jewelz

Tough week, and you??

I'm a sad Jewelz today....I found out yesterday that the odds are pretty good that I will be getting laid-off soon from my job with the State, probably in the next week or so. I really, really, really, really what I do! Sometimes I may gripe about my boss, or how crazy some of the claimants are to deal with, but deep down inside I feel like I'm really contributin' something with what I do, and I hate the idea of not having that feeling. I'm kind of a big sap that way....there is something deep within me that really thrives on feelin' like somehow I am making a difference in someone's life, and being able to satiate that need with my job has been really very cool. So, now it's a bunch of waitin' and seein' and lookin' for a new place to hang my hat, AGAIN.

Anyway, I'll give you a for example of what I mean by making a difference....

This last week I wrote a claim for an older, single woman who had to take off of work due to a medical issue. When you quit a job, you have to prove that it was for "good cause" in order to be eligible for Unemployment benefits, and the process can be daunting to the claimants to say the least. I was able to help her get her get approved, and when I told her that she'd been approved she stood in my cubicle at work and broke down in tears of gratitude. She was simply overjoyed knowing that the struggle had ended, and she would have the money she needed to pay her bills. She thanked me, and blessed me before she left, and I am may never forget her.... It was....rewarding. What a great thing to be able to say about your work, and I think that's what I dread giving up the very most if I have to get laid-off.

This is all due to the loss of a big contract for services that we provided for a federal agency, and the 10 people in that department that have seniority will be moved into the rest of our positions....doesn't matter that they know abso-freakin'-lutely nothing about what it is that we do! They are just more senior. *sighs*

So, the good news is that I've already had some interviews for other positions working for the State. I would be able to transfer all my benefits, and accrued time off, etc. to these new jobs if I were to get them. The nicest part of that being our families medical insurance is through my work. One of the positions I've already had my second interview for, and the other I am supposed to contact the employer on Tuesday to set up my second interview with the Associate Dean...so I'm guessing that I won't be out of work long if this all happens. It still sucks though, no matter how I look at it.

I been trying to make peace with it in my head for the last week, and I just can't seem to get there no matter what I do

Other than that, we've kind of been dealing with the winter doldrums thing around here a bit the last week or so. Flashmo gets a little "cooped up" in the winter time when he's not able to be out doing things and stayin' busy....it's one of the things that I've learned to accept about him after all of these years together (this being our 17th winter together). I just know now to give him a little extra space when it happens, and find stuff to do by myself if need be....When he's busy shooting competition rifle and air rifle during the fall and winter months, he's able to keep his mind occupied and this doesn't seem to happen to him. Unfortunately this area that we live in isn't as active into the competetive shooting sports as Washington State was, and it's left a little bit of a whole in both of our activity schedules. I'm a shooter also and I miss it tremendously!! The other thing that we had "going for us" last year was that we could take the four-wheeler's out in the snow at the ORV park and tear up a litte, and the mountains around here are a little bit too much for four-wheelin' in the snow so they are all pretty much closed to it from November 15th through April 15th I think ridin' the four-wheelers keeps Flashmo's need for speed and wind through his hair (so to speak) satisfied, and he's not missing riding his sport bike as much.

So...we're both wishin' and prayin' for some warm weather and some snow meltage!! Dry streets = one happy Flashmo Everybody join hands and wish us some warm weather thoughts, K?

I can't believe I finally got the whole doctor thing worked out, and now it's the lay-off thing to worry about. Makes me think of my grandmother's old sayin' "if it's not one thing, it's six" She was pretty smart for an ole' gal

Hope everyone had an awesome Valentine's day!! For all of you who take the time to read through all this drama....

I you!! Thanks for caring, it really does help to know that someone does

Jewelz