mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)
mdlbear ([personal profile] mdlbear) wrote2012-03-08 08:03 pm
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Thankful Thursday, plus two PSAs

A very special Thankful Thursday today. Today I am thankful for:

  • Three weeks' notice and 6 months of severance pay
  • Friends
  • A great set of soon-to-be-ex coworkers
  • My skill as a programmer and software architect
  • My 65th birthday, in less than a week
  • The Starport's annual "It's Green" party on Saturday.

Yup. Laid off, after 19.5 years at Ricoh. It's been a good run. I can't afford to retire; I took about half the equity out of my house, and the housing market has taken almost all of the other half. I'll consider work either locally (Silicon Valley) or in the Seattle area, broadening to include Oregon and Utah if it becomes necessary in a couple of months.

I'll have copies of my resume at the party on Saturday. See you there?

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kyrielle: painterly drawing of a white woman with large dark-blue-framed glasses, hazel eyes, brown hair, and a suspicious lack of blemishes (Default)

[personal profile] kyrielle 2012-03-09 05:04 am (UTC)(link)
Meh. I am sorry to hear it...glad they were generous with severance, but still. :(
mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)

[personal profile] mdlbear 2012-03-09 05:34 am (UTC)(link)
*nods* Thanks.
ext_3294: Tux (Default)

[identity profile] technoshaman.livejournal.com 2012-03-09 04:17 am (UTC)(link)
o.O?!? Was anything Significant scheduled to happen on your 20th anniversary there? If it was... run, don't walk, to your solicitor.
mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)

[personal profile] mdlbear 2012-03-09 04:47 am (UTC)(link)
No, it wasn't. And, as usual, the severance plan is contingent on not suing them for age discrimination. In any case, I believe them when they say that my age had nothing to do with it; I was at the end of a project, in a group which was kind of marginal to begin with.

Things are apparently pretty dire -- they're letting five people go, including one who's been there longer than I have.

[identity profile] trektone.livejournal.com 2012-03-09 05:17 am (UTC)(link)
Sorry to learn about your being laid off. Yay for the notice and the severance, but still.
patoadam: Photo of me playing guitar in the woods (Default)

[personal profile] patoadam 2012-03-09 05:24 am (UTC)(link)
Sorry to hear about your job. Glad you can see the silver lining. Good luck!

[identity profile] ravan.livejournal.com 2012-03-09 05:32 am (UTC)(link)
Is your resume available in soft copy?
mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)

[personal profile] mdlbear 2012-03-09 05:36 am (UTC)(link)
Not yet, but it will be as soon as I can whip it into shape.
mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)

[personal profile] mdlbear 2012-03-09 05:36 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks!
mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)

[personal profile] mdlbear 2012-03-09 05:36 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks.

[identity profile] ravan.livejournal.com 2012-03-09 06:01 am (UTC)(link)
I know of a software group that I personally think could use your skill in architecture. Whether they have headcount open is up in the air.

[identity profile] artbeco.livejournal.com 2012-03-09 07:07 am (UTC)(link)
Oh my. So sorry about the lay off, but at least they had the grace to give a decent severance package, which is becoming more and more rare these days. May your luck in finding a new job be as good as or better than Paul's. ;)
*hugs*

[identity profile] acelightning.livejournal.com 2012-03-09 07:25 am (UTC)(link)
Condolences on being laid off, but at least you did get enough notice, and severance pay is always good. (My husband just lost his job as a limo driver, with no warning and no severance. He's putting applications in at other places, while taking advantage of the forced free time to work on a software project we think we might be able to make into something.)

*Hugs* to you if you want 'em, and may you find new work quickly!
Edited 2012-03-09 07:25 (UTC)

[identity profile] joecoustic.livejournal.com 2012-03-09 10:43 am (UTC)(link)
Oh wow!! I'm sure you'll land on your feet somewhere but what a thing to get blindsided with!! My thoughts and hopes for a speedy resolution and new horizons to explore. *hugs*

[identity profile] catsittingstill.livejournal.com 2012-03-09 12:35 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm sorry you were laid off. It happens to the best of us, and I wish you the best of luck finding a new job.

[identity profile] gmcdavid.livejournal.com 2012-03-09 02:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Sorry to learn about the layoff. The severance does sound better than most I have heard about.

I don't know anything about the job situation out west, but here in Minnesota I am getting more and more emails and calls from recruiters, which I take as a positive sign.
mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)

[personal profile] mdlbear 2012-03-09 02:56 pm (UTC)(link)
*hugs* thanks
mdlbear: (virtual hug)

[personal profile] mdlbear 2012-03-09 02:57 pm (UTC)(link)
*hugs* Thanks!
mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)

[personal profile] mdlbear 2012-03-09 02:57 pm (UTC)(link)
*hugs* Thanks!
mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)

[personal profile] mdlbear 2012-03-09 02:57 pm (UTC)(link)
*hugs* Thanks
mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)

[personal profile] mdlbear 2012-03-09 02:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks. Yes, it's a pretty good one.

The job market is, indeed, picking up; that's good.

[identity profile] westrider.livejournal.com 2012-03-09 04:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Bummer about the Layoff. Glad you got a nice severance package, though.

If you do end up in the Seattle area, let me know. I always like meeting Internet Friends IRL.

[identity profile] netolu.livejournal.com 2012-03-09 04:49 pm (UTC)(link)
I won't be able to make it for "It's Green", so I'll telewish you a grand 65th from this end of the line.

[identity profile] it-aint-easy.livejournal.com 2012-03-09 05:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Ack! Sorry to hear, Steve. If you're interested in trying out something in the games industry (especially Zynga), let me know. Either way, best of luck finding a good new gig soon.
jenk: Faye (Default)

[personal profile] jenk 2012-03-09 07:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Sorry to hear about the layoff. Glad that you have severance and a party to look forward to.
mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)

[personal profile] mdlbear 2012-03-10 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
I actually get up there fairly often; I'll be up for Norwescon and Westercon.
mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)

[personal profile] mdlbear 2012-03-10 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks!
mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)

[personal profile] mdlbear 2012-03-10 02:26 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks!

[identity profile] westrider.livejournal.com 2012-03-10 05:02 am (UTC)(link)
I've been meaning to make it to a Norwescon for years. Don't think this year's gonna be the one either, but you never know.

[identity profile] dsmoen.livejournal.com 2012-03-26 11:42 am (UTC)(link)
Sorry to hear about it; I'm woefully behind on LJ, so only thought to come back and look after Colleen called about cookbooks.
mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)

[personal profile] mdlbear 2012-03-26 04:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks!
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