Hey, y'all, it's Thursday

I was kind of busy yesterday; got up at noon after three phone calls and plan to get my hair done this morning so wanted to start the thread today.

The big news yesterday was out of my former employer, the Grand Rapids Press; they are changing to three day a week home delivery, plus Sunday; the rest of the time they will print papers but you have to get it at the newsstand. Subscribers will get papers deliver electronically, too. Bunch of people got laid off, including lots of my friends, I'm sure. I only know of two people so far, one is a good friend. They've been told they can reapply to the newly reorganized company ... the newspaper group is no more. They're even closing the newspaper office. So sad. In a way, I'm glad I was laid off in the first round ... at least I had more time to adjust.

So today and Friday are my weekend days. I got off tonight and left early because my body hurts so much ... did all day. I'm going to bed now. Took a pain pill and a muscle relaxer when I got home, I was in so much pain. Time for bed; have a good day. Be glad you have a job, if you still do.

Eileen,

As awful as it was for you to have been laid off, you're right to have that behind you.  The town down the mountain from me is a factory town, and one of its largest factories is closing its doors.  I am thinking something like 20000 employees will be jobless and that is primary.  Also, in that town are hundreds of small factories in which various support materials are made for this larger factory, so I'm sure in the weeks ahead, those places will start shutting their doors too.

Today is going to be another hectic day for me.  I have one day left to convert all of my resources that I have created for an online writing lab into pdfs and get uploaded.  The site is going public on Friday.  So, I probably will not leave my office for even one minute today and more than likely, I won't even come home until the last pdf is uploaded.  Geeze!

I hope you were able to get some rest.  Sleep deprivation directly or indirectly affects every facet of our lives.  Every night, I take three benadryl and one pain pill.  Within thirty minutes, I am out like a light.  My doctor tried to order me a sleeping pill but the benadryl works so well that I said save that for the time when the benadry isn't putting me down.  

 

Jeannie and my OFF family:

So far the count is 17 gone from the newsroom, and that includes one who quit in protest. There may be more ... only one copy editor, but one former copy editor turned health reporter. It hurts so much to see others going through what I went through two years ago.

I did get sleep last night, but not enough because I had to get up early to get ready for my hair appointment. Now my hair looks beautiful again. At least part of me. Love my stylist ... she's great ... reminds me a bit of the women in "Steel Magnolias." The salon is in a cute little old house in the Garden District; each stylist has her own room; it's very homey. And she's reasonable, too.

 Good Morning Eileen and OFF,
Eileen, I am so sorry to hear about these layoffs.  It seems nobody is immune from this economy.

Today, I am waiting to call my PCP, so I can go in for an appointment.  My right ear is killing me, and I spent last night with a low grade fever, and nausea too,  Thing is, I have been on an antibiotic for 9 days,

Later I am heading to my AA meeting.  I also need to get x-rays of my right foot for follow-up with my podiatrist from my surgery.

I keep plugging away at the bedspread, . It's going to be big,  As soon as I finish that, I will be starting on some infant gowns,  You know, the ones with the ties at the bottom. I got the pattern and the fabric on sale.  In fact, the fabric was half-price.

I hope everyone has a superbly blessed day.,

Hugs,
Trish

Good mornin' ya'll.
This downsizing thing is just so sad and scarey! In the tiny town I was born and raised in there were basically 2 employers (except farming). My grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, and most of my cousins worked at the biggest one. They were bought out a couple of times, each time the new owners downsized and took more money out of the company. Now they they are threatening to close the place entirely. A few years ago, even Walmart left our town. Pensions and health care benifits for many of my relatives are in jeopardy. It is a sad, sad thing. You are so right, even if you hate your job, at least you have one!
Just saw a segment on GMA about a lady who had the sleeve. So many testimonials about only being able to eat tiny amounts, no appetite so they don't even wanna eat! Boy, that is NOT me. I can still eat a lot, I still get hungry, I can really see no difference from an unfilled band. My doc said to wait another month, and I will, but I am obviously doing something wrong!
Everyone have a fantabulous day!

I saw that report, too, Caroline; I usually wouldn't  be up for GMA but because I had to go to my hair appointment I saw it. I wonder if somehow you have something wrong with your sleeve.

My dad worked one job most of his life, until he got pushed out and into graveyard shift on the press, and him with his bad hips (he would have hip replacement surgery eventually). They wanted him to quit; he wouldn't. He eventually got his employer to give him a sweet severance package and then he left. He got a job as a janitor at an elementary school near our home. He cleaned the kindergarten and first-grade rooms; the kids and teachers all loved him. Dad loved the kids, too; he was a quiet giant; he'd give pennies to the kids in the neighborhood, or cookies. He'd find pictures from the kids left for him in the classroom. He loved that job.

Eileen, OFFr's,

Good Morning to everyone, here and later. . .

Eileen, you are so right, having a job today is not something any of us can take for granted and whether you love it or not, gratitude for being employed is a real need.  I almost feel sorry for those coming behind us, because I don't think things will ever feel secure within the job industry again, when you see big financial institutions, newspapers, law firms and the like cutting and cutting, industries where there was almost always security, well you all know what I'm speaking about and then there is the factor of having to tolerate things that before were unheard of, those of us who are in the workforce know all too well, the days of "take this job and shove it" are behind us. . .

Well I had a wonderful night's rest and am up for today's challenges whatever they be, still in pain, but still have not had the chance to find a doctor to pursue the next step. . .  well back to work, after work my plan is to meet with my good friend Owen and head to our AA homegroup, so with that I wish each and everyone of you the best possible of days and the peace and strength to meet life's toughest challenges.

Hugs, Laureen

Good morning, Eileen and my OFF sistas!

I'm sorry to hear all the stories of so many layoffs and uncertainties.  We have been there and lived through that.  Back in the 80's my husband was laid off and was out of work for over a year.  We lost our house and basically had to start all over again.  It was terrifying and stressful and we've never forgotten the pain of that time.  As a result, we are very careful about debt, we never carry a balance on a credit card, and we SAVE our money for a rainy day.  Lesson learned.

We had a big cold front blow through last night.  The storm didn't seem to be too big, but it must have been big somewhere because we lost our power for hours.  From about 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.  I hung in there with the oil lamp and candles until around 1 a.m., but I finally gave it up and went to bed.  Sure enough, when the power came back on at 3 a.m., so did all the lights and the TV and liked to have startled me and the pups to death!  Patty Kate was barking her little fool head off!  So much fun.  Ha!  But at least my heat came back on, and for that I am very grateful this morning.

I am quite disappointed this morning.  My cell phone rang a little while ago, and I didn't run for it, just walked instead.  It cut off just as I got to it.  Darn it!  It was my husband calling!  I missed him.  I wasn't expecting him to call or I would have had the cell phone by my side.  I wish he would call back, but he probably won't.

Trish, I'm sorry you're not feeling well today.  I finished my second scarf.  I love that "on the double" technique!  It's a very unique stitch.  The scarf is basically blue on one side and red on the other side.  Very cool.

But last night I decided to take a break from the red and blue and I switched to camo.  I have a pattern for a hooded scarf that I want to make for myself when we go hunting at the deer lease in a few weeks.  I love to ride on the 4 wheeler behind my husband, but I get so cold.  I thought I would try this hooded scarf.  And, btw, I am very excited to ride the 4 wheeler this year!  For once, I weigh LESS than my husband and I won't feel like I'm weighing us down riding double on the 4 wheeler!

I am quite put out with a lady who is the new treasurer for our Board of Directors at the Sam Rayburn lakehouse.  When she was elected LAST MAY, we agreed that she would take over as Treasurer and I would continue as Secretary for my last year.  So far, she has done nothing!  It is time to send out our annual billing statements and I've been waiting and waiting on her so that I can show her how QuickBooks works and pass everything off to her.  I heard from her finally this morning and she wants to meet next Monday.  I wanted to leave for Hilltop next Monday, but I guess I will postpone my plans in order to finally, finally get things handed over to her.  I will be so glad when my term of office is up next May.

Sorry for the rant.  I'm a little PMS'y this morning, I think.

I need to get started on my day.  So much left to do around here before I can go to Hilltop next week.  Hope all of you who are hurting will find some relief from your pain today.  Pain is no fun.

Love you all!

Post Script:

I am having a hella day today.  I just need to vent a minute, okay?  Whew!    First of all, like I said before, I’m PMS’y, which will explain a lot.  I’m nervous and edgy and pissed off about everything today.  So forewarned . . .    As I said before, we lost our power last night and I didn't get a lot of sleep.  That always makes me grumpy.  Fast forward to mid-morning, and I’m taking a bath when my cell phone rings.  It’s my mom’s number.  I answer the phone and get a “click" in my ear.  I try to call her back.  I get a busy signal.  I figure we’re playing phone tag for a few minutes, and then I get worried.  Every time I call back, I get a busy signal.  I try her cell phone and I get a recording.  I get more worried. 

(You have to have some history at this point.  My mom has real bad osteoarthritis and fragile bones.  HER mom did, too.  Grandma Claussen fell in her house, broke her hip, and laid there for 3 days before my Mom and Dad found her.  I carry a lot of baggage on this issue.)   So I jump in the car, race over to her house, and there she is, just fine.  Her phone was out of order.  She said she tried to call me on her cell, but she called the house phone, not my cell phone.  She must have called about a minute after I left the house.  I’m PMS’y today, so I burst into tears and then she gets all upset with me for crying.  She said, “It’s nothing to cry over; my phone is just dead."  I said, “I thought YOU were dead!"  I was pretty emotional.    Then in-between all of this, Butch keeps trying to call me today, and he and I finally get to talk and he tells me he’s going to have to work over an extra 3 or 4 days.  Whoa.  I tried not to burst into tears with him, but it was close.  He still thinks he’ll be home in time for Thanksgiving, which is good, but I just can’t help feeling so disappointed!  I tried not to show it to him.  I try not to burden him when he’s over there and working so hard, but I just miss him so much!  I would like for him to be home with me today after this scare with my mom, you know?  I have to be a big girl about this.  Nothing happened, for pity’s sake.  I just feel overwrought today.

And then the icing on the cake is that when I did get home, Lulu ran out and rolled in some sh*t, and then she came bounding back into the house and jumped on the bed, on me, and on the couch.  Glory.  Guess what I get to spend the afternoon doing?  At this point, I would like to drown my sorrows in a big thick chocolate milkshake, but I don't do that anymore, so I'll have to find some other way to "self-soothe" myself.  Maybe I'll go crochet for an hour before I try to tackle anything else today.

Sorry for the rant!  I'm on an emotional/hormonal roller coaster today.  Thanks for listening to me, sistas! 

Sorry you have had such a bad day.  When it rains, it pours, and it seems like it has been pouring on you!  Hope the rst of the day is better.

I am also so sorry for those who are losing jobs.  It is a very scary time and very depressing to hear about so many people in such need.  I am so grateful that my husband and I are employed and one of our sons is in the Air Force.  #1 son lives at home with us and picks up whatever odd jobs he can.  He had a DUI almost 2 years ago, so does not have a driver's license, so he does what he can.  But he also keeps our home and yard in great shape, so we are all living happily together at present.

I am doing well with my eating, but still don't have as much energy as I wish I had.  It makes it hard to get motivated to go to the gym.  At support group the other night, they recommended B complex vitamins, so I will give that a try.

Have a good day, all.

                Sharon