My employer, a global, technology corporation, just laid off a bunch of people. At my U.S. location alone, ~400 of 800+ workers were let go — me among them, and my local manager, and others in my immediate group.

We were told back in July that a major round of layoffs were coming, but at the time we didn’t have any firm information about who or how or when. Then this past Monday, we had a big meeting — all global locations, simultaneously — saying that the actions would be starting this week. (This announcement was in the business news all over the world, so I’m not giving away corporate inside information.)

I’ve been caught in a corporate lay off before, so this wasn’t a traumatic experience for me as it I saw it was for many of my coworkers. For me, it was, “Crap, this sucks.” I sighed and went on with it. Some other people were angry and hurt. I saw it as just a impersonal risk of working in a large corporation — sometimes they have to make drastic adjustments, and sometimes these adjustments mean letting workers go. Some other people seemed to take this as a personal affront and offense.

I’ve been temporarily unemployed before, because of a lay off, the end of a contract, or between hustling freelance work. So, although I don’t like it, and it does suck, I realize it’s not the end of the world (even though I have a family to support now, and that adds a great deal more stress to the situation, let me tell you).

Last time I was laid off, the company was a privately owned institution, so the lay offs were unannounced — one day they just started laying people off. This time the company is a publicly owned institution, so the lay offs were announced many weeks in advance (but without details). The difference is interesting. I’ll get into comparing and contrasting the differences in the next day or two.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com

Calfgrit7 has been looking through one of his tattered Lego catalogs picking out things to put on his Christmas list. An interesting thing about his obsession with Lego is that he’s mostly interested in just the mini people. He’s picked out several sets because, he admits, he wants the people in those sets.

He has sets from both the Star Wars and fantasy lines — starships, siege engines, etc. But after they’re put together (mostly by me, because they’re sometimes quite complicated), they end up, after a couple of weeks, in pieces. He and Calfgrit3 use those pieces to create all new things. They even often mix and match the people pieces.

The only set that hasn’t been broken down into it’s component parts and poured into the general pile is the Lego fantasy chess set — human knights and soldiers against the skeleton forces. This set Calfgrit7 has done well with keeping together, but he’s required our assistance at times to keep Calfgrit3’s hands off the toys. (I had similar troubles when I was younger.)

One time while Calfgrit7 was holding his Indiana Jones Lego character, he noticed the Han Solo Lego character in his catalog. “Dad,” he said excitedly, “Indiana Jones and Han Solo look just alike.”

I explained why they looked alike in real life, but I was impressed that not only were the faces the same in the Lego pieces, but Calfgrit7 was studying them closely enough to notice. He’s turning into a fine and attentive geek. Makes a daddy proud.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com

For all of you who give appropriate and polite signals when you’re about to change lanes or turn: Thank you. You are wonderful human beings with an understanding of what it means to be a part of civilization.

For any of you who just refuse to give signals, and just zip in and out of lanes or make turns unannounced: ^&%# you. You are idiots with no right to share the road or civilization.

It astonishes me how something so incredibly easy, nigh effortless, can apparently be so beyond the ability of so many drivers. It’s just a flick of the wrist.

Giving a driving signal is just common courtesy. Not only does it help keep everyone safe on the roads, it shows basic respect for fellow drivers. Every time I see a driver change lanes without a signal, or turn in an intersection without a signal, I see someone who is just too self absorbed to be allowed a driver’s license.

I wish there was some way of tagging a driver’s car with some kind of “I’m a jackass!” sign when they maneuver without giving a signal.

Sorry, but I’m a little worked up over this issue. I encountered three of these idiots today on my drive home. Sometimes it’s a wonder the majority of us manage to actually make it home safe, what with all the *$^%*s on the road.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com

I’ve been really busy lately with a lot of stuff, so some things have been put off for too long. . .

Cowgrit: “I’m going to call a handyman to finish fixing the bathroom. Maybe I should call a painter too.”

Bullgrit: “You know, that’s like me saying I’m going to call an escort to go to the movies with me.”

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com