Over the past couple weeks I've become aware of two very unfortunate situations. One involves an acquaintance, another a good friend.
The acquaintance, a waitress at our favorite greasy spoon, has basically dropped from sight. She'd work at the Diner, and another restaurant owned by the same folks. As of late I'd assumed I didn't see her because she was either working the other restaurant, or it was her day off. Now I've found out she was fired, and is possibly on a downward spiral that involves drugs and alcohol. As best I can tell this woman is truly a good person on the inside, but has been forced to deal with other than ideal circumstances in her life........... an example being an abusive foster home environment. I hope she shows up and can get it together.
My friend, whom I've known since the early 80's has just been "let go" from his job. He's a great guy with a good heart. He's been a bit less than lucky with jobs over the years. However I thought this latest endeavor, working as a technician at a North Carolina company doing medically related nano research, ......well I thought he'd found a real home. Evidently I was wrong as they are doing some internal "refocusing" and let him and some other folks go. What makes it worse is that he moved from Maryland to North Carolina, and even bought a house there. I hope he can find alternate employment...... and soon.
For both the acquaintance and friend in my life I'd ask that you say a prayer, maybe the one thing that might help these folks regain their footing.
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It's never good to hear things like this, and even moreso around the holidays. These little gut checks make me really remember what's important, and to hold my family a little closer and be thankful for all the blessings I have, even when they don't feel like blessings.
What a shame...for all involved.
Welcome back to blogland - missed your posts!!
The loss of job situation hit a bit closer to home, both because he is and has been a freiend for years, and because I just heard about it yesterday. And I'm a bit at a loss of what exactly I can do, beyond the obvious moral support.
The other situation is positively scary. A 46 year old woman who has no family, has lost her way, and is flirting with disaster in her lifestyle. It's not too much of a stretch of the imagination to expect to see her listed in the obituaries.
Not sure how much blogging I'll do in the short term. Between Thanksgiving and New Year is always bad. If that weren't enough, our main contractor is trying to "wrap up" his stuff around here. And the biggest. I submitted my buyout papers at work, and have to submit my retirement application by the end of the week. If I accept the buyout, I need to be gone by Jan. 3rd. Surreal.
But anyway, thanks for the "welcome back". It's appreciated.
Wow! Taking the big step, huh? In these economic times, it's most likely the smart thing to do, although that sounds counter-intuitive, doesn't it? At any rate, hope the transition goes smoothly - I work for government, I know how slowly and inefficiently those often-mis-aligned wheels grind!
Retiring is the -smart- thing to do??
You're right, that sounds counter-intuitive. Can you explain your logic on that one?
BTW thanks for the tips on cleaning the Andersons.....
Logic? I don't think there is a logic to it, more just a gut feeling. I'm not an economist or a financial planner, but in this day and age, to do something you were contemplating pretty seriously anyway while you can still get a good buyout deal and with your retirement income still intact seems like the best way to go. Wait another year or two and the buyout might look a little thin, and you never know where the pension/retirement funds will be. ALL while you're avoiding heavy commuting, big mileage and gas in the car, wardrobe, time, lunches out, childcare.
And of course, never count out that local, part-time job to make a few bucks on the side, or free-lance writing or heck - starting your own ebay business.
Could we also consider the "good for society" angle? Not sure what they'd do for your position, but would it open up for someone else? SOMEONE out there needs a job! HA HA!!
All good points. I actually did ask about what would happen with my "vacated" position. The answer...abolished... so it would benefit no one. My current co-workers would have to take up the slack.
I think staying longer might be the -fiscally- prudent move. Retiring now to be the "at home dad" would likely benefit the family from hard to quantify personal aspect.
Well, whatever you decide, no regrets. You will make the right decision for you and your family. It just seems so....final. Especially with the abolished position - no chance of getting THAT back! Uh-oh, I'm not helping now, am I?
After much discussion, hand wringing, sweating the unknown, etc..... The decision has been made. I'm leaving effective Jan. 3, 2009.
Prayers have been sent, and will continue! I don't know what else to say about that, it's so sad.
I can however, think of a reason to retire now...perhaps the longer you wait (and the worse things get before the get better), the smaller the buy-out package will get, and soon there won't be any buyout at all, they'll just tell you to leave. That's the way it worked at IBM anyway, but it's probably a bit different for a gummint job.
The decision to leave is really independent of the buyout, which frankly is a joke. $25k... maybe 16 or $17k after taxes. No... the decision is based on being with the family versus being at work. My biggest fear is that they'd suddenly come up with some nonsense about raising the retirement age, effectively removing that option for me.
Yes, there's that too. :-(
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