A Little Perspective

Sometimes when you really need it (sometimes even when you really don't) the Universe sends some perspective your way.

Yesterday I got a very healthy does of it.

Obviously I complain about my job. A lot. All of it is true. But now that we are nearing the end, I have to face the fact that a) I'm getting severance and its actually pretty generous and b) apparently it could be a lot worse.

So today I'm going to share with you some perspective in the hopes that it will allow you to examine your own lives and maybe, be a little happier with the results.

I went for lunch with a friend yesterday. I used to work with her and she is one of the most awesome people you will ever meet. She's exceptionally brilliant, works hard and is hilarious. So it would follow that she would be wildly successful professionally, that people would be falling all over themselves to give her everything she could want to keep her.

But we would be wrong.

Long story short, I sat with my mouth open while she regaled me with stories of being thrown under the bus, tormented and generally f*cked over. She was called out in front of an entire department by her manager for a misunderstanding. She was hauled into an office and written up for something that she didn't do by people that she counted among her friends. And today she faces upwards of $50,000 in dental work that her current benefits plan is not going to put a dent in, after going through 4 month job interview cycles twice that would have solved her dental problems, only to be passed over. Oh, and she has to move because her roommate is getting married.

And she? Is still chipper. She knows that she will find something, is confident that a solution will find her.

So I came back from lunch thinking that, all things considered, I'm pretty damn lucky. Aside from all the sh*t I've had to put up with, outside of work, things are great. And I dont' have to stay here that much longer. I'm actually getting paid to find something else.

The Universe wasn't done yet. Yesterday afternoon They let 5 Temps go, including Gloria and Nathan. Officially I don't know about this yet. We have a meeting at 9 so that we can all find out. I'm not sure where They think we work-- They used the office right behind Anna to do it and like we're not going to know something is up when Nathan starts angrily shoving things into his bag.

The anger stems from the fact that the Temps were told that their end date would be August 31st. And although they are Temps and their very name suggests they are temporary, they had relied on the income, the job security, at least until the end of the summer. We're having a pizza party today. Its been planned for like 2 weeks. Now we find out that it was to "celebrate" the last day of the Temps.

I can't even blame Amy. She didn't know. She's the manager of the department and they didn't tell her until right before they made her tell them. I'm completely gutted for her (see what I mean about this perspective today? Its f*cked!), feel like she too was blind sided. She even cried. Stone-faced Amy cried.

Those of us that are left behind are devastated. Its such a short period of time to get used to the fact that Gloria won't be squawking around the office, that I won't have Nathan to mock anymore.

Let's take the time now to properly send off our favourite Temps.

Nathan: You really stepped up and filled Maurice's shoes when it was needed. I'm going to miss your accents, your assinine behaviour, the way you think you know everything. I'm going to miss helping you with Microsoft Word, your hats and jerseys. You were an inspiration to those that aspired to be 30 year old nothings, with no ideas of what you wanted to do ever. Thank you.

Gloria. What the hell? Just when I add you to the cast of characters on the blog, just when we had created a solid base on which to build a friendship, you leave. I will miss your daily non-PC comments, the squawking, your face and Your Mom. I'm sorry that it happened the way that it did but I'm glad that you don't even have the chance to stay here because you are so much better than this. You are destined for greatness, and this? Is not greatness. Its not even mediocrity. You have my phone number, I know where you live, this is just the beginning.

Perspective you guys. Amazing what it can do for you.

Have a great weekend. BC- enjoy the hell out of our well-deserved looooooooooooong weekend.