I survived!

I survived the layoffs but unfortunately my 3 favorite people at work didn't. They were all laid off and I feel horrible for them but I am hopeful that they will find another job soon. One of them may be opening her own business so it was a good time for her. It still leaves me alone with all of these other people and it makes me wonder how they choose who would be laid off. There are some people who I always see walking the halls and I know they don't do anything but yet they are still here.

There was a point this morning when I thought I would be laid off. One of the conultans they hired to lay people off came into my office by mistake, I thought "Great, It's my turn" but it turns out she just walked into the wrong office.

As a result of the layoffs I now work for a different division within my company and I now have a new boss. I don't know which of our three local facilities I will be working out of and I don't know how I feel about this. I like this facility because it's convenient but at this point I am just happy I have a job.

Layoffs

I am a ball of nerves today. The rumor is that the layoffs will be happening today and yesterday they set up 4 offices in our building. We are not sure who they are for but the rumor is that they are for HR people since we only have 1 HR person at our facilities and they would need help to do the layoffs.

Up to this point I hadn't been concerned about it because they were all rumors but now that it looks like it's a reality its becoming a bit nerve wrecking. I keep asking myself, is it better to be the last one standing or the first to go?

Right now I believe it would be better to be the first to go. If I stay behind and if our division merges with another division it would be a completely different company. I would also have to worry about how long I would be needed in the new company. Are they keeping me to help transition stuff over or am I going to be a permanent part of the new division? How much more responsability would I have to take on? Etc, etc, etc.

Right now I wish our leadership would grow some balls and just tell us what is going on. Other than an announcement telling us we were now reporting to another division they have not said a thing which has contributed to the rumors and the uncertainty.

I am surprised there has only been 1 person who has left the company. Everyone else is staying put. Maybe it's becuase they have all been here for so many years, some have been here for over 20 years, and they have to much to loose.

Has anyone else gone through layoffs? How did you cope?
How soon did you wait to file for unemployment?
Any advice you would give someone that is waiting to hear their fate?

Hola!

It's me! And I really don't know what to talk about. I don't really have much to talk about these days. All I have been doing is working these days. I am working about between 10 to 12 hours a days and it doesn't look like it will be getting any better. Here is my typical day:

5:30 Wake up, shower and get ready.
6:15 Leave for work
6:30 Arrive at the office
6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. work...with no lunch or breaks.
6:15 Go to the gym and attempt to work out.
7:30/8 p.m. go home and have dinner
9:00 Choose clothes for work and go to bed.

Yes, that is my day. Nothing exciting...just a long day at work. Surprisingly the day goes by really quickly. I am still enjoying the new job and I am learning a lot.

Since I don't have time to write about anything else I will start writing about work. There are some interesting characters there so I should have plenty to write about.

I am still trying to keep up with everyones blogs but it's difficult. So send me an email or give me a call and catch me up with what's going on with you.

Work

Work is going well. I am still learning a lot and there is still so much more to learn. I have been working loooong days and I have not taken a full hour lunch since I started but no complaints. I am learning a lot and it will look good in my resume.

Just updating. Hope all is well with all.

One More Thing

I don't have access to any unapproved websites so I can't access yahoo, gmail, blogger, etc.

So you may not be hearing from me to often.

First Day at Work!

Today was my first day at work and it was interesting. Did I mention I would be working with a lot of military people? Yea, they are different. I spent the first two hours today being recruited into the military and learning how great the military is and all of the benefits they have. I was ready to walk out. After I got to my department, me and a person out on medical leave, it was better.

I spent all day trying to get a hang of the stuff they do and the products they sell. They are all military/defense in nature so it's really sensitive and I really can't talk about it. I will say that it's completely different from what I am use to and it will take a while to get the hang of it. I like it so far and everyone seems really nice.

Since there is nobody there I am trying to learn everything on my own so it's a little hard but I am trying my best.

Oh and my office is nice and big. I just have to decorate a little. I may go buy a plant this weekend or something to give it some color.

First day down...

New Opportunities

I have put in my resignation today! I am no longer a slave to this corporation!

More details to come...I am to busy cleaning out my inbox and sending my pending task to someone else. It feels good to have a clean inbox :)

Are you kidding me?

My boss is on another interview...in his office. What is wrong with him?

Really?

I just came back from lunch and I am sitting at my desk listening to my boss interview for another position...in a different company.

Is that not the craziest thing you have ever heard? Most people normally go to their cars for an interview but not him. This guy has a loud voice, you can literally hear him 3 offices away from his even when his door is closed.

Here is some advice for any of you who are out there looking for a job. If you don't want people to know you are looking, leave the office for your interviews.

Oh No!

My worse fear has become a reality. Now that our department is so small they are goign to move us (again) and this time they are going to put us right in the middle of everything...the legal department. We will now have to wear ties and suits every day to work.

I am not looking forward to that. Needless to say the job search has begun. I have applied to a couple of jobs today and I hope I hear something back soon.

Confusion

So I came back to work after lunch and I found a box sitting next to my co-workers desk. I thought about going over there and saying "What's going on? Did you get fired?" but as soon as I walked to her desk I realized her personal belongings were gone and there was nobody else around for me to find anything about.

I later find out over 2/3 of the people in our department (made up of 5 smaller departments) were let go. Out of the 5 departments our department is the one that was able to keep 5 of our people, most other departments no longer excist and 2 other departments were left with one person.

We no longer have a department, we just have a group of people who are all strugling to figure out what is going on. Tomorrow our department will be restructured and we will all know where we end up and what our new responsibilities are.

So my job search begins. Keep your fingers crossed and send some positive energy my way.

Yearly Review

I am completing my yearly review for work right now and I have decided to give myself the highest score possible in all categories.

Maybe that will get me a HUGE raise!

YOU ARE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING!

Meetings at my hell hole are horrible. Everyone talks over each other and everyone wants to be the alpha male/female so they have to get their point across no matter what.

I just got out of a meeting that should have taken 30 minutes at the most but instead took almost an hour and a half. Everyone talks all over each other so you can't hear anything anyone says. If someone is speaking someone else chimes in with something completely unrelated so nothing ever gets accomplished. After something has been decided someone wants to make changes.

After a while I had to say "THE FORMAT HAS BEEN DECIDED, MOVE ON" and "YOU ARE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING!" and yes I did raise my voice. You have to raise your voice if you want to be heard.

I hate meetings.

Tell me about your meetings. Are they better than mine? Do people pay attention?

How dare you interupt my training!

I conduct a training course for two of my co-workers every other Tuesday. It's a welcome to our business 101 and I do it out of the kindness of my heart (cough).

Right as we are getting ready to start one of them dials in and says "C, I am not going to be able to make it today. I am about to leave work and go to the hospital."

And me, being the senstive guy that I am said "Can't you tough it out? It's only for an hour."

Nobody thought it was funny.

Quick Update about the interview

IT SUCKED!

No, it really did!

Lots of issues listed below:

1. I didn't have anything to wear. It seems I have gained weight and all of my shirts are to small around the collar so I had a hard time finding a shirt to wear. SO I queened out and B had to bring me back down to earth.

2. I didn't sleep very well. I kept waking up every hour and checking the clock. I was very tired this morning...thank god for eye cream.

3. I got to the airport at 7 a.m. (which means I got up at 5:30).

4. Nobody knew what to do with me, I had to go through security twice because I had to go back and get my boarding pass (not my fault...theirs).

5. We changed gates 3 times. I lost my phone in one of those gate changes. Luckily someone turned it in and I found it.

6. Flight was late.

7. When I got there I couldn't get a cab to take me to where I needed to go. I asked 5 different ones and they all said NO. ASSHOLES! I had to call a cab to come and get me. Apparently, if they leave the airport they can't come back for 3 hours and since I was going such a short distance they didn't want to take me.

8. The interview didn't go well. I think one of the ladies liked me and the other didn't. Not a big deal. Not sure I would want to work there. I need to do more research. I will know more if I go to the second round in 2 weeks.

On a good note, I was able to take an earlier flight back home. I had to run to the gate and I barely got on.

So now I am home and I am about to take a nap.

Have a good weekend!

The Ski is Falling

Or it feels like it anyway.

There are people around here who are creating issues or making issues bigger than what they really are. Mostly because they are afraid of loosing their jobs but it's also their nature.

There are also people kissing way to much ass around here. There is a lady that works here that is totally annoying. When they announced they had fired my bosses, bosses boss and our VP was appointed the interim person, she immediately asked should we start sucking up now? The next day she brought in bagels and has been in his office more than usual.

She annoys me. She is a know-it-all and she never shuts up. EVER.

Anyway, do your co-workers annoy you?

Things are Changing

Things are changing around here. My bosses, boss, boss was "let go" and now our department is under review. I have the feeling there are is going to be a 50% cut in staff to try to save cost around here. I wasn't to worried the first couple of days but not that everyone around me is panicking I am starting to panic as well.

That is all everyone seems to talk about in my department these days. And it doesn't matter what you are talking about, the subject always pops up. It's so tense here that people have started packing up their belongings and asking the copy center to copy certain materials they created, training manuals, etc.

And everyone seems to be working hard. Normally we all show up late but since all of this happened everyone is at their desk by 8 and leaves at 5 or after 5. I on the other hand came in late today. I had a tough night and couldn't sleep. But I have been on time every day this week…which is rare for me.

As far as packing, I don't really have anything here that I want to take with me. The only thing is a calendar that I use from Shigeki's Christmas mail out, my hand lotion, and my flash drive. Everything else that is here they can keep. I have never really personalized my work areas. I never put up photos or decorate so I don't have to box anything up.

I was talking to two ladies in my department who have been here for 5 years (which is rare, our turn over rate is over 50%), one of them use to be in HR and was telling horror stories of people who had been fired and either had guns in their bags or came back and sat in the parking lot waiting for their boss who fired them to come out. CRAZY

Anyway, we were making plans to go to Chicago in May but those plans will have to be postponed until we know what's going on around here.

On a happier note: This is my 500 Post!

Taking Dictation

There are many things I want to write about but this may not be the best place to let my feelings out. Instead I will talk about work:

I am not enjoying my job right now. It has caused me to have many drinks over the last couple of weeks.

I was in a meeting with my boss earlier and I was off in my own little world and when it was done I had written on my paper "Why do I feel like a fucking admin?"

Sometimes I feel like my work is taken, plagiarised, and butchered by my boss.

Anyway.

Do you ever feel like you have nobody to talk to?

Long Days

Work is really slow right now and I find myself unmotivated to complete some simple tasks.

So instead I blog.

Let's see. What should we talk about....

Suggestions? Anything you want to know about?

Oh, I will also post a meme that I was tagged...a long time ago. That should keep me entertained shortly.

Work

I don't talk about work to much but I just feel the need to mention this and I figured some of you may find this funny.

I came back to the office today and I found an email from my vp telling everyone at the office that he is to busy to be in the holiday spirit but he is making an effort. So he has made a cash donation in our names to a non-profit organization.

Does anyone else find that funny or is it just me? Do you guys think he actually made a donation or do you think he printed the certificates at home?

I guess I find it funny because B and I were trying to figure out what to get my coworkers and he made the same suggestion but that I should just print them off at home.