They keep going, and going, and going …
When they don’t answer their phones they’re paged.
then told to come to a conference room
five minutes later they reappear
tears
head hung low
They act like a kid acts when they fall off of their bike and try not to cry. Claiming they’re okay, but inside they’re screaming bloody murder.
I’m still crossing my fingers.
Well, it happened. I was the last person they called in. I’m guessing there were abour 40 of us all-together. My manilla envelope contained a breakdown of what I was being payed off for (vacation, severence, pay-to-date, etc.), information on COBRA benefits, and a copy of the confidentiality agreement I signed when I first began two and a half years ago. I packed a box of my personal items and walked out. People said goodbye. Hugs. I’m sorrys. Lets do lunch’s. Etc.
The last time I was laid off, it was Valentine’s Day. I went to Zelo with my fellow newly unemployed coworkers. By this time, I was downing about my ninth Long Island.
This time I called friends. Jim picked me up. The HR manager called shortly after I left to notify me that they’d neglected to mention I had a loan against my 401k (to buy my condo) that had to be paid back in full within 30 days. I quickly deposited my last check (in case they tried to adjust it for the 401k loan). Went to a meeting, then dinner at The Monte Carlo, and desert at The Wilde Roast.
I feel much better about the whole situation. It’s not as devastating to me as it was the last time I was laid off. I have faith this time. I have real friends this time. I’m grateful for these things.
Okay, so I was all excited about IKEA opening and then I didn’t even post anything about my trip… or maybe I mentioned it, but I think it deserves it’s own post.
We’re here!!!
They had an entire parking lot set aside just for the media. It was the closest lot and it was HUGE. Of course they had customers parking across the street and walking a mile in the sweltering heat, but everyone knows that marketing should come first!
Here’s one of the TV station trucks with their broadcasting satellite fully extended. You’d think that they’d want to park farther away from the building since it’s so big it probably interferes with the signal! Ok, I’m done bitching about how far I had to walk – I promise. That’s Jim in the lower left checking out one of the dozens of uber-hotties parading around the lot.
In the main entrance area they had a Mini Cooper on display with all of these boxes stacked on top of it. The stack was so tall I couldn’t fit the entire thing in the frame of my camera. On the very top (not pictured) there was a red sofa to match the car and the other various items. It must have been a nightmare to get this thing setup properly – notice it’s leaning against the wall in some places.
This is Jim and a complete stranger. They’re posing for what we hope will become part of the next catalogue. They must have failed to realize that none of the staged shots in the IKEA catalogue feature PEOPLE.
I LOVED the cafateria! I paid only $3.75 for a serving of Swedish meatballs, potatoes, the chocolate desert, and a medium-sized soda! It was surprisingly good, too – especially considering it was served cafateria style! This is a such a good idea, too, considering how much walking you do in this place, and how much time you can spend there. You’re bound to work up an appetite half-way through your shopping experience.
On this trip I didn’t actually purchase anything. On the next trip (yes, I’ve been there twice in the past two weeks), I purchased an umbrella for $4. I’ve heard they sell them for a dollar off on days that it’s raining. I’m waiting on any major purchases until I find out what the roommate is doing. Hopefully I won’t have to buy anything.
There are more photos of my trip in the gallery.
A couple of weeks back, two buddies from work and I decided to take a lunch hour ride on the new light rail system. This was the funniest part of the trip. The train was stopped, but the cross gate was down and this guy in his wheelchair was just stopped, waiting for it to come, though he was situated between the gate and the track, like he was getting ready for the train to come. I wanted to yell, “It’s not worth it!”
Check out the rest of the photos in the gallery, too.
It was so nice to wake up this morning without the sweltering humidity! I got up early and headed down to Spyhouse, where I got my regular coffee and blueberry muffin. Did the crosswords and came in to work.
Sort of feeling blah today. Roommate is still undecided about moving, and as such, feels the need to continue talking about the pros and cons with me. He’s meeting with his would-be new boss (if he takes the job in NYC) on Monday night for dinner. That meeting is supposed to be the determining factor in his decision. Unfortunately directly afterwards, on Monday, another employer is flying him out of town for a week to open a new store. I really hope he decides before he takes off. At this point, I just want to know either way.
Happy Thursday to you all.
I finally got around to adding some additional friends to my list on the right – please visit them, too – they’re superheros 
It’s so humid out today, as it was yesterday. You walk outside and you feel like you’re walking through a thick stew. As Paul Majors said on the news last night, your body loses it’s ability to cool down by sweating because the air is so humid your sweat won’t evaporate. Yuck.
Do you ever get yourself so psyched up over something and then it doesn’t happen? Like counting your chickens before they’ve hatched? I find myself doing it all too often. I start thinking about after the chickens hatch I can have them start laying eggs, and I can kill one for lunches for the next week, and on and on and on… I get myself all excited, and then let down. I guess I still have to work on my second and third step – living by God’s will, not my own.
My roommate was talking about moving to New York again last night. It sounds like he really wants to do it, and is probably leaning towards going. He has to let his job know by Monday. The suspense is sorta bothering me, but at the same time, I’m trying to “let go and let God.” If he moves, life does go on. It’s sad, though. We’ve both become very codependant on each other. I love the guy to death, and vice versa. I feel like lately the conversations have been leaning towards him wanting me to tell him to go… which I have, just not in so many words. What I’ve told him is that he can’t factor me into his decision – he has to do this or not do it for himself, not me. Of course I want him to stay, but I know myself that taking this job in NY would be a great opportunity for him, and probably the right thing to do. I just know that if he does do it, he won’t be back and we’ll never be as close as we are now. Am I being selfish?
Joe Mauer won’t be appearing on the small screen for at least another 15 days. More knee problems for the hottie catcher 
A friend and I were just joking about how the only domain names left are full sentances. Anything with under 5 or 6 characters is most likely taken. He just sent me this link:
http://www.JohnKerryIsADouchebagButImVotingForHimAnyway.com/
I think it’s pretty funny
DISCLAIMER:
I’m not the most politically opinionated or active homo on the block. Some of what this guy has to say makes sense to me, some of it does not. The views of the site listed above do not necessarily represent the views of Sparkles. I just thought it was humorous and fun. And, for the record, I’m voting for Kerry.
Okay, so I’ve been trying to live by a higher power’s timeline – his/it’s will, not my own. To those non-AAers, it’s basically equivalent to the thought behind the saying, “Live and let live.” (my own interpretation)
In AA we talk about willingness and action. The willingness to let God determine what’s best for us, to recognize it, etc. Then the action – to act on God’s will (not your own). The trouble for me comes in when God puts opportunities or options in front of you. We often talk about “doing the next right thing.” This concept is simple when it comes to things like, “should I spend time with my family, or should I blow them off and go to the bar.” The problem for me comes in when the options rise in complexity.
For instance, how do you tell the difference between an opportunity that God may have put in front of you to recognize and act on, and when you’re trying to spur something into action because of your own will? If I want to start my own business, is that something that I should hold off on? That takes self-initiation. God’s not going to put a sign in front of me that says “start your own business.” Or is he?