The days of wine and roses have come to an abrupt end. And just when my "OMG! I'm getting old and need to start saving as much money as possible for retirement (HA!)" alarm went off.
The good news: I did get a new writing gig, very close to home, with an oil company.
The bad news: It pays $20,000 a year less than what I usually make. Bad time for my "must save money for retirement" alarm to go off.
Employers are up to their old tricks again. The economy takes a shit, companies lay off thousands of people, and they low-ball the people who are now hitting the pavement to find another gig.
Competition is seriously stiff around these parts. I expected to be unemployed at least a month or two. Fortunately, it only took me about three weeks to find another gig. But the thousands of people who have flocked to the Houston area in the last several years because of the booming economy here, and who are now laid off are waking up to the ugly realities. You cannot pay your mortgage on your McMansion and your new Lexus and send your tiny child prodigies to private schools from the measly paychecks that you get from unemployment.
Those people, like me, who have had to accept a much lower income, will most likely have to make some tough decisions in the next few months. I have no idea how long the low-balling of salaries will continue here in the Houston area, but it's definitely going to affect the economy here (I know, DUH!) in several ways. Some negative, some positive. People who will have no choice but to sell their McMansion, or walk away from the debt, will be the losers in this deal. Some of the other people who have enough borrowing power, or simply have the cash to spare, will be able to pick up some good deals on said McMansions.
I did get approved to receive unemployment benefits from TWC (thanks Obama!). I got my first payment the day after I received the good news that I landed the writing gig from the Friday the 13th interview. Lucky, lucky me.
Still waiting to hear what my start date will be and really looking forward to loving weekends again. When every day feels like a Saturday, and there is no payday on the horizon, it kind of takes the fun out of things.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Friday, March 13, 2015
Hey buddy! Can you spare a six figure income?
Employment Agency Account Manager: Hi Jude. I received an email from Saqib today that your project is wrapping up.
Me: What? Really?
Account Manager: Yes. Does that sound right to you?
Me: No. Saqib told me last month that he wanted me to wrap up the project I've been working on because he has a big project he wants me to start on. Gosh. I hope they were happy with my services here.
Account Manager: If they weren't happy with you, I would've heard about it by now. I'll find out what's going on.
Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp.
Is that the sound of crickets? Why, yes it is.
Being a consultant, I'm used to the up and down cycles of the job market. But it really smarts when you get blind-sided like I did this time. Especially when you're led to believe that you're being kept on long term. In a meeting I attended while at ABS NS, one of the VPs asked me to stay long term to help them with other projects. HEY! No backsies!!
I was a little upset at first, but because I've been a consulting technical writer for over 20 years, I recover quickly after being thrown under the bus. Soon, I realized that I would be free from the boss who would yell my name from across the room when he wanted me to attend an ad hoc meeting. Free from the boss who seemed to dislike me from day one. I moved through the grieving stages rather quickly. I wouldn't miss the job or the negative boss, or the coworkers, but I would miss the six figure income.
Easy come, easy go, am I right? I thought, no problem. I'll file for unemployment and then prepare to be bombarded with emails and phone calls from recruiters after updating my resume, which is always what happens to me.
I updated my resume. I filed for unemployment. This'll be a snap, I thought. I'll just wait for the flood of emails and phone calls. Any minute now. Any minute now.
Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp.
Wtf? Nothing was happening. No emails. No phone calls. Okay, a couple of emails about jobs in other cities and other states. No can do. I still have a couple of months left on my lease. Yes, there have been thousands of others who have been recently laid off here in Texas because of the oil situation.
Must. Stay. Focused.
In the meantime, the many envelops filled with paperwork from filing for unemployment benefits arrives. Why do we need an "owner's manual" to file for unemployment? It shouldn't be that complicated. Have you been working? What was your income? What's your bank account number so we'll know where to deposit your checks? Easy, peasy.
Hold on now! Wait just a cotton-picking minute. Easy? What were you thinking? The TWC (Texas Work Commission) website says to file immediately after you've been laid off. Done, check that off my list.
I open the letter from the TWC and my unemployment claim was denied. Did you know that if you work for a temporary agency in Texas that you are considered still employed by them for three business days after you are laid off? You didn't??!! Well, neither did I!
Claimed denied. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $465 a week (that's the maximum you can get here in Texas when you're unemployed). I started doing the math (of course, I used a calculator - I'm a tech writer, not a mathematician). That's about $24,000 a year. That WOULD pay my rent and my car payment with a few dollars left over for bread and water. Who needs electricity and running water? Electricity and running water are for pussies.
WOULD pay my rent and car payment. But because of the technicality of working for a temp agency and the "still employed for three business days" rule, my claim was denied and considered invalid. Suddenly, a sugar daddy was sounding like a viable option as opposed to sleeping in a refrigerator box under a bridge.
Okay, stop panicking Jude.
I wasn't able to re-file my unemployment benefits claim online; I had to call a phone number. Just another two hours of my life gone while I listened to the message over and over again that "due to the call volume, we're unable to handle your call right now, so call back later, you miserable piece of shit who doesn't have a job. Click. Dial tone." But I was able to have one of the pleasant (no, really, she was very pleasant) TWC people cancel my first claim, and enter a new claim for me over the phone.
I'm waiting to see if I've broken some other rule which I had no clue about because I'm someone who doesn't have to worry about being unemployed. The anticipation is killing me.
The good news is, I have an interview today. It's not the six figure salary that I'm used to making, but it's a hell of a lot more than what unemployment pays.
Stay tuned.
Me: What? Really?
Account Manager: Yes. Does that sound right to you?
Me: No. Saqib told me last month that he wanted me to wrap up the project I've been working on because he has a big project he wants me to start on. Gosh. I hope they were happy with my services here.
Account Manager: If they weren't happy with you, I would've heard about it by now. I'll find out what's going on.
Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp.
Is that the sound of crickets? Why, yes it is.
Being a consultant, I'm used to the up and down cycles of the job market. But it really smarts when you get blind-sided like I did this time. Especially when you're led to believe that you're being kept on long term. In a meeting I attended while at ABS NS, one of the VPs asked me to stay long term to help them with other projects. HEY! No backsies!!
I was a little upset at first, but because I've been a consulting technical writer for over 20 years, I recover quickly after being thrown under the bus. Soon, I realized that I would be free from the boss who would yell my name from across the room when he wanted me to attend an ad hoc meeting. Free from the boss who seemed to dislike me from day one. I moved through the grieving stages rather quickly. I wouldn't miss the job or the negative boss, or the coworkers, but I would miss the six figure income.
Easy come, easy go, am I right? I thought, no problem. I'll file for unemployment and then prepare to be bombarded with emails and phone calls from recruiters after updating my resume, which is always what happens to me.
I updated my resume. I filed for unemployment. This'll be a snap, I thought. I'll just wait for the flood of emails and phone calls. Any minute now. Any minute now.
Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp.
Wtf? Nothing was happening. No emails. No phone calls. Okay, a couple of emails about jobs in other cities and other states. No can do. I still have a couple of months left on my lease. Yes, there have been thousands of others who have been recently laid off here in Texas because of the oil situation.
Must. Stay. Focused.
In the meantime, the many envelops filled with paperwork from filing for unemployment benefits arrives. Why do we need an "owner's manual" to file for unemployment? It shouldn't be that complicated. Have you been working? What was your income? What's your bank account number so we'll know where to deposit your checks? Easy, peasy.
Hold on now! Wait just a cotton-picking minute. Easy? What were you thinking? The TWC (Texas Work Commission) website says to file immediately after you've been laid off. Done, check that off my list.
I open the letter from the TWC and my unemployment claim was denied. Did you know that if you work for a temporary agency in Texas that you are considered still employed by them for three business days after you are laid off? You didn't??!! Well, neither did I!
Claimed denied. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $465 a week (that's the maximum you can get here in Texas when you're unemployed). I started doing the math (of course, I used a calculator - I'm a tech writer, not a mathematician). That's about $24,000 a year. That WOULD pay my rent and my car payment with a few dollars left over for bread and water. Who needs electricity and running water? Electricity and running water are for pussies.
WOULD pay my rent and car payment. But because of the technicality of working for a temp agency and the "still employed for three business days" rule, my claim was denied and considered invalid. Suddenly, a sugar daddy was sounding like a viable option as opposed to sleeping in a refrigerator box under a bridge.
Okay, stop panicking Jude.
I wasn't able to re-file my unemployment benefits claim online; I had to call a phone number. Just another two hours of my life gone while I listened to the message over and over again that "due to the call volume, we're unable to handle your call right now, so call back later, you miserable piece of shit who doesn't have a job. Click. Dial tone." But I was able to have one of the pleasant (no, really, she was very pleasant) TWC people cancel my first claim, and enter a new claim for me over the phone.
I'm waiting to see if I've broken some other rule which I had no clue about because I'm someone who doesn't have to worry about being unemployed. The anticipation is killing me.
The good news is, I have an interview today. It's not the six figure salary that I'm used to making, but it's a hell of a lot more than what unemployment pays.
Stay tuned.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
2014 - Killer Elevators, Latin Lovers, Cancer, Job Loss and Gun Ranges
2014 was a year of firsts for me. Some were good, some were bad. It brought some high drama my way. It also brought heartbreak – personally, as well as professionally.
1) I was nearly killed by an elevator.
In January of this year, I had my first phobia-inducing incident in an elevator. Actually, I already had an elevator phobia and so when given the choice between stairs and an elevator I almost always opt to take stairs. I was working in a tall building in the West Chase area of Houston for an oil and gas company. My cubicle was on the first floor. The free daily lunch that was provided was in the canteen – on the 13th floor. Lucky number 13! I had just grabbed a free salad for lunch from the canteen and got in an elevator by myself to go back down to the first floor to eat my lunch. I pushed the button for the lobby and nothing happened. So I pushed it again. The elevator must have decided to take the express route because it descended so quickly that when it hit the first floor, it HIT the first floor. I was nearly knocked off my feet. Then the doors didn’t open. I stood there in shock for a few seconds then started punching the open doors button like a mad person. It took several tries before the doors finally opened. I lurched off the elevator and went directly to the lobby security man and told him that an elevator just tried to kill me. After several other people in the building reported some of the same type of incidents in some of the other elevators, they called the elevator maintenance company and it was determined that the elevators needed calibrating. You think? At least no one was seriously hurt and I got some free chiropractor adjustments out of the traumatic event. In a strange way, I feel somewhat validated that I’ve always had an elevator phobia.
2) I had my first Latin Lover (aka: The Hot Tamale).
I’ve been single for a very long time – about 16 years now. I’ve dated men of color. But I’d never dated a Latino man before, until I moved to Texas. I wasn’t avoiding them, it just never presented itself. I won’t go into the gory details, but just like a bright comet or shooting star streaking across the night sky, the relationship started out hot and bright and then suddenly disappeared leaving nothing behind but ashes. I don’t regret a thing.
3) I had my first skin cancer removed.
Being very fair-skinned like my father’s side of the family, I knew it was inevitable that I would eventually get skin cancer. I had many, many sunburns growing up on the west coast of Florida and spent a lot of time at the beach because it was free entertainment. The beaches on the west coast of Florida (at least in the Sarasota/Bradenton area where we lived) were gorgeous. The sand was white and fine like sifted flour. The water was always warm as bathwater. Good times. But I digress. I had a very small skin cancer, which was in the early stages, removed from my right shin, and a much larger, deeper one removed from my left shoulder. The one on my shoulder required seven stitches on the outside and several on the inside. The dermatologist had good news, though. This was not the “bad” skin cancer. I found out there are much worse types of skin cancer than what I had, which was basal-cell carcinoma. Mine was very treatable, and caught in the early stages. The moral of this story is: wear sunscreen!
4) I was laid-off in Texas for the first time.
I’d been working for nearly a year at an oil and gas company (another first but I started that job in 2013 so I can’t make that a 2014 first), and I loved it there. I enjoyed the work (writing Standard Operating Procedures for several different teams), I enjoyed the people, I had the best boss I’d ever had (great sense of humor, supportive, left me to do my work, I could go on and on), and the commute was a dream at 8 miles from home. I had even asked them to convert me to an employee! Things were going great. Until it all turned to shit.
They (HQ in Copenhagen) pulled the plug on a large project that had cost them a lot of money and so they decided it was time to lay a bunch of people off who’d been supporting the project. They laid-off most of the Subject Matter Experts who I’d been working with to document the SOPs. All of my projects were put on hold. I knew things weren’t looking good. About three weeks later I was told I was going to be laid off but they were giving me six weeks to find another job. Wow! As a contractor, I was astounded that they were giving me six week’s notice. I asked everyone and anyone who were left in the company if they needed any documentation done. All work had dried up. Sadly, I had to leave. The good news — it took less than a week to find another job. The bad news — I accepted a job working on a mosquito-infested Bayou. It paid really well and sounded interesting. I’ll explain more about that job in a future post because as they say, the Devil is in the details.
5) I visited my first indoor gun range.
I mentioned in a previous post (Texans are like snowflakes) that I finally went to an indoor gun range. I’d been thinking about it for a while and decided to stop by one on my way home from work one Friday. After telling Hunter (Ha! How appropriate!), the guy behind the counter, that I’d never done this before and I had no idea which gun to select, he pointed me to a 9mm Glock. Hunter also said he would provide me with a gun safety class before I actually shot it. Thank goodness for common sense.
I was really, really, really nervous but also very excited about shooting a hand gun for the first time. Hunter took me into a room where the gun safety classes were conducted. I sat down on the opposite side of the table from him and he showed me how to load the clip. I felt like a small child who was trying to tie her shoes for the first time. I was all thumbs. I was surprised at how difficult it was. Hunter was very patient with me and he didn’t laugh at me so I assumed he’d seen others who had fumbled through this part of the class before. I eventually managed to load the clip (and didn’t even break a nail) and finished the quick safety class so I could now move on to the “main part of the show.” He gave me a pair of safety glasses and a set of earmuffs to prevent damage to my hearing, and I was allowed to pick my own target. He set me up on the indoor range right next to someone who was shooting something really loud (Duh! All guns are loud). I don’t know what it was, but every time the guy next to me shot his weapon, I would nearly jump out of my skin. I kept nearly jumping out of my skin when the guy next to me fired his weapon, so Hunter moved me to a different stall further away. What a relief!
Hunter was still with me until I felt comfortable enough to shoot the gun on my own. Finally, I became comfortable enough to shoot solo. The first few times I shot the gun I was terrified. The gun was a bit too big for my hands so my hands got sore very quickly from the recoil. Also, my fingers got sore from reloading the gun clip. It only took five bullets at a time so I had to reload several times. After shooting the entire box of ammo, I was exhausted from the adrenaline that had being coursing through my body as soon as I walked into the place. Time for a margarita to wind down!
The gun range was packed by the time I left that day. Apparently, indoor gun ranges are all the rage. I admit, it was fun and I’ll probably do it again.
Goodbye 2014. You were exciting and boring and as usual, I learned a lot throughout the year. Thanks for the memories.
1) I was nearly killed by an elevator.
In January of this year, I had my first phobia-inducing incident in an elevator. Actually, I already had an elevator phobia and so when given the choice between stairs and an elevator I almost always opt to take stairs. I was working in a tall building in the West Chase area of Houston for an oil and gas company. My cubicle was on the first floor. The free daily lunch that was provided was in the canteen – on the 13th floor. Lucky number 13! I had just grabbed a free salad for lunch from the canteen and got in an elevator by myself to go back down to the first floor to eat my lunch. I pushed the button for the lobby and nothing happened. So I pushed it again. The elevator must have decided to take the express route because it descended so quickly that when it hit the first floor, it HIT the first floor. I was nearly knocked off my feet. Then the doors didn’t open. I stood there in shock for a few seconds then started punching the open doors button like a mad person. It took several tries before the doors finally opened. I lurched off the elevator and went directly to the lobby security man and told him that an elevator just tried to kill me. After several other people in the building reported some of the same type of incidents in some of the other elevators, they called the elevator maintenance company and it was determined that the elevators needed calibrating. You think? At least no one was seriously hurt and I got some free chiropractor adjustments out of the traumatic event. In a strange way, I feel somewhat validated that I’ve always had an elevator phobia.
2) I had my first Latin Lover (aka: The Hot Tamale).
I’ve been single for a very long time – about 16 years now. I’ve dated men of color. But I’d never dated a Latino man before, until I moved to Texas. I wasn’t avoiding them, it just never presented itself. I won’t go into the gory details, but just like a bright comet or shooting star streaking across the night sky, the relationship started out hot and bright and then suddenly disappeared leaving nothing behind but ashes. I don’t regret a thing.
3) I had my first skin cancer removed.
Being very fair-skinned like my father’s side of the family, I knew it was inevitable that I would eventually get skin cancer. I had many, many sunburns growing up on the west coast of Florida and spent a lot of time at the beach because it was free entertainment. The beaches on the west coast of Florida (at least in the Sarasota/Bradenton area where we lived) were gorgeous. The sand was white and fine like sifted flour. The water was always warm as bathwater. Good times. But I digress. I had a very small skin cancer, which was in the early stages, removed from my right shin, and a much larger, deeper one removed from my left shoulder. The one on my shoulder required seven stitches on the outside and several on the inside. The dermatologist had good news, though. This was not the “bad” skin cancer. I found out there are much worse types of skin cancer than what I had, which was basal-cell carcinoma. Mine was very treatable, and caught in the early stages. The moral of this story is: wear sunscreen!
4) I was laid-off in Texas for the first time.
I’d been working for nearly a year at an oil and gas company (another first but I started that job in 2013 so I can’t make that a 2014 first), and I loved it there. I enjoyed the work (writing Standard Operating Procedures for several different teams), I enjoyed the people, I had the best boss I’d ever had (great sense of humor, supportive, left me to do my work, I could go on and on), and the commute was a dream at 8 miles from home. I had even asked them to convert me to an employee! Things were going great. Until it all turned to shit.
They (HQ in Copenhagen) pulled the plug on a large project that had cost them a lot of money and so they decided it was time to lay a bunch of people off who’d been supporting the project. They laid-off most of the Subject Matter Experts who I’d been working with to document the SOPs. All of my projects were put on hold. I knew things weren’t looking good. About three weeks later I was told I was going to be laid off but they were giving me six weeks to find another job. Wow! As a contractor, I was astounded that they were giving me six week’s notice. I asked everyone and anyone who were left in the company if they needed any documentation done. All work had dried up. Sadly, I had to leave. The good news — it took less than a week to find another job. The bad news — I accepted a job working on a mosquito-infested Bayou. It paid really well and sounded interesting. I’ll explain more about that job in a future post because as they say, the Devil is in the details.
5) I visited my first indoor gun range.
I mentioned in a previous post (Texans are like snowflakes) that I finally went to an indoor gun range. I’d been thinking about it for a while and decided to stop by one on my way home from work one Friday. After telling Hunter (Ha! How appropriate!), the guy behind the counter, that I’d never done this before and I had no idea which gun to select, he pointed me to a 9mm Glock. Hunter also said he would provide me with a gun safety class before I actually shot it. Thank goodness for common sense.
I was really, really, really nervous but also very excited about shooting a hand gun for the first time. Hunter took me into a room where the gun safety classes were conducted. I sat down on the opposite side of the table from him and he showed me how to load the clip. I felt like a small child who was trying to tie her shoes for the first time. I was all thumbs. I was surprised at how difficult it was. Hunter was very patient with me and he didn’t laugh at me so I assumed he’d seen others who had fumbled through this part of the class before. I eventually managed to load the clip (and didn’t even break a nail) and finished the quick safety class so I could now move on to the “main part of the show.” He gave me a pair of safety glasses and a set of earmuffs to prevent damage to my hearing, and I was allowed to pick my own target. He set me up on the indoor range right next to someone who was shooting something really loud (Duh! All guns are loud). I don’t know what it was, but every time the guy next to me shot his weapon, I would nearly jump out of my skin. I kept nearly jumping out of my skin when the guy next to me fired his weapon, so Hunter moved me to a different stall further away. What a relief!
Hunter was still with me until I felt comfortable enough to shoot the gun on my own. Finally, I became comfortable enough to shoot solo. The first few times I shot the gun I was terrified. The gun was a bit too big for my hands so my hands got sore very quickly from the recoil. Also, my fingers got sore from reloading the gun clip. It only took five bullets at a time so I had to reload several times. After shooting the entire box of ammo, I was exhausted from the adrenaline that had being coursing through my body as soon as I walked into the place. Time for a margarita to wind down!
The gun range was packed by the time I left that day. Apparently, indoor gun ranges are all the rage. I admit, it was fun and I’ll probably do it again.
Goodbye 2014. You were exciting and boring and as usual, I learned a lot throughout the year. Thanks for the memories.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)