Carolyn

Remember how I posted a couple of posts ago about how Doran, the boss boss from Topeka who fired everyone I cared about at B&W, including my dear boss, was in town? Well guess what! Today, using the most lame, ridiculous and stupidest reasons I've ever heard, he fired me. Yup. Gone. Toast. Christmas week. That is it. 9.5 years with the company mean nothing to him--he wanted me out and he came up with the way. He didn't give a damn about my rock-solid history with the company (he has been with B&W since April). In fact he pretty much told me he didn't believe Chris ever evaluated me honestly. Too good to be true? Nope. I am that good. LOLOL. Word was flying around BNSF, all the people I helped hearing about it (and on the heels of Chris), already and Chris has heard from one who wants to talk to me. It is no secret (he tells me) that after all the work we did in our office was shipped up to Topeka that the quality plummeted. I believe it, as I had super-high standards and wasn't doing it anymore. Rawr. He hears complaints, which I knew, but yeah. Wow.

Soon as I got home I contacted BNSF corporate support, and there are two positions opening early January, both in contracts--lol where I hailed from. Same group. Steve, my former boss there, is happy for me to come back. Chris is there too, and all my old coworkers--I'm going to be welcomed back with open arms.

Insane, huh?

I have to say that though there is shock racing through my system, there are no regrets, there is mostly relief. I did nothing wrong, and I stand by that. I have watched that company go from incredible, awesome, caring and a really fantastic place to work, to a place that now has five people left, and Kevin was interviewing today--he called me on his way, having heard from Juan what happened. Juan too has been polishing his resume with the intent to start hunting after the first of a year.

It has been a fascinating experience, coming into a company--asked to come work there by Chris all those years ago--and doing fantastic work, learning so many new things, and watching it grow and change and catch the excitement of new technologies... And then to see it fall hard as all the best and brightest were systematically pushed out. Splat. And it isn't done yet, I am sure of it. Five people left, one actively looking--what ARE they doing? A year ago we had 14 people there. Now five.

So, here I am! Sitting in my daughter's Starbucks while she works and plies me with coffee. Looks like a couple of weeks off unexpectedly, but with a position after the first of the year. Thank you, Steve! Looking forward to working with that crew again, AND Chris again. :) I'll be cleaning the house and putting the tree up tomorrow with the kids, and we're planning on Tron for Christmas Day and dinner at my friend Leigh Ann's house. It's going to be a good, if very simple Christmas. Next week my sister Leslie and her daughter Lexie are coming, so that will be fun. And then hopefully the following week I can get back to BNSF.

In the meantime, I've got a lot of rewriting to get done, a book to polish, and another to finish. Will try to make the most of these two unexpected weeks off, and make 2011 a different, but awesome year. :)

I am Tatteredleaf on Nano. I've added a few of you lot, but would happily add more. Now that I have two ML's behind me, snapping their whips--and both are scarily prolific--I am optimistic that this Nano will be a wild one. LOL. And successful.

For me, that means 25k. If my hands agree to let me go further than that, then we will do so.

I'm definitely more ready for this one than any other one I've semi-attempted. More later on that.

More importantly--thank you everyone for all your comments and emails regarding my situation at work. A huge, terrible disappointment, that's for sure. My now-former-boss is doing fine, has some good leads, and hopefully all will be even better for him. I hope so, he deserves it.

That leaves me, and my extreme disappointment with this company. I can't stay there anymore. I will for awhile, as I can't just run off and quit--I have too many responsibilities for that--but I can start thinking seriously about my game plan. Lots to think about, but now that my last hold on this city is gone, there is a strange sense of freedom that I like. I don't have to stay here, not really, unless I want to. Right now I do, and I can deal with the situation at work without getting hurt, I am pretty sure. But I will also get my resume ready, put some feelers out to the Railroad to people I know there, and if something comes of that, will go for it. I hate to give up the railroad life after so many years, but maybe I am meant to. Who knows?

But thank you all, your thoughts, growls, encouragements...man, you all are awesome. I am crushed and sad. Sigh.

ANYWAY! Onward now, Nano looms, there are other books to finish and finish rewriting, and a special project I'll be a part of later. Much, much good to come.