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Guest

Tough meeting coming Friday afternoon. Having some differences with my company to the point it's affecting my emotions so much I don't feel I can lead my shift anymore. I'd take a demotion, but they're not going to demote me when they can either let a position go dark or move some managers around and grab a 23-year-old rookie writer on the cheap.

It's been hairy for me. Took a personal day, with permission, on Wednesday night. Had to do the same thing once last week. I may have a job Friday night, I may not. If the poop really hits the fan, I'll hold onto at least one good field gun and my paid-for pickup.

The part you guys might appreciate: The meeting is Friday because I already was off the schedule to go pheasant hunting today (Thursday), and I told 'em I was going bird hunting, with or without a job. At least our department's top dog (who's also second-in-command for the entire operation) got word to me Wednesday night that I was to call him at home, ASAP. He told me to shoot some birds, have some fun and see him Friday. So, there's at least a bit of hope for compromise and resolution.

The bad things: (1) I l still love what I do, and I'd miss my employees. Hell, I even like my bosses. (2) I'm 43 and still trying to figure out why God gave me more balls than brains. And, geez, today was my anniversary date -- 12.5 years clean and sober. You'd think I'd have grown up by now.

The really good things (1) I'm not going to drink over it. (2) If it all falls down, I'll still be a bird hunter.

A sincere God bless and Merry Christmas to everyone.

Member Joined: 27 Oct 2006 Posts: 161 Location: New Mexico

I can feel for you Friend. The company I work for started out as a high-speed, problem solving, employee owned blast to work at. Of the guys I started with 15 years ago, there's probably 2 left, now everyone is either a 20 something code toad or HR specialist. Everything takes twice as long to get done just because of paperwork. Plus we went public and the stock has been flat for over a year (it had been 12% growth as employee owned on average.) Just another sweat shop.

I got 2 years before I hit 50, and if I hold out, my 50th birthday present is gonna be waving bye bye to the whole sorry outfit. There's plenty of jobs out there, so maybe I'll try something new.

Plus at 43, you have to be a much better writer than some rookie kid. I haven't seen a 23 years old that could construct a complete sentance without it sounding like they were text messaging.

MGF,

Good luck to you. I've been in that position a few times, and it's no fun. Tough time of year for it too (I know from experience). Fortunately you're young enough that's there are other opportunities out there for you; here's hoping that however it goes, it turns out the best for you. Hang in there...

Fin

Member Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 230 Location: SW Idaho

damn, went in to fix some spelling and lost the post!

Guest

Thanks for the comments.

Some demented part of me wants to walk in there wearing a tie with pheasants on it, wingtips and a fedora ... and nothing else. Can they fire someone who's obviously been driven over the edge, or could I at least get some company-funded time with 3 hots, a cot and some kick-butt meds? Maybe I could meet a nurse! Laughing

(Nah, don't want to go that route. Under Illinois law, I'd lose my FOID card and my guns.)

Ah, what the the hell, time to get in the truck, light up a good cigar, drink some of that good Mr. Donuts coffee and go hunting. What's the Latin for "Don't let the bastards wear you down?"

To hell with it at least for today. I get to see the setters work, and that's enough for me. On Friday, I'll say a prayer, prepare my notes, catch a meeting before work and carry myself like a gentleman and a pro, then leave the rest to my higher power. Sometimes, you do the best you can and hope and pray for the best. I've found a humbling, even very difficult, time can be good for the soul.

One way or another, lads, I'll come out on the bright side of this one of these days.

Shoot well, men, and love your dogs. That's my plan for this "one day at a time"

Member Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 230 Location: SW Idaho

Illegitimi non carborundum

Even a CD named to that: http://cdbaby.com/cd/toasters4

Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 190 Location: Washington State

As someone with 12.5 on his side I'm sure you know a thing or two about coping. Turn it over...and keep coming back, it works.

Me? 11/02/92

Guest

Just FYI, it was pretty fair day. We were on land with state-released birds. We each took 3 birds on 4 shells.

My first bird was a long, wild flush. My bro and the dogs were working other birds (roosters, it turned out) a good ways away when my sudden halt & freeze in some knee-high brush apprently pushed a hen out into a little clearing about 12 yards away. She ran directly away from me and made it to the cover on the other side of the smalll clearing, despite my taking a few stomps toward her and giving her two of my real loud, "HAH BIRD" shouts.

I didn't even have time to finish the thought, "Won't be getting that one up into the air without some dog pressure," when a separate hen flushed from the same direction that the first had come from. I had just turned around to check my 6 and caught sight of her as as she was zipping past on my left. Did a 180 and took her with 2 shots as quick as I could line her up. Wasn't a big bird, but she was a quick little flier.

The other two shots were nothing to write about home ... other than the lovely young Lew (age 3) locking down two roosters like she was a still-life painting. She gave me those shots like they were Low 7s. Purely cake ... long as you don't start to think about it. I do believe I love that bitch! A real spoiled and prissy princess at home, but a demon dog on pheasant.

Guest

Member Joined: 02 Feb 2006 Posts: 602 Location: western pa

The darkest times make things that matter so much clearer than they were before. I guess it makes all the unimportant crap in your life take a back seat. Come to think of it, a good dog, a favorite gun and some sassy roosters make the world look better too. You're on the right road. Have a good Christmas.

MGF,

I don't know what you do for a living, but I've been in a uniform more than not in my careers. I'm 42. 4 years USAF Security Police. 18 months as a truck driver. 18 Years in law enforcement.

These last 18 years I have felt many times the way you seem to be feeling. At least from my perspective anyway. I've seen murdered victims. A 6yo little girl mauled by a Great Dane. Sexual assault victims. Folks arriving home after working hard all day to find their few possessions either gone or vandalized. Spit upon with bloody spit after the guy gets into a drunken stupor and fights with everyone around. Bitten. Shot at. Cussed out every day.

Then you top it off with all the negative press police get. How we violate everyone's rights. How we speed down the road just because we can. How we get free this and free that. "How many doughnuts have you eaten today?"

Then, we're there 24/7. Working all the holidays that everyone else seems to have off. Little sleep. Stress out the wazoo. And then we get up and go back to the same thing all over again.

I've thought about throwing in the towel several times over the years.

My wife has kept a scapbook of my early career. She waned on it after about 10 years. I do go back and look at it from time to time.

There are thank you letters; One from a mother and father about helping their son while he was trapped in an overturned car for several hours while seriously injured and bleeding while wrapped in high power electrical lines. The kid fell asleep after giving a co-worker a ride home on the opposite side of town after they finished their late shift at work. And the one from a mother who happened to overhear my conversation with the very guy she called in about who was harassing their family. She commented on the need to tell my Chief about how fair I treated all parties in the confrontation. Then there's the lady with one arm, who was living on limited disability pay with no A/C. Me and some of the guys bought her a fan to help out with the heat. There are more letters and stories.

My point is, try to look at the positives from your past with your current job. Maybe they can be motivators to try to get you to remember the times you were on top of your game. It helps me.

And, sometimes we just need to vent. Through friends, co-workers, or just someone who will listen.

We're listening.

Thanks for listening to me. I still need to vent from time to time.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Guest

Equismith.....In our profession, it is imperative to focus on those positive encounters, even though they are heavily outweighed by the negative. It is a clear case of the silent majority being over-shadowed by the vocal minority of slobs, criminals and idiots. I've learned to ignore all the negative BS and keep my eye on the upcoming retirement, when I can watch it all on the news as my brothers carry on the fight. In the meantime, I take great pleasure in all the trash that will not see daylight til long after I am enjoying retirement, if ever. I smile every time I think of how many gangsters and hard cases consider me the enemy. After all, it's the greatest hunting in the world! Hang in there.

MGF....hang tough, you will get through this.

Life is too short to work at something or some place unpleasant.

When i was stiil on active duty, I'd see these retirement eligible guys hanging on, bitching , whining, and complaining all the time. My thought was why are you still here? You can retire tomorrow, why don't you and quit bitching.

There's plenty of workout there for those who want to go do it. There's plenty of educational opportunities out there to retrain if necessary. There's billboard ads, radio ads, TV ads looking for people who want to work. Of course some relocation may be required.

My point is don't give up on yourself, your abilities and talents. You can do most anything you want to do, givewn enough self confidence and belief in yourself.

Hang in ther, explore all options and if necessary, take the plunge and go after something that appeals to you.

Again, life is too short to work in someplace miserable.

My opinions only .... Others may differ.

rayb

MGF
I feel for you.
At 52 & 50 the wife and I made the decision.I was getting that way .every day I wanted to take something to work that was belt fed.

The wife and I sold everything moved from one side of the country to the furtherest extremity.The wife has enrolled at University to do a teaching degree ,she already has two law degrees and an arts degree.I went and bought a farm to produce beef and hay.yesterday I got a job in my old trade ( Boilermaker/welder ) on a construction site installing a log handling facility at $30 bucks an hour.to fill in the time until we Take over the farm.
It has wallaby ,hare ,rabbits quail, duck,native hen,the odd fallow deer and it will have a benchrest setup and a 1000 yrd range ,it may end up with some cattle
The point is, go and do what you want to do .Life
does not begin at 30,40, or 50,life begins right now ,go and enjoy it and do what you want to do.

good luck
sbs470

Guest

Thanks for all the comments; they really help. Equismith, I'm actually a newspaper guy. Old school. Started on the police beat and my two biggest mentors in honesty and integrity were my old-pro night editor and a tough, smart, streetwise sergeant. I'm in management now and am the ranking guy on nights at our paper.

Anyway, my fate remains unknown until at least Tuesday. Today, I had to go with my direct supervisor to see the HR chief. She was sitting in for the top editor, who was out of town. I'd love to give you guys the high points, but you know how a company can get if it reads about itself on the Web. I'll just say I'm trying to work with them on a reasonable solution and am willing to meet them darn near anywhere along the spectrum of possibilities. My best guess: It's all going to be in the top editor's hands come Monday.

The toughest part of it: I still love what I do, I like my crew, and I even like the three or four top bosses. I'm proud of the product. We're increasing hardcopy sales (how many newspapers in the country are doing that?), and we have a kick-butt site that's drawing millions of hits.

They asked me if I wanted to work Friday and Saturday nights, as scheduled, or sit it out until we talked again next week. I told them, "I still love this game -- If I'm going out, I'd rather do it playing than sitting on the bench." They let me play.

That's about it. I have an uncomfy 3 1/2 days before I learn anything more. My goal: I'd like to stay. But if I have to leave per my choice or the company's, I'd like to walk out like a gentleman and a pro, principles and dignity intact. I know that's old-fashioned, even impractical and quite possibly stupid. But, IMO, you have to have something to hold onto, some belief of who you are.

So, I try to keep my spirits up, hope and pray. God help me, I actually want to keep making that seven-edition beast. It's what I love to do, and I'm good at it. And I'm not even mentioned in the Mitchell report, either! Laughing

God bless you guys; you're the best.