TheBanyanTree: Hoop It Up!

[Margaret R. Kramer]

Holy cow, was this a wild week!  I’m barely catching my breath, but let me
recap for you.

Monday – I spent most of the day driving through the Twin Cities metro area.
I had a networking workshop in south Minneapolis.  Then I drove home to
change into my gray wool winter interview suit and drove to the far reaches
of the western metro for an intense two and a half hour job interview.  Then
I drove home and got ready for my phone survey job which is in the northern
metro.  Whew!  This was not a banner day for an introvert.  Networking in
the morning, an long interview in the afternoon, and grueling 30 minute
surveys in the evening.  I just kept thinking of my warm bed and a book
waiting for me when this day finally was over.

The Merry Maids person came over and cleaned the house.  She said they were
losing business right and left and it was difficult to make any money just
cleaning one or two houses a day.  I gave a generous tip and a couple of
gift cards for Christmas.

Tuesday – We had our first winter snowstorm of the season.  I went to a job
networking group early in the morning.  The flurries were flying after the
meeting.  I went to the gym and worked out.  And then the snow really picked
up.  I had my second interview scheduled with the project manager for the
job I really wanted in the afternoon.  I slogged through the snow into
downtown St Paul.  The interview went very well.  Later on in the evening, I
was on my way to my survey job and then decided to bail, because the freeway
was a parking lot.  The snow was really coming down, and that job isn’t
worth spending an hour and a half or two hours to get to.

I got a call when I got home.  The call was from the survey job.  She told
me that their client was getting complaints about someone asking for social
security numbers.  They weren’t able to determine who that was, but just in
case, my company decided to change the night shift and they fired me!  And
all the rest of us on the evening shift, I later found out!  We all sit very
close to each other and we’re monitored all the time while on the phone, so
if someone was trying to get SSN, then it would be easily apparent who it
was.  Plus, each person we talk to has a record number with a interviewer
identification number.  No one was doing it.  

I believe this company is in financial trouble and this was an excuse to get
rid of us without having their unemployment insurance rates go up.  Either
they’re trying to sell the business, terminate the business, or are trying
to save money.  Something is up.  They’ve always been honest with us, but I
guess self-preservation is more important than keeping a bunch of
hard-working and dedicated employees.

This doesn’t affect me as much as the others, because this was my part-time
job, and if I got this other job, then I was going to quit it anyway.  But,
for many of the others, this was their job.  They’ll be able to collect
unemployment, which is just a fraction of what they make, but that isn’t the
same.  They own homes, owe bills, and have children to care for.  It just
breaks my heart.  And right before Christmas, too.  Unbelievable.

Wednesday – I got up early so I could snowblow the driveway and sidewalks.
We had over six inches of snow.  I had taken my snowblower in for repair and
a tune-up in October.  Joe was generous enough to pay $341 for its repair.
I knew the darn thing was going to start.  Well, I got into the garage and
pushed on the starter, it just ground and ground, and didn’t engage the
engine.  I tried everything.  I called the repair company and tried what
they suggested.  And after a few tears, I resigned myself to manually
shoveling the whole deal.  

It took two hours, which a break for a human resource interview for another
job in between, but I got the job done.  Joe and his friend Charles came
over and took the snowblower back to the repair shop.  The shop replaced the
starter.  I made sure I started it when they brought it back and it revved
up just fine.  So, now I’m ready for the next storm,

Thursday – I blew off a job fair.  I was so sick of looking for jobs, that I
felt I needed a break.  I heard that I got the job I wanted after 5:00 pm.
I had appointment set up on Friday to sign the contract with the recruiter.
I’ll start next week, middle of the week, and I’ll be gainfully employed
just as my severance is running out.  Yippee!!!!

Friday - I met a grief group person for lunch.  She’s having a difficult
time as she passed her second year.  I am, too, there are times I miss Ray
so much, I could scream.  The holidays really bring out the longing.  I
still feel bad that I have to “settle” for love the rest of my life.  I’ll
never have what I did with Ray, and it’s sad to know that the rest of my
life will be empty emotionally.

Saturday – Asher is working today, so I took the boys to their first
basketball games.  Ashlin’s team won 20-19, but Quincy’s team lost 31-0.  It
was fun to go back in time and watch kids play basketball, since I spent
many winters watching Asher.  I wouldn’t want to do it as much as I did as a
parent, but it was fun this one time.

So, as this week ends, with all its up and downs, for the first time since I
learned I was getting laid off from my full-time job, I don’t feel scared.
So many of the unemployed are terrified of losing their homes, and I had
nightmares about it, too.  I can approach Christmas without dread.  I have a
future again.  I am a useful person again.

I’ve enjoyed my job hunt journey, as stressful as it was.  I met some great
people.  I was finally learning how to do my 30 second elevator speech, get
more comfortable networking, and approaching strangers without fear.  But
I’m going back to a way of life where I feel comfortable.  I just don’t feel
comfortable staying home and being useless.

Margaret R. Kramer
margaretkramer at comcast.net
margaret.kramer at polarispublications.com
www.polarispublications.com
www.linkedin.com/in/margaretkramer

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is
softer and more beautiful.  
-Norman Vincent Peale