So...what have we learned?

Week 2 has come and gone. I am really working harder now, at least physically, than I did before my layoff. Many tasks have been or are in stages of completion. My sister recently moved out of state and her house is going to be sold this week - so I am helping her by getting the rest of her belongings out and running the vac before final walk through. She cannot get in town to take care of these things....ah family. Lucky for her, we are a pitch in and get it done bunch!

I don't understand the intepretation of dreams. Sometimes it is probably best to not attempt to make sense of some things. One thing that has become very interesting to me, is the sudden existence of actual dreams - vivid ones. Some good, some bad. I've heard that we all dream and rarely remember them, but I am not sure that is accurate. The last two Fridays I have met the ladies with whom I used to work for lunch. Some of them still have a few weeks left, and have commented on the lack of visible stress is my face now. Sure some of that is probably the Prozac, but during the last few days I have come to the belief that my sleep is now more restful, and my dreams more Tim Burton-esque, because I no longer spend my nights mentally processing and storing all the stress inducers experienced during the day. 'They' say dreams are how we process those things and why our dreams can be so wacky - but why didn't I remember and feel my dreams then the way I do now? Ahhh, because I lived it once, and the replay going on in my mind to compress and file and make room for more was not anything new, therefore, it was nothing of note! AH-HA.....epiphany! The creative side is now able to swing her wings and take care of me. The movies in my mind are more entertaining, ergo, I don't have the desire to wake up two and three times a night now, ergo, my rest is more recuperative and the stress in my face replaced by happiness.

Maybe everyone has it wrong, wrinkle creams and face lifts aren't the way to make your face look younger and more radiant. Maybe losing your job is the way to go.......well, at least until reality (known as the mailman) delivers a fresh stack of bills!

Ciao!

Creating New Purpose

Much has transpired since my last post. I have just completed Week 1 of being unemployed. The manufacturing plant where I worked is in the final phases of ramping down, the final one of the three production lines is due to cease at the end of April. Knowing for as long as I had about the impending closure gave me much time to consider many things. I moved through the stages of grief, although I did linger on the Anger stage a good long while, by the time my final week rolled around I was strangely calm and looking forward to moving on. The hardest day for me was the last day of production for the lines I had responsibility over. Watching that last compressor come off the line, seeing the great men who built those compressors complete even the last one with the same level of care and compentence as the many thousands produced before filled me with pride, anger and sadness. That day was the end for me. I cried, I cried hard.

So in the four weeks I worked to 'wrap things up', getting inventory completed, resolving open issues with vendors, etc etc, I began to think of the future. There are no job prospects. Resumes have gone unanswered, the job listings seem to have become anorexic, and so I began the list. A to-do list. Before I get to that, let me tell you that I am one of those people who loved what I did. I was a Buyer/Purchasing Agent - have done that for a long time and in several different industries. I was good too. But I still liked to think and say that "I work to live, I don't live to work", or "My job is what I do, not who I am". - but frankly our identity is strongly tied to our jobs. The impact of your job ending is crushing, and not just from a financial point of view! The challenge each workday brings, the opportunity to kick ass - what a rush! So now what?

Well that is where the list comes into play. All the things I have been meaning to do, wanting to do, needing to do around the house, yard and barn: that is my new job. I spent time as a housewife several years ago during short period of unemployment. Problem then, I did not plan my days or weeks and spent a lot of time on the sofa watching TV. This time, while I seek the next entry on my work history - I will make better use of my time. Proud I am to say that Week 1 was a success. I did a thorough cleaning of the bathroom, even the shelves in the medicine cabinet are clean, I did the window (inside and out), and began to tackle the laundy/pantry room with a vengance!

The Mister and I live in what used to be my grandparent's home. My grandmother was one of those ladies who canned every year, did not rotate or use what she canned - so there are easily jars of peaches and green beans over 30 years old back there. Last year I worked to empty about 100 of those jars and had been meaning to do a few every week (never did). This past week, I emptied well over 20 dozen quart jars, washed and packed them in boxes to be used for future canning, storage or craft ventures. I threw away quite a few small appliances; blender, toaster oven and a couple of other fire hazards; that were stored back there too. I am ready to rip out the old plywood and 2x4 shelves, clean the walls and floors and get ready to paint. The room is a lovely shade of 1970's yellow. I had to force myself to take the day off today.

I thought about taking a WWMD (What Would Martha Do) approach to my new role, and decided against doing so. I've never modeled myself after anyone else, why give up my true identity and lose sight of the real me? I am strong, I am invincible, I am woman, I am ME!

The Sweet and the Sour

Long time no type. Well some of that is dial-up access related. I live in a rather rural area and until today had been hoping that the phone company would finally get broadband out this way. But no, so now we have Hughes Net. The Mister does not know this yet, but I feel certain he will be quite happy when he gets home Friday evening.

The SWEET:

This past weekend I had the pleasure of being the cake/cupcake provider for a pretty nice sized wedding. One hundred twenty cupcakes and a ten inch tier. I am including a photo. The Mister took my idea for the cake stands and made them reality. I baked and decorated all by my lonesome, since the Mister had to work last weekend and did not make it home. From ingredients to consumption, literlly 24 hours! I enlisted my mother's help in making the delivery.

The mother of the bride, (translation, signer of the check) was thrilled. The bride was estatic and the guests were impressed. Send me some business!!!!

The SOUR:

Like so many others out there, I am losing my job. My company has chosen to close the facility in which I and forty-four others toil, and move the work to other facilities by early next year. So I have some time. While I am mourning the upcoming lack of employment, I am more bitter about the lies and deception used to sell this decision to the company CEO. He signed off on this 'project' without the facts. Assumptions were made and the total cost this project was supposed to incur is going to be well over twice its original estimate and ROR basis. Our plant manager was transplanted from overseas for the express purpose of shutting us down - he is inexperienced, never held this type of position before, and is a complete yes man. He has no vested interest in American jobs or the personnel for who he is supposed to be responsible.

We are angry and getting more so every day. How do you stop a train when the conductor is mad? We wish to derail this fiasco, not only for selfish reasons, but because it is the right thing to do. On the day of the closure announcement, our Director (who has not stepped foot in our facility sing that day) stated that there is no expectation that the level of quality will be anywhere near where we are today. Our facility is a best in class for quality and safety. Yet those who do not measure up to a point anywhere near us are being rewarded. What does that mean about the priorities of our corporations?

I am trying to not let the sourness and bitterness invade every aspect of my life. There is much sweetness to enjoy......

Grief and heartache

The Mister's sister passed away on March 22, 2009 at 12:35am with her family by her side. Funeral planning and the business of death is simply unbearable. If you have not yet experienced the necessary work and costs associated with the death of a family member, I beg of you to call your perferred funeral home and discuss making your arrangements ahead of time. Or at least make sure that you have at least a small life insurance policy to enable your family to satisfy the funeral home that payment will be made. Believe me when I say the past several months have been almost too much to bear.

The Mister is meeting with a grief counselor every week. If your employer has an EAP (Employee Assistance Program), these are the times to use it. The Mister was simply unable to sleep, his ability to go to work was hindered. Sometimes the ear of someone not emotionally invested in your problem is the best route. I am supposed to be support and positive, but a stranger would not be so biased. After just a couple of visits he seems to be dealing much better.

A little bit of relief has come in the way of the Flirty Apron Swap - Vintage Re-mix. This was my first swap, and while I was delayed in shipping due to the family death, I felt more than a little refuge while cutting out patterns pieces, pressing, pinning, sewing, pressing, etc. I was so proud of my creation that I spent about three days taking it to work and other places to show it off. I added some items from my hometown and state (VA IS FOR LOVERS!) - a cookbook by the Roanoke Valley Junior League and a can of peanuts from the Virginia Diner. I hope Kristi in CA enjoys her package.

BTW----I signed up for another apron swap. :)

Ah the curveballs o'life!

Well, keeping with the commitment I made for this year, I have completed a whole messa stuff. The one thing I forgot to include in my commitment was posted the proof of my adventures. So, the butler (me) has placed on the shopping list the appropriate size and quantity of batteries required in order to photograph such evidence and/or enable access to those items already photographed and waiting to be retreived.

The Mister's sister fell ill about two months ago. Very long story made shorter: Her general physician was treating her for sinus infections and more or less writing her scripts for antibiotics for the better part of a year. Her condition worsened until about six weeks ago she went to the ER and an abdominal xray later, she was admitted due to the lemon sized tumor located on her adrenal glands. She experienced cardiac arrest on the day of the scheduled biopsy and spent two weeks in ICU to get her stable enough to even schedule surgery to remove said tumor. That surgery was two weeks ago today, and she remains in ICU in critical condition. I would say it has been a roller coaster, but I love roller coasters, and no one has loved this situation. The Mister is having a very hard time with this, as you would expect, but I have been just so amazed and proud of how well he takes care of her during his visits. Right now she is battling many problems: staph, cancer, a surgical incision that is not healing, blood pressure that is being medically manipulated to keep from falling, a difficuly airway (making everyone more cautious about taking the ventilator out, decreased kidney function, and the fear and depression associated will being stuck in bed for this long. The odds are a little better than 50/50, which is pretty miserable for someone at the ripe ole age of 43. We just take the daily victories we can get at this point.

On a more happy note, I recently got a Wii and a Wii Fit. Let me first say.....Where have you been all my life??????? I love this thing. Okay so, when my Mii suddenly got fat ( I uh mean fluffy) once my BMI and weight were complete I was a little shocked. But I laughed about it. Much like the actual me, she is still cute. I've had it just about a week and my balance is already improving. Isometric exercises are good for you, and there are some actual aerobics too, but they are fun. Seriously the Hula Hoop was a blast and I was "feeling the burn". 30 minutes of Mii time every evening is doing me a world of good.

Photos will be posted soon! Toodles......Karen

First swap

I am really looking forward to participating in my first swap. I am so excited and have some great ideas.

Pre New Year New Year's Resolution

Well the Christmas rush is over. The large dinner consumed, leftovers safely stowed in the fridge to be slowly devoured over the long weekend. Happy to report that very little is leftover of the leftovers.

I decided to clean up the sewing space last night. Several weeks of frantic embroidery work and miscellaneous sewing for gifts had taken its toll on my space. Bits of thread and broken needles everywhere, the trash can runneth over. In the midst of cleaning up, I discovered just how many projects I have in various stages of completion. An epiphany smacked me in the head, "do you have any idea how far ahead you will be for all gift giving occasions if you just finished some of these things???!!!". Well, a quick calculation led me to the conclusion that I could have a blast during the course of the year and a lot less stress in the month before Christmas if I committed to completing a project every two weeks in 2009.

Some works will only take a day or two, like the cross stitch sampler already 3/4 complete or the knit scarf already 1/2 complete. There are various cross stitch and needlepoint kits in my collection which have been purchased over the years off the clearance rack at JoAnn Fabrics and other places. Fabric purchased for special pin cushions or tote bags or clothes. I even found some deer call and key chain kits I purchased to make on my lathe several years ago. I have an accordian file folder full of projects and ideas clipped from magazines, and let's NOT talk about the collection of patterns or the bead, fabric and yarn stash!

Is this the least bit ambitious? Probably. Will I meet the deadline every two weeks? Probably not. Am I going to become obessessed and have all night sessions to finish a project and stay on schedule? Are you kidding me!!! Sleep is top priority!

I am going to have some fun, utilize the on hand stash, and be ahead of the game next year. So this week, I am organizing and developing my attack plan. For Thursday, we commence with Operation: GIFT (Gettin It Finishing in Two weeks)!! Wish me luck!