The Angry Geologist vs. The Bush Depression

Today at work, my Minion got called into the bosses' office. This was pretty normal, because she had been working on a few of his projects. I didn't think anything of it at the time. I saw her a little later with performance review forms in her hand, and since it's that time of the year, I asked her how it went.

She said, "Good, but pointless."

I asked her what she meant, and she opened up the folder she had been carrying and handed the top sheet to me. It was a notice of layoff. It was like a bomb went off. The closest story I can compare it to was something I heard my grandfather tell about working in the coal mine. A section of roof had collapsed and killed the man working next to him- he quit that day.

After I stood there for a minute gaping like a dying fish, all I could manage was, "I am so sorry!" Shortly after that it was, "What the hell are they smoking?" But yeah.

She is okay with it. Her husband has a job that takes an Act of Congress to eliminate, and she gets all her benefits through him. They'll have to stretch, but they'll make it- besides, she was glad she got it and not someone who is supporting themselves, or worse, a family.

But we were working on the same projects. And this scares me, quite a bit.

I sat down today and wrote out a contingency plan in case I get the axe next. It involves canceling the cable and... *sniff*... the internet... in the beginning, trying to find temporary work to keep the lights on, and if I don't find a permanent position in the end, moving back home and applying for PhD programs. (Frankly, we're all going to have to be homeless and fighting over dog food before I'll give up Roland. I made a commitment to that dog, and I will keep it.)

I know I'll land on my feet, but that doesn't stop me from being afraid of the fall. Wish me luck.