GC, that totally sucks! And is insane to boot.

You just gotta love "need to know." "We didn't tell you about the reorganization to protect the stock price. Oh, you just finished your review cycle? That's a heck of a coincidence, isn't it? I'll have to tell my buddies at the club."

Dunno, I guess I'd rather be told now that I'll lose my job in February than be told in January after I spent on Christmas presents? It does kinda cast a pall on the whole season, though. Yeeesh.

WTF?!? that makes no sense. gotta love corporate america. Seriously, add a whole new level of paranoia to the 'will I get fired' thoughts that pass through people's brains.

Fuck, GC.

t shakes fist o' doom at fucker workplaces

NOVEMBER, YOU ARE ON THE LIST!

t shuffles back off to NyQuil land

Of all the times I have been laid off, the one with several months lead time was the best / easiest. Our division was sold and we were given nice severance packages if we stayed til they actually closed.

Not that it was fun or something I was hoping would happen, but I am glad that GF has the knowledge now. And quite glad that you both will be okay.

Many good feelings for GC and the GF, as the universe decided to fuck with you today.

ION, I have crafted a soup base from the carcass of a rotisserie chicken, and I feel like a fucking rock star. It'll probably end up tasting pretty crappy, but I did it and I'm proud of me.

And now, to bed, for lo, 6am is hella early.

They still talk about the Hooka Fairy. I'll see if I can find their Burning Man photos.

Ooh! Yes please!

He wanted to be even more black?

Well, he is Jilli's cat.

Which reminds me - I hold Jilli directly responsible for the fact that my classroom presently boasts not one, not two but four cuddly toys.

See, initially there was Barney The Dog, who is white and fluffy and unspeakably cute. And whose name was Barney because that was clearly the best possible name.

And Barney was much beloved. And in Circle Time when we did 'I feel proud when...' or 'I feel happy when...', taking Barney home constantly got namechecked. Bless.

But then came Black Thursday. Black Thursday dawned like any other day, but when all the children arrived...one of them had forgotten to bring Barney back to school.

On occasion Barney had gone home with children who failed to come to school the next day because they were ill, but in these circumstances mums and dads had managed to get Barney to school even if the kid didn't make it.

But on Black Thursday? No Barney.

I tried to make everyone be philosophical about this, and we were not mean to the person who still had Barney.

Then came Black Friday. For lo, the Barney-having person? Forgot Barney again.

Wailing and weeping and gnashing of teeth and rending of hair from 15 other six year olds when they realised that the wicked person would now have Barney for the whole weekend.

There was much sorrow.

And so it came about that I went to the shop whence came Barney and purchased some family members. A chocolate brown dog exactly like Barney, whose name, I knew immediately, was Chester. And then there were wee versions, so I had to buy a wee caramel-coloured one. She is called Honey, because that is clearly her name. But then I was on a roll, and it occured to me that if I liberated the remaining white Barneyalike from the shop, I could sneakily swap Barney's identical twin sister (henceforth to be known as Bianca) for Barney from time to time, in order to wash Barney. Because Barney was becoming pretty grubby, what with his hussylike sleeping around ways.

And then I saw an unspeakably adorable wee pig, who looked remarkably like the Pig Puppet in Wolves in the Walls. So she came to live with us too. Her name is Penelope, which is a large name for such a small pig, but it is her name.

On the following Monday, Barney did return. He still lives in pride of place on top of the computer monitor, while Chester and Honey (who guard the classroom while we are away at home) live with the other toys. We have now had two more No Barney emergencies, but happily in those situations everyone was very chilled about it, because we knew that Chester was ready to step into the breach and go home with the person who had been Very Good that day.

....I have not, however, brought any evil rabbits into the classroom.

Yet.

cereal

Holy crap, GC. I have no words.