News and Putting Out Fires.

So, I have been thinking about if I was going to write this post over the last couple days. After some thought I figured why not? I want this blog to be complete and I want to give reasons for my sporadic postings as of late. Today I will give a rough overview of our last week. I am sure many of you will relate and many many many of you are in the same position we find ourselves in today.

Let's begin...

After a fabulous week long visit from Eric's sister (who traveled in from France to visit) the week prior, Monday started the new work week. We all were getting back on schedule and doing all the necessary mental and physical things that require you to switch back into the normal rhythm after a "Stay-cation". I gave Eric a kiss goodbye as he went to go Art Director things at the large national video game company that he worked for. Charlotte and I waved good bye and we finished our morning ritual. After breakfast, getting dressed, a cartoon or two, we head out the door to go buy some fabric for the next bag I want to make. As it gets closer to lunch time we leave the fabric store. Hop in the car and head towards the house, singing loudly along to one of Charlotte's toddler sing-a-long CD's, running through thoughts on what to prepare for lunch before I put her down for her nap. As we turn onto our street and pull up to our house I see Eric's car and wonder: Why does Eric have his car parked in the driveway? He should be at work?

I feel dread. In a fraction of a second my mind goes through a bunch of thoughts and mental calculations to determine this could mean one of two scenarios:

A) He could be sick. I scan my memory on if I have seen him sniffle, cough, or sneeze in the last few days.

B) He could have been laid off. We just had a conversation with a co-worker about how he is the last engineer in his area of the project and how 3 of his coworkers were let go during the week Eric was on vacation. During that conversation I was hopeful that they at least haven't touched the art department... yet.

I start feeling a little panicky. I put the car in park and walk inside to call his name to see what happened. I see his face and with all the grace and poise of a 4 year old I spastically blurt out: "You were laid off." We hug and as you do when faced with bad news (or maybe it is just me) your mind starts to think of all the escape routes. What are our options. Where do we go from here. New job. Move. The US. Europe. What about Health Care. Insurance. Maybe jobs in Montreal. California. Cost of living. Texas.

All of it boiling down to the question that takes time to answer but you feel like you can't breath until you know: What's next?


Just 10 minutes before my main worry was if the turkey in the fridge was past it's expiration date. Life is funny like that.

Since Eric had a couple hours time to digest this he sat me down and calmly and methodically went over everything HR told him. I didn't hear any of it... but it gave me a moment to breath.

After the initial shock wore off the effective, list making, left side of my brain told my emotional artsy-fartsy right side to go take a nap and that this was her territory. I learned the year my father had and later died of cancer that I do well in times of crisis. I am pretty all over the place most of the time but when things start to crumble around me I organize and prioritize and then when the waters are calm again it is my turn to become a hot-mess. :)

Monday was full of networking (check) and telling all our friends and family (check). We contacted a lot of contacts in the game industry and got leads on who is looking, who isn't and who maybe looking in the future. My heart is warmed by how helpful all our friends are that we have made over the last years. Their encouragement is so wonderful and invaluable.

Tuesday consisted of resume polishing (check). Bill trimming (check). Unemployment filing (check). Website updating (check). Financial crunching (check).

Today, Wednesday, we were awoken by cries coming from Charlotte's room. Not her normal I-am-awake cries but her I-don't-feel-good cries. She had a fever of 103. Off to the Dr. He thinks maybe strep and took a culture where we will find the results in a few days. But this gave us the opportunity to talk to the financial department to find out about what happens if her next well-baby visit we don't have insurance (check).

The next couple of days we hope to check off:
Make a list of Game Dev companies we are interested in.
Send Resumes.
Follow up, Follow up, Follow up.

I am a little stressed and saddened that there are not more companies local to where we are now. I knew this when I talked Eric into moving here so we could be near my family to start our family. I knew this day would one day come and that all our eggs would be in this companies basket. It was really good while it lasted... But right now I am standing here lost and still asking myself  "What's Next?"

If you made it this far... Thank you for listening to me ramble on. It feels cathartic to have it written here in black and white to see it all written out. We have a plan. Even if I don't know where we will be next week or next month. I am right here, right now.