Dear Friend and Reader,
I don’t work in an office, and that’s part of the reason I find them so fascinating. The idea of a little hive where strangers get together, hang out every day whether they like it or not, work hard and get bored and hate or love their bosses five days a week can make me feel a little lonely, sitting on my own with a coffee in the morning, trolling silently through emails and news sites as the day takes shape. I’m so grateful Genevieve figured out how video chat works.
When The Office (the American one) came out on May 24, 2005 with Steve Carell as the mostly-incompetent boss, theme one was “downsizing.” I laughed as the staff got antsy, wondering whether it would be them, who was next to get the axe. This morning, my girlfriend sent me her office’s plan to handle their financial crisis: they’re intending to cut one third of their staff by the end of February. Now it’s not so funny.
The options, at this point are: a) severance, based on years of employment, b) downgrading to part-time or various forms of half-time work, c) a one to four year sabbatical, unpaid, d) do nothing, and risk losing the position anyway.
I’m lucky enough to be in a growing field: astrology, tarot and psychic work are doing quite well in the current economic climate (in Ireland, this term is used so often it’s referred to as an acronym — CEC). But for those of you dealing with the stress of job loss (potential or realized), or are facing a memo like my girlfriend got this morning, how are you handling it? Are you looking at this as the momentum you couldn’t reach on your own to move to Costa Rica, live in a hut and surf? Are you trying to make the right choice, but all you can think about right now are the Christmas or Chanukah presents you haven’t paid off yet?
Let me know what’s on your mind today, and how the CEC is affecting your worldview, and your lifeview.
Yours & truly,
Rachel Asher
No it’s not so much fun, is it? A longstanding client of mine, a factory in France, found out that they are to close – just like that. They’ve been (to date) profitable, and recently won an award for ‘excellence’, however new USA owners who purchased them 2 years ago and are suffering (with many others) in the CEC had to make cuts. A much larger factory in a nearby country was failing, they sent the French production there instead. The reason? It’s far cheaper to close the smaller successful French factory than the larger unsuccessful ‘other’ one. My friends and colleagues, some of whom have worked there for many years have lost their jobs – in a country which is already struggling with unemployment, and in an area of France where the cost of living has soared, but possiblities for work have gradually thinned to the point of non-existence. This will be a huge challenge for them and I send them love.
Another aspect of this CEC pain is that as I live remotely ( I started a new life ten years ago, had an enforced break, but returned 2 years ago) and more of my manufacturing based clients are struggling or hitting the wall, I have to travel further and further afield – both to hunt for work and to do the work. I don’t mind this – love the travel. But my poor dog, my gorgeous, faithful companion through all the shit I’ve been through to get here, gets passed from pillar to post. There is no-one to help. And as it is not letting up, and no hint of that in view, I have had to make a heartbreaking decision to rehome him. It’s only taken me about 18 months to get round to it – I embrace change, me. (That is an attempt at a joke, when I am sad as hell). I took ages over it because I love that dog, it’s as simple as that.
However, some help came – he is back with the family that bred him, living on a huge country estate, with his birth ‘mum’ and other dog friends – learning to fetch grouse and pheasant and having a ball. I just miss him something awful. But the joke about change – well I have made it my policy, my mission, for the last few years to embrace change – to squirm in uncertainty, but resist the urge to find certainty, no matter how much I battle and almost scream out loud to take control and make it all be JUST SO. And change abounds. There is some decision making – it’s not all ambiguous. Following a creative and healing route is the way I headed and despite the hiccoughs and losses, the gains are plain to see. And I am not referring to solely financial gains, for though that is coming, it is not the aim. CEC or not, I will not give up the mission – maybe my dog will return when I can be on a firmer footing. Who knows. With love.
PS – nice to see you on here again Mystes, I hadn’t seen your name for a while and was wondering if all was well.
Loved the NYT piece. Heard a story on NPR several weeks back: tarot readings are waaay up in Iran.
Hi Rachel,
I also had my CECC 12 months ago. If you had told me then that I would still be out of a job, but still in my home and managing on a very reduced income i.e. less than 25% then I would have said you were crazy.
This year has taught me many things including that it is ok to stop. Stop everything. I had worked solidly for 34 years and there comes a time when maybe enough is enough and you need to take time out to reassess your life.
So that’s what I’ve done. Now I understand that the treadmill is just that……hard work if you can get it. It’s nice to live in a nice house, have a nice car on the drive, go on nice holidays, but that’s all they are….nice, not essential. I now see that having a roof over my head, food on the table, heating in winter, my family and friends, my health etc how important they really are. After all noone on their deathbed says they wished they had spent more time in the office chasing the next payday. Neither are there pockets in shrouds – can’t take it with me!!
If this sounds introspective, it was about time too and astrology helped to open my eyes. With the Leo/Aqu eclipse series (1st house) and my Chiron Return it has all revolved around my identity and healing the wounds that are personal to me. Let’s just say that I’ve had my gap year and I’m looking forward to next year with eyes wide open rather than shut.
R
Another phrase to watch out for is “overhead reduction.” People are expensive, so those pesky overhead charges have to be reduced…
I was overhead, and was reduced. No realistic options within the company anywhere else: it was obvious they were going to can as many people as they could get away with, and not much desire to stay with them any longer. The company has since merged, disappeared, and become one with the Borg…
Anyone receiving such news has my complete sympathy and best wishes for their future dreams.
Thanks Maya! I’d call it a Freudian slip, if that meant I watch waaaay too much of The Office AND the Colbert Report. Good catch..
I received word of our downsizing this time last year. I was baited with the severance and have been painfully enduring a sinking ship for the last 6 months. Next Friday is my last day.
Yes I am trying to use this as my chance to pack up and volunteer for a year in a 3rd world country. I tell myself that everything will be okay and that I will survive. But my responsible brain keeps flashing reality of not having an income, and panic attacks have begun to set in.
I’m not sure what’s going to happen to me. I’m trying to think outside the box, start my own business or other means of income. All year I expected something to come along, but here I am at the end with no plan. At least my only dependants are my two cats. I hope I can find them a good home.
Psst! Rachel, it’s Steve Carell who’s the boss on The Office. Easy to confuse, for obvious reasons.
Helloo,
i had my own personal CECC ( current economic climate crisis!) 18 months ago when i was called in off annual leave to be told my job had gone, they didn’t call it downsizing more ‘using our resourses in a more creative way’ don’t you just love these ‘blue skies’ business words? politico’s use them too, somehow trying to rationalise other peoples misery!
I have sort of made peace with the uncertainty around me at the moment and wierdly i think this has alot to do with my Capricorn moon, in fact i would go as far as to say that Capricorns in general will deal well with whats going on around us, this energy isn’t new to us, i think it’s ok to say Cap’s are on nodding turns with pessimism and having to live with very little if push comes to shove, yes uncertainty is scary for a Cap ( and everyone else for that matter) but we can make being frugal an artform ( just don’t call us tight)
In many ways i found the Pluto in Sag period much more alien and upsetting, at least here things may be a little despondant, gloomy even but feeling the outer edges, the limit of something can be a good thing – Jupiter could never really fully be Jupiter if Saturn wasn’t there to counterbalance it 🙂