[In which our heroine reflects on the year since she got the axe.]
It was one year ago today that I was let go from my former job. The only thing I regret is how I handled it; I should have done it much more hilariously, resulting in a better story to tell, rather than the lame-o, wimpy way I did react. Although it was the first time I was laid off and if it ever happens again, I’ll take it as a do-over opportunity.
What happened:
Phone rings
“Hello”
“Hi, can you come down to the conference room?”
“Um, sure, be there in one minute…” DUN, DUN, DUNNN! I think I knew what was coming, I just didn’t want to believe it.
I was given the speech (“I know you moved all the way out here for this job and this has nothing to do with your performance, which has been great…” blah blah) and a plain folder detailing my severance agreement and how to file for unemployment (extremely uplifting, thanks) and asked to sign up for a time during the weekend when I would return to clean out my desk (for real?). The woman from HR said, “We encourage everyone to file for unemployment.” Um, do people not file? Because I’m happy to take any money that’s coming my way because of your asinine decision, and thank you.
[In which our heroine discusses the yearly phenomenon that is sweeping the internet yet again.]
All the cool kids are doing it, or so I’ve been told, and I really want to do it, too. Write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days, that is (what did you think I was talking about?). It’s National Novel Writing Month, affectionately referred to as NaNoWriMo (“na-no-rye-mo”), during which motivated and creative people bursting with a story to tell sign up to be accountable for said 50k words and cajole one another into writing approximately 1,667 words a day through message boards and buddying-up (like in the swimming pool when you were little, only over the internet and without arm floaties).
There is generally a lot of gearing up for the first of November every year, including videos and blog posts and letters of encouragement offering advice on how to prepare for and proceed with NaNoWriMo, most of which is along the lines of A) it’s not going to be a good novel after only 30 days (so get over it and write), and/or B) just keep writing, just keep writing, just keep writing.
[In which our heroine is again obsessed with a song... again (this is going to happen a lot, FYI).]
(Yes, it says “Embeded Disabled by Request” so just click again to watch it on YouTube, no worries).
I know, I know, another week, another musical obsession. But seriously, this song/video/guy is awesome. One of those little-known indie acts with a huge fan base who finally makes it big. This song was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Adam Young (who performs under the name Owl City) tweeted about it.
[In which our heroine posits that there is no place in the office for an over-inflated ego.]
Recently, a friend was bloviating about how they will no longer work on holidays as they have “made it far enough up the ladder to make my underlings do that”; the fact that they have no direct reports “under” them seemed to matter little. There are many things wrong with this statement, but the ego oozing from every syllable is my main arguing point.
Excuse me, friend, just exactly who do you think you are? We graduated two and a half years ago and do not yet have “underlings” (a word I detest and would never use, having been treated like the worst connotation of the word at a few jobs), nor do we have anywhere near the authority or autonomy to make such decisions. At this point, you should be taking one for the team instead of worrying about how many candy canes you’ll be sucking down on Christmas Eve. I’m all for self-confidence, I frequently tell myself I’m awesome, but this kind of outward display of ego is more than I can bear as a person and a professional. Yuck.
[In which our heroine comments on outlandish, fantastic, and preposterous thinking.]
Alexander Hafemann, The New York Times
I have been trying to write a new post for days. For four days, actually. I keep thinking of things to write, then they fly out of my head. So. Annoying.
I recently read this article in The New York Times (actually IN the newspaper, in print, not online; radical, I know), about how silly, uncommon, out-of-the-ordinary occurrences and situations actually help you sharpen your mind because you then more quickly recognize when things are orderly and within a pattern. The article goes on to posit that people are so adverse to the feeling of disorientation that they’ll do whatever to get away from it and we “cling to their personal biases more tightly when feeling threatened.”
[In which our heroine discusses artsy ways to vent creative energy.]
A few weeks ago I was at Borders, enjoying the smell and feel of books all around me, when I came upon the magazine section and stumbled into an art journaling magazine. Apparently, “art journaling” is when you not only write in a journal but create art to go along with your thoughts. As I’ve come to understand, the process is different for everyone, but involves creating a background on the pages, then filling them with words and other images as you go along; sometimes it looks like scrapbooking, some times like modern art. There are people out there doingamazingthings.
[In which our heroine is obsessed with this song.]
I believe in the emotional power of music. I know this because I know which song/artist/genre I should put on in order to alter my mood. Altering your emotional state via drugs is for wussies (and those not afraid to flirt with danger, I suppose). Give me an iPod or radio or even a tape deck and I’m good.
Tell me you don’t wiggle your hips and put on your attitude-pouty-mouth when you hear “Single Ladies”; I wouldn’t believe you anyway. Or that you don’t feel for Adele. Or that you don’t want to jump up and dance sometimes.
I wish everyone, everywhere, in the entire world, could listen to their favorite music all the time. The world would be so much better with a soundtrack; imagine President Obama’s joint address to congress set to a beat. And the weatherman giving you the forecast accompanied by the steel drum. Music is the key to world peace, I’m serious.
This isn’t my most eloquent or amusing post, but you’ll excuse me, I have some music to attend to.
Personal blog, updated (ideally) every week in an attempt to think creatively, humorously, and logically before attempting more ambitious writing endeavors.
It was one year ago today that I was let go from my former job. The only thing I regret is how I handled it; I should have done it much more hilariously, resulting in a better story to tell, rather than the lame-o, wimpy way I did react. Although it was the first time I was laid off and if it ever happens again, I’ll take it as a do-over opportunity.
