Notes from a Redundancy

Intro

About 7 weeks ago, I got made redundant. 29 years old and facing redundancy. I guess it could be much worse. I could be twice as old, have little savings, kids and wife and these feelings of desolation and sadness would be compounded, and I guess that's why lots of people decide that only an extreme, fanatical immersion in religion or alcohol or even suicide is the answer. I like to think I would take a very positive attitude towards it, and hopefully have a lot of helpful friends and relatives to turn to.

I decided that instead of weeping into my semi-naked lap and enhancing the ambidextrous skills of moving the mouse and typing one handed (with my left hand), not washing, alcoholism and eating instant noodles, I would do something productive enough like writing a diary. Take Anne Frank; she managed living in an attic for the most part of World War 2, I bet keeping a diary helped her deal with the pain. If someone could get through the suffering and emotional torture of the Nazis just by writing, I could easily get through a redundancy just by writing.
On the drunken evening of my redundancy I decided this - that I would write. Strangely I had my laptop with me that day too.

A warning before I begin: the start of this diary is a bit graphic, but you know, I felt it was justified to be included and attempts to put into words my anger and confusion and try to quantify my sense of loss and bewilderment.

I managed through this period reasonably well, albeit with some semi-permanent scarring (details below) and an added resentment to my already jaded contempt of corporate companies and shitty management (the technical term is "not knowing your arse from your elbow" or a phrase that another previous team lead of mine used pretty much on a daily basis "a piss up; in a brewery; couldn't organise" and a phrase one of my friends says, a lot "[they] couldn't organise a root in a brothel with a fist full of fifties".)
I'm pretty thankful to the immense support network I had, nearly everyone I spoke to had words of encouragement for me. Many did make "I bet all you've been doing is watching porn and wanking" jokes, but in between that, gave me words of advice and guidance. Actually, most people who I came into contact with regarding my redundancy were really supportive and positive.

I considered updating this blog each day I was redundant, but I decided to abandon that idea as I thought it might be too depressing.

I've created another page for it. You can read the full story here, or by clicking on the link near the top of the page.

Interview time!

Post interview time!!

"I didn't get the job. I'll gorge on junk food" time...