Redundancies - a spectator sport?

I really don't want another week like this one.

Don't get me wrong, nobody got ill, the world didn't implode or anything like that, but it has been ever so slightly shit.

The nadir was Wednesday. The company I work for has recently bought a competitor. With another colleague, I've been working at the new company this week to help with the transition to the new (ie our existing) computer system.

To be fair to them all, it's gone pretty well. There have been no catastrophes and in general, fewer problems than expected.

Wednesday, however, was horrible. It was nothing to do with the computer and all to do with the fact that we've had to make seven people redundant.

Don't get me wrong; I am well aware that we live in times of mass redundancies. Every news bulletin talks of hundreds or thousands losing their jobs, but this week really brought home to me exactly what that means.

It was like a creeping death through the office. One by one, people were called in for their meeting. A few who have still got jobs have been demoted (there needs to be "alignment of roles"), so even those in employment weren't exactly thrilled. But the worst bit was when the person came out from their meeting accompanied by someone from HR. Then it was a rushed packing up of their personal belongings and carrying them out in a plastic bag (or whatever else they could find). There was no time to go around saying goodbye to people, exchanging phone numbers, or even shaking hands. The people involved were losing their jobs and as they packed up their things they were feeling rushed and losing a bit of dignity too. The reaction of the others in the office was also odd and yet understandable. Some colleagues couldn't look the "redundee" in the eye. Perhaps out of fear (if they hadn't yet had their meeting), perhaps out of guilt (if they already knew that they were okay), perhaps to avoid bursting into tears in the middle of the office. Personally, I have no such pride and did not try to fight the tears that came to my eyes or the crack in my voice, but I'm not saying this because I think it makes me a better person, it just makes me a person with less self control.

Everyone who wasn't coming back had gone by early afternoon, and those that were left were numb and drained. There was much talk of cracking open a bottle of wine with that night's dinner.

But the next day, it transpired that most people had just vegged out in front of the TV and let a soap opera and rest help them to rebuild.

So when you see that news item about another 1000 jobs going, please don't do what I had done, and allow large numbers to desensitise you to what this actually means. It means 1000 people with their pictures of their kids, their postcards from Florida and their special pen, mug or plant being shoved, without ceremony or care into a carrier bag, so that they don't keep the woman from HR waiting as she escorts them from the building. It means waking up the next day feeling guilty if you didn't go to the job centre on your way home from the office where you'd spent the last five years. It's about suddenly feeling lonely as your 9-5 social life is taken away from you. It's about fear of the future.

Forgive me if I'm painting a bleak picture. I know that there are many people for whom redundancy was the best thing that ever happened to them, how it spurred them on to make positive moves in their lives, how it jolted them out of a rut.

I truly hope that this happens to the seven people I saw lose their jobs this week and I hope it happens quickly, to take away the pain that I suspect they're feeling now.

Too little time

In theory, time is constant. By counting "1 elephant, 2 elephant" etc, one can count seconds. Count 60 of them and you have a minute, count 60 minutes and you have an hour.....well, you all know how it goes.

So why does time keep disappearing? It's DECEMBER, for goodness sake, how did that happen? It seems only five minutes ago that it was June!

Knitting

Needless to say, most of my queue is still a queue. One of Alena's Arsenal socks is completed, and I'm not far from the heel on the other, but time is my enemy.

It's my works fault. I ended up working yesterday (a Saturday! I'm an office worker, we don't do Saturdays) because of "data migration UAT" (which is converting one computer system to another and checking the information, for those of us who don't speak computer) and this had to be done over a weekend.

All next week, I'm going to have to work full time to help our new colleagues feel comfortable with said computer system and then we're only 3 weeks away from Christmas!

As my sister has told me that she doesn't like wool right next to her skin, I no longer have to worry about making her any socks, which is good as I really won't have the time.

I've kept my Christmas knitting list realistic, so nobody should have to wait until Spring to get their FO, but I must start earlier next year (like, in January).


Writing

Time may also be my enemy here. This week's writers' group will include my last distributed chapter that's already been re-drafted. I was SO ahead of the game, but now the game has overtaken me.

I must also get some more articles written - I'm falling behind and I could do with the cash!

Life

I'm still waiting for things to get better. Roll on the week after next (there I go, wishing and waiting and hoping again...)

Ah well - keep smiling.

Happy New Year

Hi all,

Happy New Year. A time for sorting out (13 bags of books to the charity shop on Saturday), reflection and prediction.

Reflection.
So, what did I achieve this year? Here's a brief list:

1. Started a blog!
2. Read 28 books (must do better)
3. Finished a novel (first draft)
4. Made 25 knitted/crocheted items.
5. Lost no weight /ate far too much chocolate
6. Saved no money (must do better).
7. Disliked my job intently (see no 5)

Predictions?

1. Will forget to add to the blog every now and again.
2. Won't read as much as I would like to (that whole sleeping thing gets in the way)
3. Will finish the second draft, and will punt it out to publishers and agents. The rest is in their hands. Will also do work on creative writing course, and try to get articles published.
4. Will make more knitted items. I've made a semi-promise to myself not to buy any yarn for at least six months. Let's see...
5. Will probably not lose any weight, although that may change (see no 7)
6. Must save some money, while I'm still earning it.
7. Will train for a new job, and then be self employed. Scary but exciting.

Knitting

I've already saved some money - rather than going out and buying a fancy pants address book, I found a very ordinary one in a cupboard, and using wool from my stash made a gorgeous little cover for it (see under patterns). It's already somebody's favourite on ravelry, so I'm happy.

Whatever your dreams, may they come true.