Hmmm, I wonder how many will get the post title – or even better, come read out of curiosity? More importantly… did I get it right? lol
But it is time to get down to brass tacks and explain myself. *deep breath* Here goes…
Some of you know that I have had the same job for quite a while now. I love my job and have loved it ever since there was a take over. Before, it was just another job, but after it became fun and never got boring. My boss is more than anyone could hope for.
He is caring, honest and forthright. He is funny and every day is an adventure, because you never know what he will say next. He cares about his employee’s and treats us with respect. If you were in dire need of something, he would honestly do what he could to help and has many times in the past.
So you get that I love my job and I want to work there as long as I can… and would love to retire someday… knowing I stayed in one place and did my best at what I do.
A week ago Thursday… all that fell apart. Or appeared to… and still may. As soon as I got to work that morning I was called in to discuss what I thought was my raise and possible bonus. I got that and then some…
My boss announced that the powers that be have decided to consolidate the company into one work space. I was told I got a substantial raise… and that they want to keep me on. The problem with this is that the consolidation means they are moving the company to North Carolina. I live in Georgia. I have a house in Georgia and a family here. My son is still in school. Catching on yet?
We have a production plant in north-east NC and they are building on an extension to house our faction of the company. This will be taking place sometime in May. If I stay with the company I will receive a mega-bonus. If I leave before the last day in GA, that goes away.
I can go look for a job… but to keep the bonus… I have to stay with the company until their last day here. This makes job hunting rough. To make it even rougher… there are so many people without jobs here that peeps I know of have been looking for months.
I am also 53, over-weight and am not physically able to do hard labor any more. (Too much time spent behind a desk.) Standing for any great length of time is excrutiating on my back and it tends to make my feet swell.
So my choices are dropping as I type, as you can see. I have a mortgage, car note and regular every month bills. I have to keep a roof over my kids head AND to top off everything else… my husband’s choices for jobs are even smaller than mine – due to a felony on his record. He has a job now and we just cannot afford for either of us to not be working… besides the fact that he has no wish to move at this moment in time. His mother is not in the best of health and she is here in GA. His daughter and grandson are here. Getting a clearer picture?
The only way we are going to survive this is for me to move, alone, to NC and hope that I can find a decent, inexpensive place to live. The bonus will help, and my company will help pay for part of the move.
We are tossing around refinancing our home here and using the equity to finance the purchase of a second home there. The payments will be cheaper than renting and will be property that we can use for tax write-offs and such… and if the job move doesn’t work out, we can always rent it out or use it for a vacation home.
The economy woes may hinder my plans but I cannot see any other choice right now. I need the bonus… and I make more than any new job would or might pay. I do my job well, but there is not much call for what I do. I am a customer service rep/purchasing agent/75+ food broker’s handler/invoicing/secretary/trucking wrangler/report maker/shipping specialist (US and international). I work in Peachtree Quantum Accounting and have designed sales orders and purchase orders. The jobs that cover what I do are on the other side of Atlanta and there are no brokerage houses in Georgia that I know of.
To top all of this off – the same night that I found out this news… the contractor had an empoyee shakeup and the guy that was doing my bathroom remodel left the state in the middle of the night. His boss is now doing the job, but it is not completed yet and it should have been done by last weekend.
This roller coaster ride gave me one more loop-de-loop when I lost my baby boy tigger (my dog). He was not fixed yet and the siren call of a female in heat somewhere out there called him. He broke his chain and took off. We searched for hours and could not find him. It turns out that his nose led him out of the neighborhood and onto the main road. He was struck by a car and was killed in front of the local pizza house. The vet called me the next morning when I got to work. I somehow knew that I would never see his bouncy self again… shit… sorry… this is still kinda raw and I am having trouble typing this.
So you can now see why I have been silent. My choices to make are making me ill. I will be away from my son, my home and what few friends I have here. I will only get to see my son on the occasional weekend and during the summer. I don’t do alone very well.
I am going to apply for a weapons permit and a federal permit and I am going to go get lessons on how to handle a pistol. I don’t like guns… but I am not going to live alone, in a strangle place without some kind of protection. When I get settled in up there, I will be getting myself a dobie or a shepard as a companion and for some peace of mind.
If you know of anyone that might have some pups… and they are looking for someone to love one unconditionally…. keep me in mind. My budget will be tight and purchasing a purebred will be out of my range.
Yes, David…. here is an slightly out of focus pic of my tigger dog. he was a natural climber and his favorite place to be was on top of his dog house.
I miss you, Chopper… more than you will ever know.
W, I know about the job market being hell. C is in customer service, in her 50′s. She lost her job in november and has been looking ever since. I don’t know of the best advice to give you except follow your heart and make a decision that you know you can live with. Always give yourself a out if you can. I am sorry about Chopper. Pets aren’t just some animal. They are part of the family. Take Care, Cornbread
This world is becoming a trial. I’m hoping things work out Kiddo. The Good Lord does things that make us wonder what He’s up to, but… things generally work out in the end.
We’ll keep ya in prayer!
Security word (anti-spam) this morning is very appropriate for this post….”MOVE.”
Seems sometimes what needs to be done is right in front of us all the time.
First of all, this is what you have been praying for all along, to get gone from that situation at home…..only not leaving the son behind.
2nd….Mom/and or Dad can come sometimes and relieve that lonely situation, and then there are the weekend trips to NC that WH & Son can come up there….so maybe some separation will help to turn things around??
This is a great opportunity for you with this job…and great job security for you in these troubling times. Go for it!! Summer will soon be here, and Son can be with you…and then maybe stay on in the fall?? Good thing to think about and plan for.
You know you are in my prayers, and things will turn out the way they should in the end. I love you……Mom
PS: Is Brian moving there?
Dang, your head must be near exploding right about now. It’s going to suck, but eventually the royal PITA of moving might become opportunity. We’ve moved so often that I’ve learned to not discount it. The bummer part is being away from family…there’s no way around how much that sucks, even when you know you’ll get to see them soon and often.
WOW, that was a lot to handle.
I like the way you and hubby are headed in your thinking. You could still come home on weekends maybe? It would be rough I’m sure, but you’d still have a job and so would he. And right now, from what I hear, that’s a real bonus in itself. Over 600,000 laid off in the last week alone? Wow.
Yup, I’d keep the job.
Big hugs and prayers.
wow – such a lot to absorb! moving and all that
I will pray for you and your son, that is a big deal
I am glad you have income, as that is important these days.
Thank you for the picture of your great dog….