Sad Little Gnome Gets Sadder

 It's been a very rough June, between work hours, barely seeing the kids, not winning a seat on the HMGS Board Directors, and even barely getting some distracting Monday night gaming in. 

Friday afternoon brought the biggest blow for the month:  My position at work was removed for budgetary reasons, effective immediately.  

It was never an indomitable feeling of dread, but sometimes even the squeaky wheel at work doesn't help the machine get the grease.  Sometimes the wheel gets replaced or removed altogether.  Massive IT and support cutbacks in other departments hit the local and state news, and the recent merger with a company whose name bring up memories of German autocratic rule probably have caused the bean counters to panic.  I wish my team well, as they are stuck in an uphill battle where no one can see past immediate results and have no idea how to handle the long-term consequences. 

There's positions out their for call center managers/marketing analysts/trainers, and I've already revised and sent out a host of resumes.  The best news out of all this is I'll have a 10 week severance package with benefits for the kids, and I was capped out at 8 1/2 weeks paid time off.  Worst possible case, that covers me through October.  Historicon is still on (possibly with Maja), and a few basketball camps and volleyball practices have suddenly become easier, logistically. 

On the completely selfish front, I think I'll be able to paint a little bit more, especially extra for my Historicon events.