something different. Perhaps it is too much for me to process too much change, I need to make something, the things I can control like they used to be. I want to go home, to go back.
The kids are struggling with the fact that everything is different. They are overwhelmed by all the change, all the new people. Hannah hates everyone. She only likes people that are familiar, which of course are the ones that are not here.
We can not go back. Even if we did, it wouldn't be the same. That bridge is burnt. Our old lives are left in a smoking heap. They don't exist anymore.
So, I look for faces, things that are like they used to be. Anything to chase the overwhelming loneliness away. Slowly I suppose we will make friends and less and less will we see the faces of our old friends in strangers in the grocery store.
Monday, September 1, 2008
We waited....
I learned a lesson while waiting. That bad things happen so you can appreciate the good and joyful things in your life.
The first 2 weeks were a bit like vacation. We hung out, went to the pool and various museums. We checked stuff out. It was ok, kinda lonely, but ok.
Then school started, and it got crazy. Driving the kids to school basically blows. It is super tiring, and by the end of the week, I am pooped. But, we go through Mac's first day, without any problems. Then it was Sam's turn. We drove to the house, parked and started walking, and low and behold a bus drove by and asked us if we would like a ride. Wonders never cease, since we hadn't talked about it Sam wasn't into it. The next day he rode the bus. He liked it. He liked it so much he decided that he should ride it home to, when his teacher told him no, he freaked. When he saw me he threw the mother of all temper tantrums. Of course this was in front of the entire school, where all the parents are in line to pick up their kids, all the teachers and the principal are out there. I ended up having to carry him, while he was screaming, "you are hurting me," to the car. It was lovely. He screamed until 4:30, so for an hour.
The next day, the nurse pulled the kids from gym because our forms said CT on them and not IL. Mac went into a tail spin about this. He cried and hit me because I didn't turn the forms in. He told me all the kids were going to hate him and think he was stupid.... it was lovely, and against the law.
The next day was Friday... got the forms in, got the kids situated... all seemed well again. WRONG. Tuesday morning some kids tried to hit my kids with rocks...then Sam go hit by a bike. I was not impressed.
By the end of the week we saw the movers move the people out of our new house, and we think we see the light at the end of the tunnel. (it might be a train!)
But as we went through all of this stress, Hannah and I sang songs and jumped over cracks while the boys were in school. Spending time with her and her mostly unflappably happy attitude certainly helped make things seem like they might actually be better. I truly enjoyed her. Without the bad, I might have missed these moments with her.
The first 2 weeks were a bit like vacation. We hung out, went to the pool and various museums. We checked stuff out. It was ok, kinda lonely, but ok.
Then school started, and it got crazy. Driving the kids to school basically blows. It is super tiring, and by the end of the week, I am pooped. But, we go through Mac's first day, without any problems. Then it was Sam's turn. We drove to the house, parked and started walking, and low and behold a bus drove by and asked us if we would like a ride. Wonders never cease, since we hadn't talked about it Sam wasn't into it. The next day he rode the bus. He liked it. He liked it so much he decided that he should ride it home to, when his teacher told him no, he freaked. When he saw me he threw the mother of all temper tantrums. Of course this was in front of the entire school, where all the parents are in line to pick up their kids, all the teachers and the principal are out there. I ended up having to carry him, while he was screaming, "you are hurting me," to the car. It was lovely. He screamed until 4:30, so for an hour.
The next day, the nurse pulled the kids from gym because our forms said CT on them and not IL. Mac went into a tail spin about this. He cried and hit me because I didn't turn the forms in. He told me all the kids were going to hate him and think he was stupid.... it was lovely, and against the law.
The next day was Friday... got the forms in, got the kids situated... all seemed well again. WRONG. Tuesday morning some kids tried to hit my kids with rocks...then Sam go hit by a bike. I was not impressed.
By the end of the week we saw the movers move the people out of our new house, and we think we see the light at the end of the tunnel. (it might be a train!)
But as we went through all of this stress, Hannah and I sang songs and jumped over cracks while the boys were in school. Spending time with her and her mostly unflappably happy attitude certainly helped make things seem like they might actually be better. I truly enjoyed her. Without the bad, I might have missed these moments with her.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Here we are... now what
We watched all our worldly belongings drive down the street headed towards Rhode Island. We met the people who bought our house, perhaps they aren't so bad. We loaded everyone, 3 kids and a dog, into 2 cars. We drove for 3 days and here we are. We live in 1200 square feet.
It is all a little surreal. It seems like we are on vacation. In spite of the fact that we left the house with nothing in it, it still felt like we were just leaving for a trip and that we would come back soon. It didn't seem like good bye forever. But it was.
Our apartment, while wholly adequate, is well an apartment. Not really appropriate for a family of 5 and a dog. The kids are at loose ends. They don't have any friends to play with. They don't have an activities to attend. It is all a bit odd. It seems like a vacation. I like to pretend that we are in a vacation condo on Maui.
We have seen the house, registered the kids for school. Now we wait. We wait. The kids are acting out, I am sad and lonely. We wait for our lives to start. This is all like a huge pause in our lives. We wait for the next chapter to begin.
It is all a little surreal. It seems like we are on vacation. In spite of the fact that we left the house with nothing in it, it still felt like we were just leaving for a trip and that we would come back soon. It didn't seem like good bye forever. But it was.
Our apartment, while wholly adequate, is well an apartment. Not really appropriate for a family of 5 and a dog. The kids are at loose ends. They don't have any friends to play with. They don't have an activities to attend. It is all a bit odd. It seems like a vacation. I like to pretend that we are in a vacation condo on Maui.
We have seen the house, registered the kids for school. Now we wait. We wait. The kids are acting out, I am sad and lonely. We wait for our lives to start. This is all like a huge pause in our lives. We wait for the next chapter to begin.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Just a small rant
Ok, here is the deal. We are 5 days away from selling our lovely home to the most nasty people in the world. They are completely disrespectful. Their agent, hmm yeah, she is even worse!
I got a call on at 4:00 on Thursday and was informed that they would be inspecting our chimney the next day. What??? Their time for inspections has past, they can look at the work we did, but they can not do more inspections and expect us to do more work. The kicker is that they buyers wanted to see the house again. Yeah, they can see the house all they want once they own it. I am in the middle of packing and they want me to clean up the house so they can see it????? Is this the pre-closing inspection? No, they just want to look. OMG. I have 3 little kids, who are completely freaking out that we are moving and these sob's want to look at my house? My husband told me the could look from the street.
Susanne Vacek, their agent, has to be the stupidest woman on the planet. I can not express how much I hate her. She has lied to us, told us one thing and done another. I can not believe it. She actually called our chimney contractor, with out our knowledge. She claims we didn't give her the information she requested. WTF, she didn't request any information. We sent her the paperwork and pictures of the work. She told my chimney people that she didn't get any pictures. This is so unethical, I have half a mind to report her to the board of realtors.
This isn't the first time this chick has lied to us, she told our agent no one was in our home except the buyers. HMMM, I saw with my eyeballs two van loads of folks pulling away from my house after they had been in it for 2 hours. So who were the other people in the other van???? Liar liar pants on fire.
She also told us one thing and did another on every single written document. We would think we had agreed to one thing verbally, and then the paperwork would be completely different.
The killer is that our home is impeccably maintained, my husband and I are ridiculous about maintenance. We have records for everything and we updated the home and kept it very well. They act like we never did anything to the house. Yet the only inspection issues they could come up with totaled $300 bucks. We told them no. They are getting a lovely home for a great price in a wonderful neighborhood. You would think that they would be happy and respectful. NOPE.
Oh well, if you ever live in Vernon, don't use Susanne Vacek from DW Fish of Manchester CT. She will alienate your sellers and probably your buyers!
**** editorial note, because my husband wanted to wait until the money was in our account before I posted this, this rant is actually out of order. *****
I got a call on at 4:00 on Thursday and was informed that they would be inspecting our chimney the next day. What??? Their time for inspections has past, they can look at the work we did, but they can not do more inspections and expect us to do more work. The kicker is that they buyers wanted to see the house again. Yeah, they can see the house all they want once they own it. I am in the middle of packing and they want me to clean up the house so they can see it????? Is this the pre-closing inspection? No, they just want to look. OMG. I have 3 little kids, who are completely freaking out that we are moving and these sob's want to look at my house? My husband told me the could look from the street.
Susanne Vacek, their agent, has to be the stupidest woman on the planet. I can not express how much I hate her. She has lied to us, told us one thing and done another. I can not believe it. She actually called our chimney contractor, with out our knowledge. She claims we didn't give her the information she requested. WTF, she didn't request any information. We sent her the paperwork and pictures of the work. She told my chimney people that she didn't get any pictures. This is so unethical, I have half a mind to report her to the board of realtors.
This isn't the first time this chick has lied to us, she told our agent no one was in our home except the buyers. HMMM, I saw with my eyeballs two van loads of folks pulling away from my house after they had been in it for 2 hours. So who were the other people in the other van???? Liar liar pants on fire.
She also told us one thing and did another on every single written document. We would think we had agreed to one thing verbally, and then the paperwork would be completely different.
The killer is that our home is impeccably maintained, my husband and I are ridiculous about maintenance. We have records for everything and we updated the home and kept it very well. They act like we never did anything to the house. Yet the only inspection issues they could come up with totaled $300 bucks. We told them no. They are getting a lovely home for a great price in a wonderful neighborhood. You would think that they would be happy and respectful. NOPE.
Oh well, if you ever live in Vernon, don't use Susanne Vacek from DW Fish of Manchester CT. She will alienate your sellers and probably your buyers!
**** editorial note, because my husband wanted to wait until the money was in our account before I posted this, this rant is actually out of order. *****
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