My new office is at the Library

My new office is at the library. Yesterday morning I awoke as usual, got dressed in my fashionable navy blue pin striped suit with matching pearl accessories and I was off to work. I arrived at approximately 8:33 and only had a brief moment to clock in and set my purse down when my supervisor stepped into my cube and almost whispered "Can I see you in my office when you have a sec?" I already knew what what going on when I walked down the hallway. I braced myself for the inevitable and sat down next to the Regional Vice President and across from my supervisor. There was an envelope on her desk with my name on it and she started to read off a paper. Her first words were "Unfortunately due to the nature of the economy....." I think I went deaf for a brief moment afterwards and all I heard next was ""We are going to have to lay you off." I looked up from my clasped hands at her and she looked like she was trying to muster up her most empathetic facial expression but it felt ingenuine all the same to me. After I read over the terms of my separation notice and my severance package I retrieved my hard copies, blotted my eyes from a few tears and headed to my desk to retrieve my belongings. I opted for them to mail me most of my things since it was now nearing 9 AM and I didn't want to be faced with anyone in the hallway duirng my departure. Although after heading straight to the library afterwards and signing myself into one of the private study rooms so that I could collect my thoughts and start applying for my new future I can't help but feel somewhat relieved. I didn't like my job at all but I can't say that I hated it. I moreso tolerated it for the 2.5 years I worked in that cube. I like to think highly of myself and I needed to be doing something more challenging and creative. Times are definitely hard out here and I'm a homeowner. You'd think that would be a good thing but in the midst of being unemployed you have to learn to live off of your savings, whatever that may be, and your Uncle Sam check just to keep your home. I was a bit disheartened when I went online last night to watch a video about homeowners fighting the banks and it started with a woman who lost her 40K a year accounting position and is now living in the dark without utilities just to pay her mortgage. This is only day one for me and I am here at my new office, the library, because I figure if I got up and spent 8 plus hours doing a job I didn't like I could atleast spend half the time planning for my new future.

~Minique