It’s Only Life After All
Okay, so let’s start with a funny. Alan just set me this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reQ_Laq2O2o&search=human%20space%20invaders
Now, let’s start with me. I wish I didn’t have to; this is the type of stuff you just cannot believe happens to you. In glorious technicolor.
I left a job a few weeks ago. A full time job that made me very, very miserable to the point that… I almost thought something was wrong with me. I had an opportunity arise that was a work-from-home situation for a few months–enough time to find the right next thing, enough time to get it all figured out.
I took the gig, did a little travel to the office of the company and back and work and back to the office and back. My reviews came in great–they loved me, my work and I was truly “getting it” and all was well. Hell, the contract might even get extended, even though I didn’t think it would go quite as long as they suspected.
No problem.
Except that the company decided to take a tank job on itself–or at least they told me that. Whether or not it’s actual, I’m sure I’ll never know because they’re in Springfield, MO and I’m in Chicago, IL, but even so, it wasn’t a fun thing to have my life turned upside down and then I’m living with my auntie and uncle in Bel Aire.
But not until I switch my flights, pay an upcharge of $115 to get out, hurry back to the hotel, pack, get checked-out, get to the airport and get through security with just about 45 minutes to spare.
Except that the security guard was nice enough to stop me from clearing security–hell, from even entering security.
“You’re flight was just cancelled.”
“Shit.”
Back to the ol’ United counter for me, while on the phone with home sharing not only the bad news, but the worse news of not making it home tonight. Good times… especially with the thought that I’d have to secure another hotel room and then try and get on a flight the next morning…as long as it wasn’t cancelled, as well.
“You’re not going to believe this…” came the announcement from the lady at the counter who just stood up on said counter.
Yeah, she was right. There’s no way this day could get any better, so just let me have already, lady.
“…Your flight’s back on and it’s tentatively set for 9.30p.”
Wow. Holy crap. I could not believe it and while other people were busy with their pissing and moaning, I was busy heading back to security, getting through and copping a squat at a relatively private desk-like area with so I could have some privacy for the next few hours as I IMd to and from home, Troy and anyone else that’d listen to my story.
Until around 11.30p when the flight finally took off. Which naturally landed me home around 1.30a, but it was fine. I was home and I got to see everyone the next morning. Even if I was unemployed… Funny thing, even when I feel like a loser, Sydney still feels like I’m “Daddy” and that’s a name badge that’s much better than any of the negative ones I can give myself.
As luck would have it, it’s been less than a week since that happened that I’ve found something else. I had a couple of interesting nibbles out there that I kept a little alive–and I’m back to something full time as of next week. I cannot complain too much… and the phone keeps ringing, so I think I’m out of the dangerous area of having to dip into savings. Instead, I get to go back to work on a contract with a big big name and a really big client, too–all the while, I’m being considered as a full time employee at the big big name contract place as they have that need, as well. Working out really well, I suppose.
But you know, I’m just getting tired. I want to be through all these mounds of paperwork and negotiations–there’s a clause in my contract right now that says that if I quit without giving 2 weeks notice, they’ll fine me $3000 and I have to agree to it–which I don’t, and won’t. So it’s back and forth–they will not give me any sort of recourse if they let me go early or if the contract doesn’t last the full 6 months, so it seems a little lopsided.
Like I said, I want to be done. Even though there’s a lot of demand and a lot of interesting work out there, at the end of it all, I just want to be happy, happy, happy and home for dinner.
Is that so damned wrong?