Sinshine: Yes, I think there is a balance in things. Call it Zen, or call it The Great Scales, or whatever. Good things happen to bad people in life, and bad things happen to good people. Compleat bastards often seem to get all the breaks, while nice guys finish last.
But as I look over my life, things seem to balance. I’m incredibly unlucky at love, but at least I have the time to entertain my mind if not my body. Destroying my knees in a skiing fall and a car wreck kept me out of the Navy (I’d wanted to be an Aviator since I was three years old), but it didn’t stop me from learning to fly on my own. I lost my father, the most important person in my life, five years ago; but he left me a small inheritance that is allowing me to try to buy a house. I lost my job, but it’s left me free to head north.
I think I’m a good human being. At least I try to be. There are a lot of people who need a windfall more than I do; but I have an “itch” that tells me I’ll win the lottery one day as a “reward” for trying to be a good person. That would be an excellent way to make up for losing my job! Especially considering that the general consensus among my former co-workers is that the Management who laid us off do not have souls. But since there are so many more people who can use the break, I may never win it.
Still, I believe in a balance. I may not get a windfall, but I think that something will come along that will put things aright. Moving in with my friend will put me with someone with a passion for filmmaking. And until I get a “real job”, I’ll be free to put my camera and lights to good use. Perhaps we’ll make the Lovcraftian short when I get up there and it will win an award at the Portland Lovecraft Festival. Maybe that will lead to our getting investors for a bigger project – one that will allow us to give ourselves salaries. Or maybe this “push” will put me in a place where I’ll finally meet my soulmate. Who can say?
But speaking practically, I’m good at what I do. I feel I’d be an asset to any company that needs people who can work with data. And I’m not too proud to take a lower position. My career was not my life. As I said, I’d work in a grocery. (Bellingham doesn’t have Trader Joe’s, but it does have a co-op.) And being a bachelour, I certainly know how to cook a hamburger!
So something will turn up, and the balance will be restored.
Violet: If the home loan goes through, then I’ll move into the big bedroom of the house (which my friend doesn’t really use) and my friend will pay some rent. If the loan doesn’t go through, then I’ll do the same thing except that I’ll be paying a couple hundred a month for the room. (Which is much better than my $778/mo. apartment!)
If the loan goes through, then the mortgage will be about $550/mo. California Unemployment Insurance pays $1,320/mo. max.
Gotta say, I really, really admire your perspective, Johnny! I remember thinking, when I first read this thread, that you didn’t “lose your job”, just that the old job had prepared you as much as it could, and that you were off to find the next, better one, whether that means a move up or a move back. It’s all about that perspective. Sounds like you’re gonna be fine.
You’ve got a really great attitude, Johnny, and I hope it serves you well in enjoying what comes along for you. It sounds like you’re willing to believe that something better will come out of this, and with that mindset, it’s sure to happen!
And I am SO jealous of you moving to the Northwest!!!
Oh, I forgot to mention this: I talked with my friend at work. She said the old boss had contacted the people in our group to let them know that there may be openings in the future. Did I mention the one woman who was only working part-time so she could spend time with her baby? He told her about the “remote” possibility of a telecommuting job, and that she could work from home. I got more information from my co-worker. She said that the old boss had told her that the job mightn’t happen (if it does) for a year.
“Okay,” you’re thinking, “A year is a long time. Unemployment benefits only last six months.” Still, a year isn’t that long. When I move up, I may have a job that I love and don’t want to leave. Or, I’ll have a job until (fingers crossed) this telecommuting job materializes and I’ll be in a great position.
So that’s the latest on the telecommuning possibility.
In other news, I spoke with two of the other people who were laid off. One is 67 and is getting Social Security benefits and his TRW retirement and has his mariachi gigs, but he’s still looking for work. The other guy is hitting the job-search scene immediately. I heard from my (employed) co-worker that another guy may get a position near to where he lives. There is also the possibility of getting another position in the same company we were laid off from. My co-worker gave me the name and number of the manager in that department. I LVM for him and sent my résumé. I also gave his name and number to the two guys I talked to so that they can contact him. My co-worker said the manager is looking for “mainframe types”. Plural.
Wouldn’t it be great if we were all hired back in this other division, and then in a year’s time the telecommuting job with my old boss comes up?
But if not, Mama Tiger will just have to be jealous!
The house is coming down to the wire. I sent the title paperwork to the title company last week. The clean pest and dry rot report has been delivered to the bank. If the title company is open on Monday (a holiday), my friend will go down to sign the papers. But…
There is always the chance that the underwriters will call to re-verify my employment. If that happens, the loan may very well be cancelled. If the loan is cancelled, my friend will put the house on the market again. If he does that, then I won’t have a place to go.
If the loan falls through, then there’s always the possibility of restarting the process. But the interest rate will be higher, and I’ll probably have to make a larger downpayment. And I still might not get the loan. Bloody, I have enough money in their bank to make house payments for few years! I’m certainly not going to be unemployed that long! But institutions being what they are, I fear that they’ll cancel the loan anyway.
I’ve been a nervous wreck since my friend told me he’d have to put the house on the market immediately if I am unable to buy it. My sister told me to have some drinks and calm down. I’m not a drinker, except socially; so I find it hard to take her advice. And it would probably make me obsess about it even more.
I hope it happens for you Bro’. I will be watching the thread for your good news. I do not believe the banks will be open tomorrow though I could be wrong (mine will be closed).
If they are closed, buddy, please try to use tomorrow as a day to relax and do something with one of your friends. That’s what they are there for. Preferably not the guy who’s house you wanna buy, however.
Crossing my fingers for you, man. Last year I was laid off 1 month after moving into a new house, and I still get chills thinking about how it could have been if I were jobless while we were closing the transaction.
The loan shall go through - we are sending good karma to you!
I’ll keep my fingers crossed. As for your love life, Johnny, I’ll remind you that Scotticher and I have a long-standing dispute over who has dibs on you. OK, if you go to Washington, I’ve agreed to back off, but if you ever come out east, it’s my turn! You are one of my favorite people around here.
Well, now you have us all on pins and needles with you. Since the banks are closed today (Federal Holiday), you should get out and throw yourself into some kind of cool, exhausting activity. Time to break a kayaking record or take your bike on a nice, long ride. Take flight and look at how small the world is from that perspective. Most of all, good luck, good wishes, good karma, good everything to you!
Thing about being a Gemini, Johnny, is that the horrorscope only applies to one of you. I have successfully evaded several bad days by being the Other Twin.
Chin up. Get on that bike and go somewhere pretty. Or get a 1,000-peice puzzle of a pool of milk and put that together.
Or give me your phone number. I’ll crank call you, then you can get on with it.
Well… I got an “unexpected phone call”. Believe it or not. (Maybe I should read those horoscopes more often!)
The phone rang just after the microwave oven announced that my soup was heated. (Isn’t the suspense killing you?) “Damn,” I said, “That’s one of my friends calling, and we can be talking for an hour or more. My soup will get cold!”
Turned out it wasn’t one of my friends after all.
It was a guy from the company that just laid me off. (“What is he doing, calling me at seven in the evening?”) Remember I said that I’d sent in my résumé? The guy I sent it to sent it to the guy who called me. The guy who called said, “You come highly recommended.” (The new manager of the department where I used to work, and whom I supported with Easytrieve programming and such before she was a manager, was the one doing the recommending.) He said that I should look at the positions on the company website and we could talk later about them.
If I get one of the positions, that will delay my departure to Washington. (I was saying to my friend, “If the house loan goes through, why do I need a job down here?”) OTOH, I like the work I was doing.
The guy said that they want to “move fast” on this. Hm. “Fast”? I’ve got nine weeks’ severence pay coming. If they re-hire me before I get the cheque, I don’t get it (until they lay me off again).
You are one of my favorite people around here.