Real Life Intrudes

To be more precise, real life is always here; sometimes we escape it a bit by blogging, or playing WoW. But sometimes, it (RL) makes itself known by rearing its ugly head and letting out a huge roar/scream/howl.

Such is the situation I find myself in at the moment. On Friday, April 4, I was told that my position as human resources manager at a call center for a major airline’s frequent flyer program would be eliminated, effective April 18. That’s tomorrow.

This announcement, while leading to a conclusion I’d have preferred to make on my own terms, is both a blessing and a curse. I’ve been increasingly bored, and unhappy, in a position that was no longer what it was intended when I joined the company, almost 7 years ago. For example, we haven’t hired a new customer representative since January 2005. I’m frustrated and aggravated by the increasing micromanagement of our site by people in our corporate headquarters, who are collectively trying to justify their own positions. Unfortunately, they really are out of touch with what our people deal with on a daily basis.

On the other hand, I recognized two years ago that my position is, for the most part, redundant. So the blessing is, I’ll be free of a job that was no longer fun or enjoyable. (I know, "That’s why they call it ‘work.’") The downside, of course, is that I’ll have to find other employment.

Another plus is that a 4-day weekend my wife and I were planning to take this week to visit our son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter in their new home near St. Louis, will now be a 10-day vacation. YAY!  

I told my wife that I wasn’t even going to think about "what next" until we get back from that vacation (I do have the luxury of 10 weeks of severance pay, plus my Air Force retirement annuity each month). Naturally, the prospect of job-hunting as the nation appears to be headed into a recession isn’t exactly a thrill; on the other hand, I don’t feel stressed about this at all. I’m the original eternal optimist, and I’m confident good things will come our way. For instance, I want to find something that gives me joy, and brings in a paycheck. Not sure that will happen, but that’s my goal.

In the meantime, I won’t have to fight the corporate firewall to do my reading and blogging, at least for a little while. Of course, said reading and blogging will be taking a backseat to entertaining a three-and-a-half year old for a bit. But, I’ll have my laptop with me, so I’ll be checking in to both the game and the blog occasionally.

And just so you have a better understanding of my devotion to that little girl I mentioned, here’s a picture her mother took just before Easter: