Top 10 List – What I Learned From Being Laid-Off

Hundreds of thousands of people were laid-off this week.  I found myself being swallowed in the latest unwanted trends and forced to hit the curb trying to find another way to make a living.  Although I understand the business sense behind the decision, it still sucks…

So I’ve compiled a list of odd ball things that I’ve learned about myself and about being laid-off in general.

1. Even though it tastes better, home brewed coffee isn’t free. Even the worst tasting things taste a lot better when they’re free.
2. When my dog follows me when I get home from work, it’s cute.  When it’s the entire day, not so cute.
3. I always thought nap time was hard to deal with at work. MUCH harder when your bed is in the room next to you.
4. You find it more difficult to talk yourself out of opening a bottle of wine at 10am.
5. You’re depressed when you realize sports aren’t on during the day.
6. You respond to email immediately versus putting them on a “to be answered later when you feel like it” list.
7. Getting dressed up means brushing your teeth.
8. You start to notice small things around the house. Like furniture you had no idea you owned.
9. When your wife gives you that rare look, she’s not wanting a quickie.  She just needs you to move to the other side of the couch so she could finish cleaning around you.
10. You start to make money saving excuses, like not changing clothes to save on the water bill from doing laundry or eating all the food in the fridge so it doesn’t have to work so hard keeping it all cold.

In all seriousness, losing your job isn’t funny.  THANKFULLY I quickly found another position at BMC Software.  It was offered to me on the last day of my curent job.  It REALLY works out since I’ve been trying to find a way into that company since we decided to come to Houston in 2001.  When we look at everything now, I’m kind of coming out of this with a bonus and an extended vacation. So I can’t complain.

Something like 598,000 were laid off in January.  I’m just glad I didn’t have to meet those people in a parking lot somewhere.  That could have been one hell of a traffic jam to the unemployment office.

The statistics are scary.  Having such a lifestyle change is never easy for whatever level your position is.  Nobody seems safe and nobody is prepared.  If you happen to be in the same boat, I wish you the best and hope you have a similar outcome as myself and find something just as quick.