Be like me!

There's a meme-generator going around Facebook called "Be like Bill." The idea is that you type in your name and gender and it generates a positive/non-annoying behavior statement and encourages your friends to be like you.

I instantly loved it and had to try it multiple times. They made me laugh!

Do I have a boyfriend? You don't know 'cause I don't post pictures!
(I don't have a boyfriend.)

I complain in texts to individuals, like any well-adjusted person.

I care a little, but that doesn't mean I'm not happy for my friends.

Haha. Awkward.
#laidoff
(Don't worry. I'm the opposite of starving.)

This is the one I put on Facebook.
One of my friends said since she's married it doesn't apply to her.
So, she only knows one man? I don't understand her logic.

To be clear, I like my profile photos -- else I wouldn't choose them -- but I don't click Like on my own photos.
That's just obnoxious.

Umm, sure.

Truth!
#belikemegan

I hope I've stopped doing this.
Slap me if I do it.

It wasn't long before the spoofs started showing up.

Done and done

The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 3:7

I love this. A lot.
I do actually want to be more like Jesus.

Sadly, it's only been about two days and the gag has already become annoying.

The internet is fickle!

Out of a job. Again.

I was laid off from my job. I knew lay-offs were coming. I didn't know I'd be affected, but the R&D team follows a pattern, and all signs pointed to that week. I thought I'd have time to get ready, just in case. Of course, I wasn't prepared at all. I've survived a merger and about 7 rounds of layoffs in the last almost 6 years. I'm not saying it was time, but I have been pretty lucky and I'm grateful for that.

I get quite a bit of severance, and a few extra weeks of insurance coverage before I have to move to expensive COBRA. Hooray!


This would, of course, happen the year after I earn an extra week of vacation time (and said No to other opportunities because I was SO CLOSE to earning it). Now I won't get to use it. Great timing. Wish they'd give me the payout but since they're letting me go at the beginning of the year I haven't accrued any for 2016 :P At least I got a few extra days last year, if not the full 5.

The last time I was laid off, it was in January, too. January is not my friend.

I have loved all four managers I've worked with while here. They all truly cared about me and supported me no matter what. I've learned a lot from them professionally and value my time spent with them. They are friends I intend to keep in touch with, to send Christmas cards to if nothing else. Definitely to Friend on Facebook (I am friends with none of my current coworkers, so this is a big deal).

I'll be honest: I was disappointed when there was no fanfare when I shut my computer down for the last time. Just a little bit of the Star Wars theme would have done the trick. Oh well.

I don't know what's next. I want to take a few weeks to decompress and try to figure things out. I would have stayed at that job forever, you know? I liked the work and I was good at it. I'm not passionate about software, but they treated me well for the most part. I resent that this change has been forced on me. I always felt enabled to do plays and go on vacation because I had the job to come back to and I knew where my rent was coming from. Now that's been taken away. I have no idea what's going to happen.

A tiny cake gifted to me on a sad day

On the flip side, I can do anything I want. It could be a cool opportunity. I can go on vacation and sleep in and look for another type of work if I want to. I don't have to worry about supporting a family, so it's ok if I live on severance and unemployment for just a little while. Not too long, though. I get bored fairly easily.

Happily, I have a lot of support from my family and friends in the form of food, professional help,  cheerleading, and job options. Everyone keeps saying that any time they were laid off from a job the next one was better and everything worked out fine.

I think I finally believe them that I might be, too.

I guess we'll see.

No more Gateway monthly parking privileges for me. Boo.