This is why I hate going on business trips:

[captainsblog]

I got the telephonic equivalent of this message at about 11 this morning, when I was about halfway home from my sister's and literally in the middle of nowhere. Two hours later, I was hugging my bride and coming to the realization that this layoff will, really, be a Good Thing in the long run.

The layoff was from her "full time" position selling furniture, where there's been damn little furniture sold (by her or anybody) the past several months. Blessedly, she still has a part-time position at a much better company which has potential for full-time prospects, and where she just received a customer's accolade the other day that entered her in a drawing for one of three prizes:

* a lunch gift certificate (which in her prior job would've been the big prize);

* a "day off" from her actual duties, but replaced by the chance to follow a manager around for an entire day, to give her exposure to the kinds of duties she's likely to get in the future;

or, and this is the one she "won,"


* the right to select her own schedule for the coming week (given these events, she chose many and often).

In hindsight, I wish I'd been here to comfort her when the word came down, but in some ways we're blessed that I wasn't. Not knowing the imminence of the axe falling, I'd splurged on some things I certainly wouldn't have, including tickets for the three of us to see the BPO and its chorus performing Handel's Messiah in two weeks at the gorgeous OLV Basilica; our renewed Barnes & Noble membership; and a trunkfull of bottles from one of our favorite Finger Lakes wineries, which I stopped and stocked up at, literally seconds before getting her news.

We'll be okay. Faith is a good thing.

Comments

[monpais.livejournal.com]

Ray, I'm so sorry. This is a bummer, and at a crummy time of year. But you're right: you WILL be okay. New beginnings can start off so scary at first.

Big hugs to all.

[thanatos-kalos.livejournal.com]

*hugs* to you both. I'm glad that the PT job is still there for her, and it sounds MUCH better anyway. (Would I know the new place?)

[captainsblog.livejournal.com]

It's a much-beloved Western New York franchise where "every day you get our best."

Obviously, it is NOT the Buffalo Bills, although Wegmans still goes nuts every Sunday during the season.

[luckycee.livejournal.com]

Aw crap. And I'm facing the same likely prospect at some point, I'm sure. Western New York is getting hit hard.

[fangirlsays.livejournal.com]

Oof, what a crummy time of year to get this news. :( Hang in there, bb; I'm convinced better times are coming. *hugs hard*

[baseballchica03.livejournal.com]

Man, that stinks. Good luck. (Also, if I had known your wife had sold furniture, we totally would have gotten the bed from her, but I didn't!)

[captainsblog.livejournal.com]

Thanks to their contorted commission system, she never would have seen a penny of it, as it turned out.

Rest well on that bed with no risk of the curses we've placed on her former employer.

[katana1.livejournal.com]

Tough times...but totally understand the splurges.

We're off to the ballet in London in December! Can't wait.

[meredith-mae.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I believe in God or Fate, but I've come to realize that whenever this kind of thing happens to me, it happens for a reason. I was lucky enough that when I got laid off once, I was starting another part time job seriously within days. I increased my hours there to almost full time. It paid less and had no benefits, but the hours were very flexible, and it worked out very well for me until I was able to get myself together and eventually find full time work in my field when I was ready. (Of course, it was a little stressful as I was living by myself in a studio apartment and had to pay all my own bills, but it worked out.)

Good luck to both of you!

[lmdiago.livejournal.com]

I was hoping this "non-recession" would not hit WNY as much as it has. Sorry to hear this news. BUT - with the stress of the holidays this gives her a little more time rather than working two jobs.

[headbanger118.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry for Eleanor, but I have always believed (and been proven right) that everything happens for a reason...perhaps a better job in this case. And I'm glad you got the little extras that you did. You will enjoy them, esp. BPO.

[katesti.livejournal.com]

In late, but I'm sorry to hear this. I am glad, though, to see that there is a Good Thing lining.

[i-beckygardens.livejournal.com]

I'm so far behind on commenting but I wanted to say I'm sorry about the job and hope things look up soon.