You really shouldn't take things for granite. It is quite scratchy.

Speaking of jobs, and mine, I maybe don't need to worry about using vacation time for jury duty.

My company is probably going to be bought by another publisher. And the staff, as usually happens, will be redundant.

Now. It's not a done deal -- as Big!Boss said, right now the potential buyer is "kicking the tires" to see if we're a used car worth buying. We'll probably know within 3-4 weeks if we're a bargain worth buying. And if we are, well, he didn't give us any idea of when we'll be out the door.

They might not decide to make an offer, of course, but I think that if Big!Boss thought it was important enough to tell us all about, then it's more likely than not that we'll be bought. (And it was kind of him to give us advance notice; he certainly didn't have to tell us anything until it was a done deal and we were well and truly fucked.)

I was not expecting this. Right now I'm so full of beer that the sheer panic hasn't set in. But tomorrow should be fun.

I imagine I'll need a lot of advice in the coming weeks, because it's been 18 years since I've looked for a job or interviewed and I'm pretty sure I'm entirely unemployable (okay, I'm panicking a little right now). And I didn't really want to look for a new job while I was planning a wedding, GOD DAMN IT.

Crapsticks.

Oh Tep.

Oh dear.

Well that just sucks, Teppy.

Tep, that is a total pisser. Oy.

Oh, no, Teppy.

You are so not unemployable.

I'm trying to be objective about this. Big!Boss can do whatever he likes with his company. He said -- no one used the terms "fired," "redundant," "out of a job," or the like -- that he intends to "help us all as much as [he] can."

Despite how weird that place can be/has been, I actually believe him on that. He has done quite a lot for the employees over the years, and I have no reason to believe he'll shaft us on severance.

Wow. I am actually talking about getting severance.

Tim made a very good point tonight, which is that the company has been in dire financial straits for a while. If Big!Boss *didn't* sell, and just let the company limp along until he had to shutter it for good, he might not be in a position to give us decent severance, even if he wanted to. But if he sells the company, that might put him in a better financial situation to do right by us.

So there's that.

And I've been really burned out on editing for...well, for quite a while now. This is certainly a way to push me into something else. I just don't know what it might be.

Tim is a little thrown by the fact that I'm not flipping out, but, to be fair, I've had a LOT of beer. And a potato.

Tep I'm sure there is lots of time to flip out.

And the whole thing is so full of unknowns that you reallly don't need this so close to your wedding (as added stress).

But, I'll play Pollyanna a bit - if this happens - no annoying co worker that annoys you. You can look for another job that you won't be burned out on. And in the future you'll be able to look back as The Year of Big Ass Changes that Were All Good!

I was approached by a lawyer today about becoming partners. One of the things that I quickly realized is that I really value my law firms culture. I think we do a good job at a fair price. Most of our new clients are referrals. But we also run together on Friday afternoons, have weekly office paid for lunches, and take generous coffee breaks. I pay for 75% of health care and everyone's iPhone. But so far we haven't needed a vacation policy or sick time policy. Like ND, I really am happy to have the chance to make the office into what I want. I'm really leaning against a partner, even if I would make more money because I don't want all that to change.

Wow Steph, that's big change.

And Stephanie, you seem like a great boss too.