What Beth said.

Then they'll have to wait.

Yeah, they can pay you extra for a couple weeks of work if they want it all done. Happens all the time. Don't kill yourself over this. Do you what you can in a timely and efficient manner, and figure out what can be done at a normal (somewhat rushed) work pace and let them know.

You're just one part of a large transition and they will either (a) pay you to stay on and handle some stuff; or (b) hand it off to somebody else.

You don't owe them jackshit. Certainly NOT a panic attack.

I made it in around 11:30, and Incompetent!Boss had sent out an e-mail saying that he bought pizza for the office and then he went on to say really lovely things about everyone and the good job we've done, etc., etc.

So I lost it again. (Also sad because I couldn't eat the pizza, but I'm used to that.)

And then there was an e-mail from Big!Boss saying we will be paid through the end of July. So I lost it again. If I could get my emotions under control (as always, Troy says it best), I'd be thrilled.

It's hard, Steph. You've been there a long time. But you should be eligible for unemployment at the end of July, too.

But you should be eligible for unemployment at the end of July, too.

We definitely are, since it was a sale/layoff, and not actually being fired.

Teppy, I'm sorry. All the calm~ma headed your way.

Saturday I went with a bunch of friends to a fancy restaurant in town that is usually fantastic. However, it was a really weird night where everything went wrong. We complained to the manager on duty, and they took a bunch of stuff off the bill. However, because we were using a groupon, I received a call from the general manager this week apologizing again, and he sent us a $100 gift certificate. Now that's what I call good customer service.

Oh Steph, I'm sorry it's been such a day.

Oh Steph, I'm sorry it's been such a day.

I mean, I'm not complaining that they're paying us for 2 more weeks after tomorrow (assuming that isn't the sum total of our severance, of course; I don't mean to sound mercenary, but I would hope that 18 years of comma wrangling is worth more than 2 weeks' salary). The 2 weeks' extra salary is unexpected and generous.

But it's all still really, really hard. I don't handle change well at all. I mean, I get that probably a majority of people aren't thrilled with change, but I am at the very extreme end of the bell curve of just not being able to handle it at all.

I'm sorry, Steph. That's a rough situation to be in, nice words and pay from the higher-ups or no.

but not play them in my head as an endless anxiety loop.

I can keep the endless anxiety loops at bay during the day, but they're at the root of at least half of my insomnia episodes.

So, I was at a Moodle (learning management system) conference last week, and it was delightful. It was me and about 190 technologically inclined teachers, pretty much. I felt so comfortable and at home, which sort of brought to light the fact that seven years in I still don't feel that way at my present job. It's not a bad job, and I could certainly do worse, but it would be great to find something in a community college setting. Ideally in northern lower Michigan. Anyway, I made a few connections, so we'll see if things move, or if I just sit around being slightly pouty for a while.

Steph, I am so sorry this transition is so rough. You have been there a really long time. Sending massive amounts of calm~ma your way to get you through the next few days.