Well, That Sucks

I got laid off.

It came as a shock. I worked for that company for 12 years, but all the sudden I don’t “fit in with their version of the company”. They paid out all my PTO and gave me a decent severance check, at least, and I got to keep my insurance for 2 months.

Honestly, though, I should have known. The Architect I’ve worked with the whole time I’ve been there retired and no one else quite knew what to do with me. I thought about retiring with him, but I guess that decision has been made for me.

The first thing I did was roll my 401k over to my own personal investment account. My stockbroker at D.A.Davidson helped me with that, to ensure that I won’t have any tax issues with the transfer. It does take time, however. The check has to be mailed to me, and then I have to mail it to my stockbroker. Currently I’m waiting for the check to arrive in my mailbox.

The second thing I did was begin the process of signing up for unemployment. This is more difficult than I remember it being. I went to their website. I followed all their instructions. I did everything they told me to do. And yet, when I got to the very end of their long and arduous process – I’m still not signed up for unemployment. I’m not sure what I did wrong. That is today’s tasks: try to figure that out.

While I was dealing with my 401k and unemployment, Bryan worked with his company to get me put on to his insurance. Thankfully, they allow for a Domestic Partner! That’s a major item taken off my “things to worry about” list!

I am kicking around a few ideas to help supplement my considerably lower income:

• I signed up to be a Cat Sitter on Rover.com (I even got my first gig already!)
• I signed up on DoorDash to deliver lunches (I can’t drive at night) and have plans to sign up with UberEats as well
• I am in the process of applying to the Musk Ox Farm to be a part-time Interpretive Guide, and am considering the Reindeer Farm as well
• I might get my own business license to enable me to do some Contract Drafting work

It will be hard to find a job that fits into the schedule to which I have become accustomed: working from home and getting every Friday off. But I’ll be okay. One way or another, it will all work out.