By J. Bird
After originally saying I would work through my severance period, I came to my senses and realized that I damn well deserved a couple of days off to mope, and a couple of weeks off to look for a new job. In a short while, I will go in to collect my severance check, which will hopefully pay a few bills.
I have, to date, sent out more than a dozen resumes online, but I’ve heard these online resume dealies don’t often come through. It’s all about networking, and, being a total introvert, I may be screwed. I know about 15 people in the City of Chicago, and I’m related to seven of those. Maybe I should have attended some of those alumni events after all.
I tried sleeping in, but both my dog and my biological clock wouldn’t let me. I will try again tomorrow.
I have a shit ton of laundry and dishes to do, and ants seem to be invading my apartment, which is an issue that I need to take up with the management, but since they don’t respond to any other issues, I hardly see them caring about a few ants.
Plus the bozos who do building maintenance around here were clearing out an apartment and turned it into a free-for-all – random people wandering in and out, taking with them whatever they wanted. Nice, huh?
Anyway, I went into the office around two to pick up my severance. Boss showed up a few hours later. He said I threw him for a loop, deciding not to actually work now that I’d been told I didn’t “fit in,”but it was my choice. I guess he really did think I was as dumb as I thought he thought I was.
Once I had the cash, I went on a little spree. Nothing huge, but a pick-me-up. Kicked ten bucks to James, this homeless dude I keep an eye on downtown. We’re not really tight, but he’ll talk to me, and he doesn’t even really look anybody else in the eye. Figured it might be the last time I see him. Looks like he may be getting a bed at the Y in the ‘burbs, and I won’t be in the Loop anytime soon. Did some shopping at the Turkish market in Daley Plaza. Stopped by a couple stores I like on the way home. Got some treats for my dawg. Still haven’t had a chance to get that badly needed haircut, but whaddya gonna do?
Now it’s time to pay the bills and see what’s left and how I’m going to live for the forseeable future.
J. Bird is the Beachwood’s pseudononymous workplace affairs correspondent. And now our pseudononymous unemployment affairs correspondent. Follow Bird’s travails in this space daily; catch up on what you’ve missed in the Life at Work archive.
Posted on September 14, 2006