The day I was downsized

Hey and hello out there to all of my readers!

I'm starting this blog because, for one I've always wanted my own blog where I could say things like "fuck" and "shit" and call people assholes right to their face (well at least on a computer screen) and type out loud that I love that Obama won. But I have never started one because I maintained two blogs for work and really who needs three blogs?!?

Speaking of work, let's touch on that. For the past four years, after graduating with my degree in journalism from Michigan State University, I have been working for the Lansing State Journal. I mainly worked for their Young Reader Publication (NOISE). For the past year and a half I've written a column for the life section and have also in the past contributed to their women's magazine GLW. This brings me to my point, I also wrote for two blogs associated with the paper.

While these blogs were mostly opinion I was limited in my use of swear words and calling people assholes, in fact even after H&R Block totally fucked up my taxes last year I was asked to take the post down even though it was completely true. But no more!!

You see around 3 p.m. myself and the rest of the NOISE staff were "let go."
I have never in my life been fired and while this wasn't really the "you suck, get out" kind of firing one might imagine it was still kinda surreal and very..."We totally love you but you totally have to get out."

I was the first to get my shit (still loving the being able to swear thing) out of the office and get out of there.

While I'm completely freaked out that once my severance pay runs out I'm totally out of money (and credit, thanks credit crunch), I have to believe that this happened for a reason. I'm a total comfort zone person and I loved my job. I probably would have stayed there and done the same thing for years if they hadn't have kicked me out. And honestly that's no way to spend your career. Safe yes, diverse, no.

Money, well that brings me to the second reason I am starting this blog (No I'm not getting paid for this, hence the title) but I am going to document what the transition from working to not working to hopefully working again, is like and hopefully that'll be funny.

Tomorrow I make my first stop to the unemployment office. A place I have never been, yet have heard plenty about.
My good friend, who was laid off in an earlier round of lay offs, is going to escort me and show me the ropes.
I know thanks to reading Jen Lancaster's books not to bring my Prada bag (like I have a real one, remember I was a writer) but beyond that I know nothing.

I have a feeling that the unemployment office will be the first in many unemployed adventures for me and I like sharing.

Along with this blog, I am lucky to have the support of an amazing husband (who just called to say everything was going to be okay, seriously best husband ever) and wonderful parents (my mom has suggested that I return to work at American Eagle, I told her not yet) and loving friends (I may need to clean your houses for money after the New Year).

So for now I'm going to laugh and say "what will be, will be." If I were you, I'd read this blog daily to see just how long this attitude lasts.