now: with potential job loss!

It's possible that within the next two weeks I won't have a job anymore. The rumor mill is churning in overdrive right now: there's some pretty good evidence that we've been purchased, and that there will be big changes in staffing. We've heard it's a done deal. In fact, some reps from the new company were in a conference room here the other night, typing away furiously on laptops, and no one was allowed in (including people needing to fix things so they could use them in that room). The partners had a big meeting two nights ago. One of the founders of our company is leaving to go back to teaching. My direct managers are all in a "review" meeting right now (it's the end of the year, performance review-wise, so they COULD actually be doing that, but it seems pointless).

We've heard also that if we do retain our jobs we'll have to move offices, because they're renting ours out. Thanks to Sandy, our NYC office is offline until at least Monday, so we're all pretty sure we won't hear anything definitive until after they reopen. But the rumor is that everything will be done, i.e., decisions made about staffing, etc., by mid-month November.

The thing is, I would LOVE to be laid off right now. I would be SO HAPPY. They'd probably do a decent severance. I'd qualify for unemployment. I live in Massachusetts, so I'd be fine for health insurance. I live with Mom, so I wouldn't be out on the street. It's an ideal time, really, if such things can be ideal. [Which of course means I will not get laid off.]

The other thing is that the new company is a good company to work for. Huge huge company. Better benefits than ours. Highly regarded in the industry. Good promotion record for women. Women in upper management positions. So if I end up over there, that might be good, too. At least it would be a new company on my resume. I've worked at the same place for almost 13 years, now, which in the modern economy looks like I'm stagnating (which is true). Having a new company on my resume would be good.

So really, either way is good. I'd prefer the layoff. But at least at the new company I'd have opportunities to move into new positions. There isn't really anything I'd want to do at my current company. So we're all on edge, waiting for the shoe to drop.

In other news, my kitty has a new name. No more Mr. Whiskers, he's now Zachary. Mom gave me a list of names she liked, and I picked it off the list. Cooperation! Zach Johnson is a golfer she likes, so Zach it is. We're calling him Zach Black. He's rambunctious and adorable. And sometimes I want to kill him. And sometimes Sally Ali wants to kill him. But we're managing. He's very smart and very curious, and he occasionally ends up with a face full of cobwebs due to his curiosity and my inadequate housekeeping skills. Mr. Whiskers, indeed.

My exercising is less than satisfactory, and I've been eating a bunch. I'm on the upside of the four to five pounds I keep surfing, so that's not good. This stupid knee is sometimes better, and sometimes awful. I slept poorly last night, tossing and turning, achy all over, and that's true more often than not. I'll probably have to see my doctor about it, because it's just not good and I need a plan of action. I have a prescription for Tramadol, but I don't want to just treat the symptons. I'd like to see what I can do to solve it.

It's a new month, so I'm hoping to double down and get busy again. I haven't walked since Saturday, and here it is Thursday. I'll walk at lunch today, but I am so out of my groove. I've even been forgetting to put the Fitbit on.

Exercise Oct 20-Oct 30
Sat: Nothing; Fitbit logged 3,200 steps
Sun: Walking 60 min; Fitbit logged 9,700 steps
Mon: Nothing; Fitbit logged 4,000 steps
Tue: Walking 40 min; Didn't wear Fitbit
Wed: Nothing; Didn't wear Fitbit
Thu: Walking 45 min; Didn't wear Fitbit
Fri: Nothing; Fitbit logged 7,000 steps
Sat: Walking 40 min Fitbit logged 8,200 steps
Sun: Nothing; Fitbit logged 5,100
Mon: Nothing; Didn't wear Fitbit
Tue: Nothing; Didn't wear Fitbit