Well, so much for THAT job.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Well, as was predicted by someone (I forget who) in a lost thread in which I ranted against the moron editor who didn’t believe that marketing would do anything for his pub, his pub tanked. And I just took the fall for it.

Ugh.

Unemployed. This sucks.

I’ve sort of seen it coming. The board cut off marketing about 6 weeks ago and my publisher has been ignoring me for the last three weeks. I’m a pretty veteran corporate warrior. I recognized the signs.

But I’m still pissed off. I was given an impossible task: get 10,000 people to pay $139 for a magazine when there were already 5 in the market that were completely free. When I couldn’t pull that off…bang, out I went.

My publisher now insists that she’ll be running all the marketing for the magazines and newsletters. I wish her luck. She’s a nice person but it’s clear to me that she doesn’t understand marketing. Her background is in libraries and she’d much rather edit material than discuss sales figures and such. I think she’ll fail.

So I suppose I’m a little bitter to be taking the fall for other people’s mistakes. But that is corporate life.

On the up side…

I saw this coming. As I said, I’m not blind. I’m in the running for the position of publisher at a corporation you would recognize and be impressed with, also for the position of Group Circulation Director at a start up publishing house, and Marketing Director for the largest magazine consulting firm in the city.

And thank God we closed on the home equity line of credit this morning. When I had to sign the affadavit that, “There has been no change in employment that would harm our ability to repay the loan” I was able to honestly say, “Yes”. I don’t want to use debt to keep us afloat, but it’s nice to know it’s there, just in case.

They cashed me out with three weeks pay and my vacation. It’s equivalent to a little more than 2 months mortgage payments. We’ll get by.

I really feel sorry for the others. About 25% (8-10 folks) of the company got it today. I think it took most of them by surprise. I hope they do well. If I get the publisher or start up gigs I may try to hire some of them.

But damn, I’m a little blue. I know I’ll get through this, but it’s still a little hard right now.

2

That is a bummer, Nate. No matter how much you saw it coming, how well prepared you are for it, and how good your prospects may be for finding another good position, it still sucks to be let go. And even more so to take the fall for someone else’s pointy-headed stupidity.

Best of luck in the job search, and if there’s anything your friends out here in cyberland can do for you, just holler.

3

That sucks. Sorry to hear it :frowning:

Zette

4

Sorry to hear this. Hope that you’ll get something better very soon!

5

Best of luck in finding something soon, but not TOO soon.

Seriously, enjoy the time at home with the family. Soon enough you will be missing it again.

6

I’m so sorry to hear it. Hopefully, this other job you’re up for will be much better than this one.

Robin

7

Bummers JC

When one door closes another one opens.

I wish you the best in getting the position you want.

8

And just to top it off, Baby Kate’s daycare just announced they’re closing down at the end of the month. So now I’ve got three weeks to find a new one of THOSE as well.

Rains it pours, I guess.

9

Yipes. Finding a new daycare can be even trickier than finding a new job! :eek:

10

Yeah, I’m feeling a little picked upon right now. Ugh.

11

Many years ago, a friend of mine offered this perspective: In the long run, on a 1-10 scale, your life averages around 5-6. Would you rather spend your life at 5-6, or are you willing to accept the 2-3 moments in return for the 9-10 moments?

As you battle your low moment right now, know that you’ve got some highs awaiting you. Better than muddling along in a boring mediocrity, eh?

Good luck to you.

12

Dang, Nate, I’m sorry to hear it. But it sounds like you’re not going to be jobless for long. Still I know it’s gotta sting to be the scapegoat for someone else’s pigheaded obtuseness.

Hugs to you and the family.

13

Very to hear it.

It must be difficult. You know that your job was not only impossible but not the result of reasonable decision making. You are in no way at fault for the marketing gig going tits-up. It’s hard not to personalize it, however. The failure of the project is NOT a reflection of you or your abilities. But of course, you know this.

Best to you and yur’n,
Spritle

I hope you find a day care solution soon. We just found out that our day care probably won’t take the new baby in October. Fortunately, we have more time to figure out what we’re gonna do.

14

take a few minutes this weekend to go out with some friends. Don’t just sit home and be serious all the time. Some of the time, yes. All, no.

Some local doper, can you go visit?

15

Say! I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we all go to Nate’s a few weeks from now and throw a party to cheer him up? How about Sat. JUne 8th? Is that OK with everyone? Great.

Nate, if you charge $2/car for parking, and $25/person for food/drinks, plus the camping fee, you could really rake in some big bucks. Heck, $5 for directions could keep you going until that next job hits.

Good luck.

16

Let’s not get carried away. We’re not exactly ready for the bread line here.

But thanks for the thought.

17

Sorry JC, I just went through it too, I saw it coming just as you did, and it looks like I’m going to land on my feet, I hope the same for you.

18

Well, I got the daycare worked out. The new place only costs $13 more per week than the old one. That’s one item checked off.

Now to figure out if I want to run an arch-conservative newspaper…

19

Well, you’ll still need to put food on the table. It’s usually easier to look for a job while you have a job, so you could use it as a temporary stop unless it turns out that you enjoy it. Now, as I understand it you’ll need a cape, top hat and pencil thin mustache. Then practice rubbing your hands together and chuckling with sinister laughter as you foreclose on smaller, less fortunate papers…

20

Whaaa? There’s something other than the Liberal Media?

But, but…december told me it’s true. Doesn’t that count?