the higher the peaks, the more the valleys suck my ass
I got my tax return today. It’s big. I was excited about it. I also got paid today. Another good thing. I was plotting all the great things I was going to do with my new wealth, like
1) Fix the fuel injectors on my car
2) Pay rent
3) Buy a plane ticket to Minnesota, so I can be a bridesmaid
4) Spay my dog
All important things to do, it seems to me. Right. So, we have a huge staff meeting today to discuss the even huger finance committee meeting that happened yesterday. We all knew that some shit was about to hit the fan, and lo and behold …
We are all being laid off for two weeks without pay. Every full-time, non-seasonal, non-union person who works for Ye Olde Children’s Theatre. We’ve got a couple of months to figure out how we’re going to manage it, but holy fuck. I don’t have time to idly look for new work anymore. The pressure is really on - because I don’t know about you, but I can’t afford to just NOT get paid for two weeks. There is no way.
Our top-boss-man ended the meeting in tears. He is a good guy, and he has been taking a lot of heat for decisions that were by NO stretch of the imagination his alone. People are shooting the messenger, and I really feel for him. I might not always agree with his decisions or his philosophy, but I like him. Nobody is happy about this, but we don’t want to end up where ACT did, so we have to be (god, I fucking hate this word) proactive. I understand where these actions are coming from - but that doesn’t mean I have to like them. The mass exodus I was expecting is going to be even bigger than I’d imagined.
I am a rat. My ship is sinking.
Also, I didn’t mean to sound condescending at all in the above comment—I’ve been clinging to the dock of this particular ship for a long time and have been trying to find ways not to just hate everyone constantly and set things on fire.
And now, a musical number:
Come sail away, come sail away, come sail away with me lads!
(I mean it, Hoods up, Fat Boy!)
Arr. Your metaphore be hardy, wench!
I know this is just so the theatre can survive. That was what big-boss-man said before getting choked up and almost not being able to finish his sentence - he said he didn’t feel like we were done here. Best to save the ship BEFORE the leaking gets to be too much. I totally agree.
This just puts the heat on as far as finding a new job. Before, I was okay with waiting until June to quit, because then I’m working summercamps. But now, I kinda want out ASAP. Not only will I save myself from having to take unpaid time, but the theatre - once they replace me with two part-time people and NOT one crazy full-timer - will be saved the expense of one more person’s insurance. That will be good for them.
Now, I am going drinking with several hot female coworkers whom I adore and will miss with all my heart.
(My hood, if I had one, would be SO up right now. I’ll just have to settle for looking tough and having cute hair.)
You can come chill at my place while you’re laid off. I’ll leave the key under the mat for you. Damn, girl.
There will be towels.
so does this mean the new teaching gig is also gone?
i get lost sometimes
drifiting in the folds of your life
hey babe
come to lawrence with me
we start a new life, together
until the hottie gf comes to live with me in aug 04…then we can be neighbors
like on will and grace
except your hair is cuter
and i’m not gay
Babe……I’m sorry. I hope the changes they make can keep them from going totally belly-up.
Can I help you, financially?? Call or email me, ok??
Sarah and I had a nice meeting. Posted about the actual conversation in my LJ, but beside all that stuff, I understand why you like her so much….she’s cool.
The comment you left in her journal…….Do you think ANYONE is right for Mark?? (I personally happen to believe he just needs to fucking grow up) But, I’d like to know what you think.
Can’t you go on unemployment for the two weeks you’re laid off? Probably wouldn’t be 100% of your regular earnings, but at least it might tide you over.
I have extra PFD’s (Personal Flotation Devices) on “Tigers Eye”, so if you need a little something to keep you afloat, give me a hail.
We can sing sea shantys, drink tots of grog and brandish our cutlasses at the skurvy naves…
I left out the word “rat” in that first post of mine. As in “you aren’t a rat.”
Unemployment only works for the second week of being laid off…and it has to be negotiated that you are laid off for two weeks in a row. For obvious reasons, they don’t want everyone to do that and claim unemployment as it could cause further sinkage.
So go see some shows there, y’all. Both that are playing right now are good and the upcoming one has cute boys in it (and could well be good).
They are fine with us taking the two weeks at once - but most people can’t afford to do that, so a lot of us are taking off one day a week for ten weeks. That could work too. I think, when all is said and done, I’ll be fine. It’s just kind of scary, you know?
I am still - as of right now - teaching the summer camps, starting in June. I’m a little worried that if I get offered a full-time job I might have to reneg on that, but I guess there’s no use worrying about it before it happens. I just wouldn’t want to ditch out on Eli, whom I (and others) think is totally “riotous”. Ahem.
I don’t think I could live in Lawrence … everywhere I went, I’d be thinking “My parents probably went on dates here.” or “I wonder if this is the apartment building where they lived after they got married?” etc etc. It would just be too weird.
How’s that for a random amalgamation of comment response? I don’t need no stinking flow.
honey
the places we’d hang out
i doubt your parents would have set foot in
just sayin’
Your ship is being docked and repaired so it doesn’t sink. You are not, you’re a galley gal. (Union folk might be the rats in this case…) And the ship has always been a raft with fancy sails anyway.
But not getting paid for two-weeks sucks ass. When you know which two weeks those are, give us all a heads up (Fat Boy!) and we’ll help you, y’know.