It has been quite awhile since I added to this blog, or whatever these are called now, and a lot has changed.
Lets start with jobs.
When the last entry was posted I was working at Essential Products and had been there for just short of a year, but that was not to last.
In the middle of October 2018 Beverly and I took a trip to the Pacific Northwest with friends. We visited Seattle, Vancouver, Whistler, Victoria, and the Olympic National Park.
We had an amazing time and it was the perfect time to be there – the leaves were changing colors and were beautiful.
We were in Whistler and I got up early to get coffee and check my email. I was unable to get my email, so I restarted that app and tried to logged in. I got a message to contact my administrator.
I have been around long enough to know that means – I have been given the opportunity to seek new challenges.
I call my buddy who is on vacation in Southern California to see if he knows anything – nope.
I call the VP – my boss – and ask her if I need to hurry back or can I take my time and extend my vacation. She says she will call me back after lunch to discuss.
That day we were heading from Whistler to Victoria (on Vancouver Island) and needed to take a ferry. So shortly after noon I head outside to get some privacy and call and talk to the VP and HR – yep, Essential was laying off ~70% of the company.
On the plus side the separation package was a very generous.
On a side note, the layoff could have been handled better. The evening before, meeting invites went out to everyone. One meeting if you were getting laid off, another meeting if you were staying. So that morning everyone was comparing their calendars
Employee #1 : hey I have this meeting at 10, do you?
Employee #2 : No, but I have a meeting at 2, do you?
Employee #1 : No 🤔
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