Being Laid Off Because Of My Blog

A little birdie told me today that it wasn't totally the current economic conditions, like it had been implied to me, that is the reason why I was Laid-Off. The little birdie told me it was because of my Blog. I totally just got Dooce'd. (For those of you who don't know who "Dooce" is, she is a really great writer that got laid off from her job because of her Blog. Now she actually had made a really good living writing on her Blog.)

Here's the thing. It totally doesn't matter. I really don't care the "reason". I'm sure there are thousands of reasons that are going thru their head. And their reason is because I was too open with writing on my Blog that I was looking for other jobs. Well, I have been looking for other jobs. And I write it because it has to do with what is going on in my life.

So I just think it is funny.

I had some really great interview today. And I really look forward to seeing what comes out of them. For now, I have another interview tomorrow and then I am heading into Cruise and Travel to pick up those calls and get some money in.

Being Laid Off

I've only been "Laid Off" a few times in my life. One was when I was working at American Express, but only as an intern. I knew the day was coming and when it did, it wasn't a big surprise at all. The other time was after the Salt Lake Olympics in 2002 and Toby, the owner of VIP Business Center, had to close her doors. I remember when and where I was when she called me. I had taken a few weeks off after the Olympics ended to get back into a normal pace. I don't remember where I was coming from, I just remember I was on my way to my Sorority House. I was coming off of I-15 on the 6th South Off Ramp and she called. She said that she had to close the doors to the Business Center. That it was no longer being profitable. That layoff I was devastated with. I loved working at the Business Center and I had put so much of my time and energy into it. But I somewhat knew something might happen and just before I took a few weeks off, I went up to the Salt Palace and told them to keep me in mind of any job opportunities and to keep me in mind. Smartest line I ever said to anyone. They called me up and I immediately took over the Business Center when the Salt Palace took it from Toby.

With Mountain Reservations ... you know I haven't been happy. I've been looking for jobs ... somewhat. Not as hard as I should have been looking for them. Not as committed to looking for them as I should have been. Again, I had this whole thought in my head of, I'd stick it out through the winter and make good money and then take the layoff in March after the season is over. Then I would be able to go back to working for myself. Well, apparently that isn't going to happen the way I thought it is going to work.

I got the "talk" today, the one line: "Hey do you have a minute to talk in the Conference Room?" I said yes and walked in. They continued to say that I am being let go because of the economy. That they have to do a "Company Wide Cutback" and because of this I can at least take unemployment. (I think I might just to have the money coming in ... who knows, its a new experience.)

But it isn't like I was blind sided by this. After I finally got off my butt and started looking for jobs, I got 4 interviews. 3 Tomorrow & 1 on Wednesday. So wish me luck ... I'm off to find a new job.

Question for Everyone

So my girlfriend Michelle McKee and I have been friends for 8 years. We've gone thru a lot together. We met in college in the sorority. She was my first ever roommate. We have matching tattoo's, even.

When she Graduated, we sort of went separate ways. She got engaged to Kevin her husband and I was still finishing up college but a short time later, we got reconnected. She was my support through my breakup with Monty, and just really a wonderful friend to have around. She was even my Matron of Honor for my wedding and flew out to Hawaii with us.

I am still not exactly sure what happened but somewhere she decided she just didn't like Scott. It baffles me. I think it has to do with when we were in Hawaii we were walking on the Hilton Waikoloa grounds and she asked about if we were going to see each other the day of the wedding. Both of us said, no that we hadn't planned to not be together and it really doesn't matter. It got into this little tiff about it being an old wives tale and that we had to do it. Scott finally said to Michelle that it doesn't matter. That we don't believe in that kind of stuff. Well ever since then she has totally been distant. She even didn't come to the Reception because she had another "dinner" to go to ... I don't believe that though.

About a month ago I got an email from Michelle saying that her Mom had just been diagnosed with Cancer and that she didn't know how long she was going to live. I called her the next day to see how she was doing and she started asking me about my relationship with Scott and having kids. I told her we are going to wait to have kids for a little bit longer for multiple reasons and money being one of them. And that I really want to get my business up and running so that when we do have kids, I will be able to work from home with them. Apparently this was a big deal for her somehow and that raising my kids and working from home is going to be really difficult to do. I just stated that in my mind, I thought it would be a little easier for me to be home instead of having to go and take them to Day Care every day. I she then said, "I can't deal with this ... I need to go ... I really don't like Scott and I can't be your friend like this ..." And she hung up. And we haven't talked since.

Last night I got a mass email from her saying that her Mom had passed away. That is horrible news. It really breaks my heart. Her Mom was very sweet and kind and loving. I want to be there for Michelle. But I don't know what to do. I don't know if Michelle will take it the wrong way if I go to her Mom's Funeral. I don't want to upset her again. Maybe I will just send flowers. I have no idea ... what would you do?

Nasty

Cheez-It Lip Gloss ...


What will they think of next? How did they think of this in the first place?

I Feel Fat

Scott, Sam & I just got back from a really great vacation out to California to see Scott's parents and sisters and all. It is always a lot of fun when we head out there.

Last Thursday, we headed out there. I made a mistake when we went to purchase the tickets. I missed the "4 week rule" and bought the tickets 1 day too late, so the price of the tickets on Delta has jumped up $400's per person. ... Ouch ... So we ended up on Southwest and the only flight that we wanted to take was a 6:40am ... icky ... flight out of Salt Lake. So we got up super early. Like 3:30am and finished packing and headed out to California. We got there are like 7:20am so we were able to have Breakfast with Scott's Mom & Dad which was a real treat.

Scott's sister Sandi, that I think is wonderful, ended up calling us up and saying that she was going to the mall to buy her daughter, Rachel's friend a birthday present and wanted to know if I wanted to go with her. I took that opportunity and said yes in hopes to have a little Sister-in-Law bonding time.

We walked into Abercrombie, and I literally wanted to walk back out. I had this horrible feeling of, Holy Shit ... I can not fit into anything in this store. These clothes are tiny, itty bitty, disgustingly small. I am not too fat. I'm not the size I was a year ago, but I'm not fat. I don't think my 6 year old step-son would have fit into a lot of these clothes. Folded up on the tables were these shirts. Folded up, the shirts were at most 3 inches wide. So if you open them up, they were at most for a Large, 6 inches wide. I don't have a 6 inch wide waist. And that is a freaking Large! Most of humanity doesn't have a 6 inch wide waist.

So now I am left really puzzled. I want to make Abercrombie really wrong for making clothes like this. Really cute clothes that first of all I can't buy because they don't come in my size. And hello ... I'm a freaking size 4 at Express in pants. I want to make God wrong for creating fat. Why can't we all just be skinny or why did you have to give me a body that I really have to work at it to keep in shape and having a really big butt. I also got this week that my butt is very huge. I am totally going to work on my butt ... somehow. And why do you have to put it in kids heads that they have to be so skinny. My niece, who is beautiful and the size of one of my thighs is a size 8 in the store. It disgusts me ...

Totally Slacking at Work ... a Work Post

I have had 2 friends of mine come to me recently and tell me that they miss me writing. So right now, it is totally slow at work and I am breaking the rules and blogging. And if they fire me ... So be it.

A lot of things have gone on since I stopped blogging about 6 weeks ago. Work sucks. It is so slow, I can not book anything to save my life. And its not like I'm not trying. The leads have almost stopped coming in and the phone calls lately have stopped also. It is almost back to being as horrible as during the summer ... and we are supposed to be in the busy season now. I know a lot of it has to do with the economy but I am totally shocked.

I have been looking for other jobs. Last night, I applied to 5 different jobs today and put my resume in all of the major ski resorts around here along with a few places up in Heber ... no call backs or anything. It is kind of sad. I am trying to not make it mean that I am someone who doesn't want to be hired.

What I really want to do is move back over to working my own Travel Business. SO SERIOUSLY ... IF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO WANTS TO GO ON A VACATION, TO ANYWHERE, HAVE THEM CALL ME. (800) 644-8820. My Mom came to me a few weeks ago and told me that she can't handle all of her Corporate Travel right now. And of course, I jumped for joy. It was a total silver lining in a nasty black cloud of work. Well, I get down with my Mom and it finally comes out that she wants me to take over her Corporate Travel ... eventually. Silver lining just went away. But she does want me to take over a little bit of her Corporate Travel. Right now we are working on the exact details. Possibly a slit, where she will guarantee that I will have a certain amount of bookings a week. That's a possibility and then I will just work my tail off for other bookings.

Its funny though, I have found that the Cruise Industry hasn't been hit as hard with the economy as the Ski Industry. I just booked 4 rooms in a cabin and have a couple more as a possibility.

I hate the effects that this is having on my relationship also ... There has been major stress with Scott and I. It is hard for me to pay my bills and Scott would like to have my income to help pay for our billings, and I would really love to give him my income to pay for our bills. And just not to have to worry about it. To be able to go on trips and vacations and not worry about how we are going to pay for it.

We'll see where it goes. I will definitely keep you posted as to the updates.