I got a packet of seeds in the mail today. Lettuce and cucumbers. I was excited to order them, but after today I don't know whether or not to plant them. My future has become uncertain.
Today, like many of you have already experienced, my job was threatened. I may lose it. And now I turn to a group of friends I have made, but never met face to face.
My wife is away at a conference and normally I'd be glad to have some rare time with the house to myself. But tonight I'm just scared, and I need to talk to somebody.
Let me back up and tell part of the story.
I don't usually post this late on an average day, but this has not been an average day for your friend and humble narrator, O my brothers and sisters.
Today, my boss told me my job is in danger, and I will lose it if I don't meet his expectations. But after six months struggling to do my best work and trying to scratch out a productive working relationship with this person, I don't see how that's going to happen in the two weeks time he's given me.
There's a very good possibility that he's already decided to fire me, and this meeting we had today was simply the first step he needs to take according to company policy to get his way.
I have not yet given up trying to salvage this job. I'm going to bust my ass for the next few weeks and try to do things a different way, but the fact remains that it might not be enough, and I have to be prepared for the worst.
So I'm turning to a community I've come to really treasure. This is sad to me in a way. I don't have a lot of friends in my life, and many people here have been friends. I love my wife and she is my best friend, but she's as scared as I am, and sometimes you need to talk to people who are more removed from the situation.
I just came here to talk, and to ask a favor of you. Try to keep your ears open for job openings. I don't know whether it's possible for us to move somewhere else to find new work for me. I haven't discussed that possibility with my wife yet. Or maybe there's something Internet based that I could do from home. I don't know.
I live in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area. My work background is in newspapers and the print media. I have a bachelor's degree in journalism. My skill set includes writing, editing, reporting, press releases, managing Web-based content, producing electronic newsletters, photography, public relations and magazine and newspaper layout.
I just don't even know where to start, so I figured I'd start here. I've got a long, lonely night ahead of me, and I don't have anyone else to talk to except you guys.
I've often said before that the way we're going to get through this economy and this job market is to pull together and support one another in whatever way we can -- even if it's merely a kind word. I've tried to practice what I preach, and now I'm the one in need of help. Everything was so secure and certain just a few hours ago.
So this is it.
See you in the comments.