December 15th was my last day at the company I worked with since shortly after graduation in 2001. My voyage to unemployment actually started about two and a half years ago.
The main function of my job was facilitating and managing most things that had to do with training for new customer service associates. There are four major customer services centers. They are located in Chicagoland, Charlotte, Orlando and The Woodlands (near Houston). Two and a half years ago the company decided it was going to move most customer service out of the Chicagoland office.
With this decision and the way the economy was I felt my job was at risk. It wasn't something I worried about on a daily basis, but would always say that if I showed up to work one day and they said that it was it for me I wouldn't be totally shocked. The day ended up being October 25th. The company had been bought out, and with a merger came additional uncertainty about my job. So when the important HR women sought me out that day I knew exactly what was coming. She shared my position (with most of my team) was being eliminated, my last day would be December 15th, went over the severance information, said I could look for other roles in the company & sent me on my way.
As I mentioned I was not totally surprised. It isn't the best time to be looking for a job, but it isn't always a bad thing to get shaken out of our comfort zones. While there have been some challenging times since I found out, I do believe this is an opportunity. I did interview for one position before I left, which I did not get. It was humbling to know that after 10 years of often exceeding expectations they didn't want me twice.
I have severance for a little while, one loan with very generous terms and no other debt. For being unemployed I am in a good place. I am interested to see what is next.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Friday, December 31, 2010
2010 The Rest...
TV Show -
'Lost'
Album -
Live in Las Vegas: Dave & Tim (it's the only album I bought)
Blog -
Kate McGroarty who spent a month living at the Museum of Science and Industry. The Blog starts at the end and works its way back. Well worth a read!
Reads -
Meals that Can Change Your Life - Relevant...
The Invention of Air: The Myths of Young Michael Jordan, Deconstructed - deadspin...
The Color Purple - Bill Simmons...
We Worship the God of Security - USA Today...
9 Things to Know Before you Turn 30 - Relevant...
'Lost'
Album -
Live in Las Vegas: Dave & Tim (it's the only album I bought)
Blog -
Kate McGroarty who spent a month living at the Museum of Science and Industry. The Blog starts at the end and works its way back. Well worth a read!
Reads -
Meals that Can Change Your Life - Relevant...
The Invention of Air: The Myths of Young Michael Jordan, Deconstructed - deadspin...
The Color Purple - Bill Simmons...
We Worship the God of Security - USA Today...
9 Things to Know Before you Turn 30 - Relevant...
Thursday, December 30, 2010
2010 Videos...
Video of the Year ---
Other Videos ---
How to Start a Revolution
'Lost' 'Inception'
'Lost' 'Wonder Years'
Viral done right
Weezer featuring Hayley Williams
And do yourself a favor and checkout anything by the PS22 Chorus http://www.youtube.com/user/agreggofsociety#p/a/8441E0589D28C5E1/1/qjPfy8yuCHU
Other Videos ---
How to Start a Revolution
'Lost' 'Inception'
'Lost' 'Wonder Years'
Viral done right
Weezer featuring Hayley Williams
And do yourself a favor and checkout anything by the PS22 Chorus http://www.youtube.com/user/agreggofsociety#p/a/8441E0589D28C5E1/1/qjPfy8yuCHU
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
2010 Books & Movies...
Books -
"Fearless" - Max Lucado
"The Shack" - William P. Young "More than Enough" - Dave Ramsey
"Churched" and "Beattitudes" - Matthew Paul Turner
"Becoming the Answers to Our Prayers" - Shane Claiborne & Jonathan Wilson Hartgrove
"Columbine" - Dave Cullen
"Exponential" Jon & Dave Ferguson
"The Life You've Always Wanted" - John Ortberg
"Searching for God Knows What" - Donald Miller
"Crazy Love" - Francis Chan
"The Town" - Chuck Hogan
Favorites -
Movies -
(Not all of them were released in 2010, but I saw them for the first time in 2010)...
Avatar, The Imagination of Doctor Parnassus, 500 Days of Summer, Fan Boys, Sugar, Up in the Air, Alice in Wonderland, The Blindside, Iron Man 2, Leap Year, Toy Story 3, Twilight: Eclipse, Inception, The Other Guys, New in Town, Sunshine Cleaning, Youth in Revolt, Social Network, Date Night, The Killers, How to Train Your Dragon, Megamind, Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows, She's Out of my League, Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Fighter.
Favorites -
"Fearless" - Max Lucado
"The Shack" - William P. Young "More than Enough" - Dave Ramsey
"Churched" and "Beattitudes" - Matthew Paul Turner
"Becoming the Answers to Our Prayers" - Shane Claiborne & Jonathan Wilson Hartgrove
"Columbine" - Dave Cullen
"Exponential" Jon & Dave Ferguson
"The Life You've Always Wanted" - John Ortberg
"Searching for God Knows What" - Donald Miller
"Crazy Love" - Francis Chan
"The Town" - Chuck Hogan
Favorites -
Movies -
(Not all of them were released in 2010, but I saw them for the first time in 2010)...
Avatar, The Imagination of Doctor Parnassus, 500 Days of Summer, Fan Boys, Sugar, Up in the Air, Alice in Wonderland, The Blindside, Iron Man 2, Leap Year, Toy Story 3, Twilight: Eclipse, Inception, The Other Guys, New in Town, Sunshine Cleaning, Youth in Revolt, Social Network, Date Night, The Killers, How to Train Your Dragon, Megamind, Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows, She's Out of my League, Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Fighter.
Favorites -
Monday, December 20, 2010
Overheard...
I had to do a class evaluation today. The girl beside me didn't fill in any bubbles. She wrote in huge letters "RETIRE" across the whole sheet.
The men don't even look like men. They look like Bea Arthur wearing black jackets.
He's like a sasquatch. A coked out sasquatch.
Thumbs -
I saw 'The Fighter' and thought it was good. I enjoyed the family dynamic, the old hometown/legend angle and the film overall. Christian Bale and Amy Adams were excellent.
I also saw 'Voyage of the Dawn Treader'. I have mixed feeling about this one. I loved the 'The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe'. It is one of my favorite movies. I have not enjoyed 'Prince Caspian' or 'Dawn Treader' nearly as much. It isn't that they are bad movies or even bad interpretations of the books, but it feels as though something is missing. The first one was magical. I felt as though it captured the imagination of Narnia. The second two movies haven't had that. They've been entertaining adventures but Narnia has been neutered.
The men don't even look like men. They look like Bea Arthur wearing black jackets.
He's like a sasquatch. A coked out sasquatch.
Thumbs -
I saw 'The Fighter' and thought it was good. I enjoyed the family dynamic, the old hometown/legend angle and the film overall. Christian Bale and Amy Adams were excellent.
I also saw 'Voyage of the Dawn Treader'. I have mixed feeling about this one. I loved the 'The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe'. It is one of my favorite movies. I have not enjoyed 'Prince Caspian' or 'Dawn Treader' nearly as much. It isn't that they are bad movies or even bad interpretations of the books, but it feels as though something is missing. The first one was magical. I felt as though it captured the imagination of Narnia. The second two movies haven't had that. They've been entertaining adventures but Narnia has been neutered.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
On Leadership...
"Could this be what leadership is often about—not asking people to take a risk for you, but rather taking one for them? That is what leading is."
"BEING A TRUE LEADER isn't always glamorous. There are not always hundreds of people wanting to be like you and do what you do. We can witness this in the book of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah is the account of the rebuilding of Jerusalem. During the restoration, enemies threatened to attack the city as the wall and gates were rebuilt; it wasn't necessarily the safest place. That is one reason the average Joe didn't immediately sign up to live there.
Jerusalem living also meant leaving a previous place of residence, which had one's farm and livelihood. At this point, Jerusalem was not yet finished and business would have been slow. But we read that the leaders lived in Jerusalem, and the rest drew lots. These leaders made a sacrifice. Someone had to live there and start the process of creating a once again bustling city.
Could this be what leadership is often about—not asking people to take a risk for you, but rather taking one for them? That is what leading is. We learn how to do this in its purest of forms through Jesus and his substitutionary death on the cross. He calls us to lay down our lives for others, because He has laid down his for us. Have you been a leader lately?"
This devotion is adapted from shortdailydevotions.com.
"BEING A TRUE LEADER isn't always glamorous. There are not always hundreds of people wanting to be like you and do what you do. We can witness this in the book of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah is the account of the rebuilding of Jerusalem. During the restoration, enemies threatened to attack the city as the wall and gates were rebuilt; it wasn't necessarily the safest place. That is one reason the average Joe didn't immediately sign up to live there.
Jerusalem living also meant leaving a previous place of residence, which had one's farm and livelihood. At this point, Jerusalem was not yet finished and business would have been slow. But we read that the leaders lived in Jerusalem, and the rest drew lots. These leaders made a sacrifice. Someone had to live there and start the process of creating a once again bustling city.
Could this be what leadership is often about—not asking people to take a risk for you, but rather taking one for them? That is what leading is. We learn how to do this in its purest of forms through Jesus and his substitutionary death on the cross. He calls us to lay down our lives for others, because He has laid down his for us. Have you been a leader lately?"
This devotion is adapted from shortdailydevotions.com.
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