Up and down

A couple of hours ago, I got a phone call from my-now-ex-boss, telling me that this is it. No more work.
So, first thing Monday morning, it's off to the unemployment office I'll be going... To receive a whopping 55% of my salary. I'm now back to being scared and nervous.
I cannot wait to see the next stage of my life. I really want to believe it's will be extraordinary but there are moments when it's a bit difficult. gulp!

Week 1

Today is the end of the first week of my career upheaval. My brain is still a bit fuzzy but for the first time, I haven't stressed about it at any point during the day. I had a kid's birthday party to go to, and even though I didn't really feel like going, it did me a world of good. Not only was I surrounded by genuinely caring people but getting there necessitated an hour long bike ride. All in all, it was very therapeutic. I believe that today was the first ray of hope I've felt in this ordeal. Trust in life and all will make sense in the end... It was just a bit hard for me to remember that at first. In the words of the famous Violeta Parra song, Gracias a la vida!

Ouch...

Last week we learned that the company we work for was going under and we would loose our jobs... We've given everything we had to our clients and now, they just want to work with the cheapest person possible. One of our clients even started shipping his work to India!! That is absolutely unacceptable. We do educational material and our clients get quite a bit of money from the government. How dare they not keep the work within our borders!!! Their behavior is socially immoral. If someone reads this and wants to know who I'm talking about, they're called Chenelière Éducation in Montréal.

Anyway... For one week now, I've been in a daze, incapable of concentrating on anything, or just engaging in basic thinking. My colleague friend and I have been going through a vast range of emotions, good and bad. Today, I finally feel like I'm more in control of my neurons and will be able to finally start looking for work. I absolutely have to avoid going on unemployment. Even though I've been paying it for many years (ever since I started working at 16), unemployment only pays 55% of the salary... I'm pretty sure I would have to sell my place on that salary. But I cannot think that way. Positive thinking right? I will find work, all this is for the better, in the end I will be happier etc.

Summer

Tonight officially marked the beginning of my summer.
First, the weather was fan-tas-tic. In my heat deprived, north North American world, the higher degree temperatures are as cherished as the rarest gems. And tonight also was the first night I could wear flip flops until the wee hours of the morning without any discomfort.
Second, I spent the night on a "terrasse" having good food, good wine and great conversation. I met up with an old friend of mine I hadn't seen in 10 years and we just picked up were we left off.
So all I have to say is welcome back summer, I missed you dearly and I hope you stay with us for a while.
Cheers!!

Yay!

Sometimes you just have to trust life and its flow.
I just spent a fabulous night with people I didn't even know a year ago. And at the house where it was all taking place, there was that kind of artsy vibe I grew up around, that just made me feel at ease. Sometimes, life throws me these little nuggets of goodness that just rekindle my faith! Yay!