Apart from my last post, I know this blog has been quiet for some time. But don't get me wrong, life has been whirl of activity since I was retrenched. Here is a quick update:
Outplacement - I have had several meetings with my outplacement consultant who is very ably pushing me to develop collateral to 'sell' myself so that I can get some cash flow going. I am not used to 'selling' myself, having been an employee for so long. Usually, it is sufficient that you have a j0b title and are employed by a certain company. That's all people need to know to place you. Now, I have to think of what I can do, and it is not easy. But I do not have a choice, someone has to pay for all that organic food.
Retrenchment package - I did indeed go back to my company with some requests in terms of what I felt would be a reasonable package, given their decision to retrench me at the worst possible time of my life. They came back with something better than the original for which I am profoundly grateful. It was only when they gave me the news that I realised how tired I was with all the toing and froing, the tension of waiting to hear so that I would know what the rest of my life would look like. I began having dizzy spells a week later, and realised that I had been doing too much, what with the rush to get set up for business because I thought I had to start bringing in the mulah as fast as possible to begin saving for a possible recurrence. After two days of rest, I felt better and am now more cautious about packing in activity back to back. And, thanks to my ex-employer, I am sleeping through the night again.
House move - I moved back t0 my own place about 3 weeks ago, and moved right out again after 3 days so that the place could be repainted and otherwise spruced up. I was living out of boxes, and without a single pot for those three days which made it easier for me too rationalise cheating on the macrobiotic diet. The old flat was a calm cream on pink on white. Very sophisticated and so not me. I think it was wishful thinking on the part of my architect. I have had it repainted a sunny yellow and a lime green. I really hated it when I first saw it but am now quite happy with it. Just goes to show you can get used to anything. It is now quite cheerful, and set to be even more so, when my biggest,most unreasonable extravagance arrives - wildly colorful wallpaper, courtesy of Designers Guild. I wanted some 9 years ago when I first bought the place but was unable to afford it. Not sure I can now, but what the heck. God is good. You only live once. Let's just go for it!
Setting up my business - I am now the sole proprietor of a little business, called PUREcommunications. I wanted to call it no-BS Communications, so sick was I of the corporate soft soap that one has to accept as part of the workaday world. Everyone reassured me I would have a job after chemo. I always said my boss was trying to get rid of me - but everyone said I was imagining it. Well, yesterday I talked to someone in the company, and listening to her rundown of the latest and greatest, I actually found my mind wandering. In the past, every word would have had my full attention. Now, I really cannot be bothered. I wonder why people put up with such nonsense - having to suck up, flatter, cajole. To pretend that your manager is a genius, to swallow all sense of pride and grovel to the most undeserving. How can people live with themselves? Really, life's too short for BS. It's days off our life spans. It's time for pure communication, clean communication, meaningful communication. Let's just cut the bs and move ahead. Yeah.
Catching up with friends - this is one area in which I have really been magnificently blessed. Friends have come out of the woodwork and I am so grateful for these people, people whose help I have done absolutely nothing to deserve. They have been introducing me to their business contacts so that I market my fledgling business. I am not ready, I whinnied to one, I don't think I can do anything apart from the odd writing job. My timidity (hahahaha, but yes, it is true!) was over-ridden. People have had so much more faith in me than I have in myself.
I thought things would be slow. I had envisioned myself getting the odd writing job, that it would take months before I got to real PR. Now, it looks like it might happen alot sooner. Thank God. I am so buzzed now, creating my own brochures, collateral etc. Playing with colour and typeface. It really has the potential of being everything and anything I want it to be. No-one else. Just me.
Pilates, yoga and qigong - yes, trying to vary the exercise routine. Have been very lax about jogging since I moved out on my own. I will redouble my efforts tomorrow. Have also been slack about the diet. Too easy to run down to the food court and get some popiah. I now see how I dislike cooking for myself. All that washing really takes its toll on your hands, and at my age, it is an uphill battle keeping the paws soft and lily white. I don't want to wash anything. I guess I have to remind myself it is a choice between crepey, onion-skin hands and a recurrence. There. That puts things in perspective.
That's about it for now. Have a few more things I am chewing over. But I think I have enough on my plate for now. Watch this space, though. I am living in extraordinary times. You never know what's round the corner!
Outplacement - I have had several meetings with my outplacement consultant who is very ably pushing me to develop collateral to 'sell' myself so that I can get some cash flow going. I am not used to 'selling' myself, having been an employee for so long. Usually, it is sufficient that you have a j0b title and are employed by a certain company. That's all people need to know to place you. Now, I have to think of what I can do, and it is not easy. But I do not have a choice, someone has to pay for all that organic food.
Retrenchment package - I did indeed go back to my company with some requests in terms of what I felt would be a reasonable package, given their decision to retrench me at the worst possible time of my life. They came back with something better than the original for which I am profoundly grateful. It was only when they gave me the news that I realised how tired I was with all the toing and froing, the tension of waiting to hear so that I would know what the rest of my life would look like. I began having dizzy spells a week later, and realised that I had been doing too much, what with the rush to get set up for business because I thought I had to start bringing in the mulah as fast as possible to begin saving for a possible recurrence. After two days of rest, I felt better and am now more cautious about packing in activity back to back. And, thanks to my ex-employer, I am sleeping through the night again.
House move - I moved back t0 my own place about 3 weeks ago, and moved right out again after 3 days so that the place could be repainted and otherwise spruced up. I was living out of boxes, and without a single pot for those three days which made it easier for me too rationalise cheating on the macrobiotic diet. The old flat was a calm cream on pink on white. Very sophisticated and so not me. I think it was wishful thinking on the part of my architect. I have had it repainted a sunny yellow and a lime green. I really hated it when I first saw it but am now quite happy with it. Just goes to show you can get used to anything. It is now quite cheerful, and set to be even more so, when my biggest,most unreasonable extravagance arrives - wildly colorful wallpaper, courtesy of Designers Guild. I wanted some 9 years ago when I first bought the place but was unable to afford it. Not sure I can now, but what the heck. God is good. You only live once. Let's just go for it!
Setting up my business - I am now the sole proprietor of a little business, called PUREcommunications. I wanted to call it no-BS Communications, so sick was I of the corporate soft soap that one has to accept as part of the workaday world. Everyone reassured me I would have a job after chemo. I always said my boss was trying to get rid of me - but everyone said I was imagining it. Well, yesterday I talked to someone in the company, and listening to her rundown of the latest and greatest, I actually found my mind wandering. In the past, every word would have had my full attention. Now, I really cannot be bothered. I wonder why people put up with such nonsense - having to suck up, flatter, cajole. To pretend that your manager is a genius, to swallow all sense of pride and grovel to the most undeserving. How can people live with themselves? Really, life's too short for BS. It's days off our life spans. It's time for pure communication, clean communication, meaningful communication. Let's just cut the bs and move ahead. Yeah.
Catching up with friends - this is one area in which I have really been magnificently blessed. Friends have come out of the woodwork and I am so grateful for these people, people whose help I have done absolutely nothing to deserve. They have been introducing me to their business contacts so that I market my fledgling business. I am not ready, I whinnied to one, I don't think I can do anything apart from the odd writing job. My timidity (hahahaha, but yes, it is true!) was over-ridden. People have had so much more faith in me than I have in myself.
I thought things would be slow. I had envisioned myself getting the odd writing job, that it would take months before I got to real PR. Now, it looks like it might happen alot sooner. Thank God. I am so buzzed now, creating my own brochures, collateral etc. Playing with colour and typeface. It really has the potential of being everything and anything I want it to be. No-one else. Just me.
Pilates, yoga and qigong - yes, trying to vary the exercise routine. Have been very lax about jogging since I moved out on my own. I will redouble my efforts tomorrow. Have also been slack about the diet. Too easy to run down to the food court and get some popiah. I now see how I dislike cooking for myself. All that washing really takes its toll on your hands, and at my age, it is an uphill battle keeping the paws soft and lily white. I don't want to wash anything. I guess I have to remind myself it is a choice between crepey, onion-skin hands and a recurrence. There. That puts things in perspective.
That's about it for now. Have a few more things I am chewing over. But I think I have enough on my plate for now. Watch this space, though. I am living in extraordinary times. You never know what's round the corner!
posted by Simone @ 10:21 AM
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