2010 Reflections...Positive road ahead in 2011

Well...I made it through another year. All in all, it was pretty good.  I've helped friends and family, volunteered my skills and experience, and now thanks to Elastic, I am on the way to getting myself on track again financially.   My fingers are crossed that things will become more permanent in 2011, but either way, I'm gonna be okay.

What do I want for 2011?  Its more along the lines of normal New Years Resolutions, but are somewhat related to having been unemployed.  If I make these things happen, I think it is going to be a great year.

1) Get back into shape. 
I want to use the routine of going to work to keep on track with my diet and excercise. No more taking the easy way out with the cafeteria, or jumping on the bus to go home.  Time to get back to the gym.  I need to get back to shape for a 100 mile bike ride again. 

2) Manage my time better.
I need to fit my workday into normal work hours.  I can't work late every night and I need to add other things (like excercise and socializing) into my social schedule.

3) Get a real social life.
Being out of the city and being low on money for so long has changed my social life. I need to get back into the swing of things.  Either reconnect with old friends or find ways to make new ones.  I need to get out there.

4) Get back to volunteering. I used to be more involved with NY Care.  I think I would like to do that again.  I have the weekends back...no reason why I can't

5) Go on a good vacation.
My last trip was Chile in 2009.  I'm DUE!

Happy new year...May 2011 bring you all the happiness in the world.  God Bless you and your families.

Love and Friendship,

Barbara

Loyalty is for Dogs

"Loyalty is for Dogs."  Its a quote that I will never forget the head of HR at BookSpan saying in one of his Town Hall speeches. I remember being shocked by this part of his speech...thinking "who says that to employees???",  but I think the point he was trying to make at that time was that people don't stay with one company the way they used to. 

That was definitely true at the time of his speech. With the internet boom in the late 90s, you could increase your salary very easily job jumping.  And that's what lots of people were doing. 

But I was as loyal as you get.  I had been with the company for 10 years and counting.  My salary was increased dramatically year over year...but my starting point was $25K, so I never was making what I could have gotten elsewhere.  But I was respected and I loved the company.  It was a my family.   When I did leave, I cried.  It was the toughest decision I ever made.  But I felt that I had to go elsewhere to grow as a marketer.  It was the right choice, but a tough one, just the same.

I really liked my second company, Columbia House almost as much as BookSpan, I could have done a 10 year stint there too, but we were destroyed by a bomb called BMG and were all sent packing a year and a half after I got there.

Today I'm on my 4th job in 5 years. This one isn't even a permanent gig.  I seriously wonder if I will ever make it in one company for that long again.  This is a hard realization for a loyal person like me.

Part of the challenge will be to find a company that will stick around that long. These days, either big established companies are either trounced by the competition, destroyed by the economy, or sold off to make the owners rich, while the loyal employees are left trying to hang on.  

The other challenge is finding a company that doesn't look at the employees as expendable assets...A company that realizes the importance of organizational intelligence, and tries to keep people around, rather than fostering the revolving door.

Loyalty is for dogs... Boy do I miss the good old days.  

T-T-T Taxes

EDITOR'S NOTE: As you read this post, David Bowie's song "Changes" should be playing in the background.



Anyway...Sent in all my info to my accountant. I wrote off my internet, cell phone, travel to the city, health insurance and some minor incidentals. The long and short of it is that ONE paycheck a month needs to go to Uncle Sam. Easy come...easy go.

It is what it is. I need to hit lotto.

The girl who never gets sick...got sick.

Yep...my 5 year track record of "never getting sick" has been broken.  And by "never getting sick," I mean never getting sick enough to need more than a good day or two in bed to recharge. 

Today, after fighting a bad cough and cold for over 2 weeks (which includes a 4 day holiday weekend, mostly in bed), I made a visit to the doctor.  I am SICK.

Seriously, its not a big deal to have to go to the doctor, but I'm an "Apple a Day" kind of gal. I typically beat a cold in 2-3 days tops with a lot of rest.  Not having to go to the doctor is just my way of measuring my general "healthiness."  But even I know, when you have to go, you have to go.

Admittedly, I pushed myself to work, because when you are a Temp, there is no such thing as paid sick days, and I already had a very light pay week last week with the Thanksgiving Holiday. But that really had nothing to do with the decision to go to the doctor. I really thought I could beat this thing on my own.

For over a week, I took everyone's advice. I drank tea with honey and lemon, I tried a Nettie Pot, I ate vitamin C, I drank a gallon of OJ, I gargled with warm water and salt.  At work, I ate Ricola cough drops and Cold Tylenol.  At bedtime I'd take NyQuil. 
I'd wake up feeling a little better than the day before, but at the end of each day I felt worse.

After 9 days of trying to get healthy on my own, I realized this was more than I could handle with home remedies.  The earliest I could get was a Friday morning appointment with my doctor (3 days later).  I went ahead and made the appointment, figuring I could cancel if I was feeling better by then.  

Well, there was no cancelling this appointment. In fact, I showed up to my doctor's  office 40 minutes early, hoping the doctor would see me sooner, so I could get quick relief from this cough (which the doctor diagnosed was from a sinus infection)!  All I can say is that it has been 12 hours and 2 doses of prescription drugs... I feel better ALREADY!

The point of my story is not to bore you with my sick saga.  It just goes to prove that  a person who never gets sick, can get sick.  Its DANGEROUS to go without medical insurance, because you never know. 

Today, I was thankful for my coverage from The Freelancers Union.  You have to jump through a few small hoops and it takes about a month to get qualified, but when you are in, you are in. I hope I don't have to use it often, but at least I have it when I need it.  The way I look at it, its just one less stress or factor in the decision making process about dealing with your heath. 

I am also thankful to my steady gig at Elastic, which helps me pay the monthly premium (which is just under $500 a month).  

That's my story...I'm looking forward to a restful weekend and bouncing back to my old self on Monday. 

Sorry, TWC. You Lose...

So here's a story for you...


I recently switched from Time Warner Cable (TWC) to Verizon.

I had been a TWC customer for over 6 years and was very happy with the service.  In fact, when I had been laid off back in 2009, I called TWC and explained my situation, and how I couldn't afford the current bill and would have to cut my services to the bare minimum.  They offered me the triple play for $99.  I took it.  I was very thankful for this concession.

Then after a year, the price jumped up to $149 a month.  I called them back, and explained my situation (I'm still unemployed) and this time they said they could only give me these services for $129.  I paid that for a few months, but every time I turned on the TV, I saw an advertisement for $99 triple play from TWC. 

I called back and asked for the $99 rate that they are constantly advertising. They said there was nothing they can do.  I asked once again to lower to $99, they said they could not. 

Then I researched Verizon, and learned that they too offer a $99 triple play package.  I signed up for Verizon and I promptly cancelled TWC.

I now get the same services (a few different channels) from Verizon for $99. 

I also get daily letters and letters from TWC offering me to come back for $99 a month!  Apparently, according to the small print,  after 1 month I am eligible for this great price.   They really could have saved a bit of money on postage and a customer, if they would have worked with me. 

So TWC, you lose... (for now).

Verizon...take note...I'm not a big service switcher, but a girls gotta do, what a girls gotta do to save money!