Letting Go

As an introvert, I get points for face-to-face socialization today.

I got together with my former coworkers from the telephone interview company. I worked at this company from June 2008 through December 2009. We were all “let go” in December 2009 so they could hire contractors instead of using their own employers.

Being ”let go” didn’t affect me too much, as I was ready to start my current job, but for the others, well . . .

My supervisor and her husband worked for the company and had worked there for almost nine years. They were both “let go.”

Nice. A married couple losing their jobs at the same time.

But they tightened their belts and got their mortgage modified. Then they took advantage of a program offered by Minnesota for dislocated workers and went back to school to get their AA degrees.

They had one child and now have another and will have a daughter at the beginning of April. They should have their degrees by fall.

Another coworker was also “let go.” She also took advantage of the dislocated workers program and will finish her degree this spring. She got married last year.

My other supervisor is getting married next week and will be moving to Maryland at the end of March.

And finally, one more coworker who was “let go” joined the Peace Corps last year and is currently in Mongolia.

What an awesome group! And I celebrate their amazing accomplishments after having the door slammed on them in 2009.

Obviously, I’ve been in the workforce a long time, but I’ve never worked with such a great group of people. They’re folks with gentle and caring souls.

We’re truly in the tundra this weekend. Our temperatures are hovering just above zero. A biting wind is blowing in from the north. The skies are crystal clear allowing any smidgeon of heat to escape into the atmosphere.

But still no snow. Thank goodness.