Then There Were Three Again

It was one week ago today when Wendy told me the bad news. I knew right then and there that I was being laid off that day. No one in the office knew about this, not even Wendy.

I was planning to leave the company anyway, but not until I found a better job and until I saw what the company profit-sharing was all about since I was eligible in January 2010. However, they beat me to it. Now, I'm back at home pounding the keyboard for job opportunities. And I did get a reasonable separation pay that was good for six weeks, even though I was only entitled to receive 2½ weeks' worth of pay.

As soon as I finished reading my walking papers, I grabbed a box to put my personal stuff in there, like my action figures, books, water bottles and picture frame. To save me from embarrassment, Wendy had the box shipped home.

After signing the release form, I hugged Wendy and asked her to say goodbye to the other Wendy and Cathy for me. Then I looked outside my window for the last time while putting on my jacket. It was a cold, wet and dreary day.

I grabbed my bag, waved goodbye to Wendy and headed out the door.

Thank God for Short Workweeks

Monday was Thanksgiving Day; so, we didn’t have to go to work, making this week a four-day workweek. Last week was, too, because we got Friday off. However, the days appear longer, especially now that projects are getting few and far between. Clients who are taking their time in sending approvals aren’t helping either.

Once again, I try to keep myself busy by watching training videos online; however, it’s now becoming tedious. Sooner or later, I’ll run out of training videos to watch. When that happens, I guess I’ll have to start learning new software.

By the way, three boats caught fire yesterday by the harbour a block away. It produced a huge pillar of black smoke, which I could see from my office. No one was hurt fortunately.

Christmas in October

Monday morning, as I was about to leave for work, I got this text message from the bigger Wendy not to come in the morning. She said that a transformer blew in the building on Sunday and caused an electrical fire. I called her up and asked for more details about the incident.

Wendy said that there was no power in the entire building. Unfortunately, Petra from the other agency was at work on Sunday and parked inside the parkade when this happened. She had to go down 16 floors using the stairs. Her car was stuck, too, as the security gates couldn’t be opened.

This was reminiscent of last year’s disaster in the building just days before Christmas when a water pipe on the fifth floor blew and flooded everything under it, including the elevators. But that was worse. This time, they got the power back on by Tuesday morning.

Wendy and I dubbed this event as Christmas in October.