Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans

A couple of weeks ago we got a phone call out of the blue.

One friend called with a sort of clipped "here are your instructions" voice to say that we were to appear at the apartment of our mutual friend at noon on Saturday. It sounded like the next thing that would happen was some sort of spy chase with packages behind water pipes and cell phone calls to unmarked phone booths and such.

We knew already that she was getting married later in the month, and her family were spending a lot of time declaring that "if [x] will be at your wedding, then I won't show." Finally, our friend decided to just jettison her family and all of the hassles that they were piling on, and just have a little ceremony with a room full of friends.

So we had a grand time. Two people who loved each other got married in a room full of people who were happy to be there, and then for a reception we all crammed into the kitchen and drank champagne (except the bride who only drinks beer) and had some food from the bakery down the street. There was talking and laughing and then the newlyweds got a lift to the airport for a long weekend away.

I was going to write about that here.

Last week I was called into my supervisor's office and was told that the office that I am in will be dismantled and absorbed into a group of other offices. As I am the office manager and much of my duties are spread across the various offices that will be absorbing my office, there is no specific unit that makes sense for the powers that be to put me. So, instead of trying to think of something, the decision has been made to lay me off.

Shitheads.

Currently I am still working, and will have steady work for at least a few months yet, I have money in the bank, and I am looking at this as an opportunity, rather than a setback. I've been making calls, taking meetings, writing up proposals and generally being (for the most part) astonishingly positive. I'll be spending some time in the next few weeks thinking about my career trajectory, and perhaps this blog's place in it. The thing that I learned on that lovely drizzly Saturday just a couple of weeks ago is that sometimes people being stupid and self-centered and just plain not thinking can help inspire you to go and do something simple and unexpected and wonderful without them.

There might be some big changes afoot. I'm looking forward to seeing what they are.