Well, the work situation has resolved itself – the company announced layoffs today, and I’m one of them. This was not a surprise to me – I’d been expecting it for at least a week now – so in a way, I’m actually pretty happy. I do not deal AT ALL well with sitting around in suspense, so now that the whole thing is over, I can breathe a sigh of relief, roll up my sleeves, and get to work on job-hunting. It’s not the best of job markets, but I have a lot of experience in project management, and a resume diverse enough that I could flourish in any of a number of fields. Plus B. makes enough that, with my unemployment payments, we can get by for a couple of months until I find another job.
That said, if anyone knows of someone looking for a senior project manager/program manager within a half-hour drive from Sunnyvale, please let me know – I’d love to get leads!
Astonishingly, my employer wants me to continue working for the next 30 days (my contract obliges them to give me 30 day notice), so my time isn’t entirely free now, but I expect that as things taper off there will be less and less for me to do. (We’ve agreed that if I find another job within the next 30 days, I’ll give them some notice before taking off.) Still, the job market is such that I’m likely to have a month or two “off” before finding a new gig, and I plan to take advantage of that to push my projects along.
Fortunately, I’ve already got enough muslin to make several mockups, and over the weekend found 1.75 yards of 12″ wide Alencon lace for $20 (this would normally have retailed for about $70, so this was a real steal!) It’s slightly damaged – looks like someone put a finger through the netting – but that’s OK since it’s just for the practice run. I also got a yard of heavy silk crepe at 50% off (the last yard on the bolt and watermarked, not that I care), so for $35 I have all I need to do the bodice “test run”. So…I have enough material to keep me busy for awhile.
Finally, the muslin: I went to a sewing and alterations shop, and they helped me fit the bodice of the dress. (The skirt I can handle myself.) I have altered the pattern and am sewing up a new muslin now.
The woman who helped me with the fitting also recommended that I change the styling of the coat from an armscye princess to a shoulder princess – this would put the seam straight down from mid-shoulder rather than curving into the armpit as is typical for most princess seam clothing. That would make the seam parallel to the neckline, further emphasizing the fall of the front opening.
I’m thinking about it. In a plain fabric, this would make perfect sense – but with the eternity knot pattern, the shoulder princess would disrupt the pattern more (I think) than an armscye princess, which tucks the seam out of sight. I may have to buy a patterned fabric for the trial coat, try it both ways, and see.
Whew! I’m SO glad the waiting is over. Now I can do something productive about the situation.
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So it sounds like congratulations and sympathies all in one. I hate waiting for other people to make decisions about my life too. And the job hunt will allow all sorts of time for weaving and sewing!
I am personally fantasizing about some more personal time here, but will have to wait until the end of summer I think.
Ouch! Another of my friends passed along the same kind of news yesterday. Must be contagious! At least you have lots of fun things to keep you busy, so it’ll be a good “decompress” time. Best of luck in the search – I’m sure the right opportunity will come along.
Well I’m sorry to hear you got laid off – but I’m glad you have such drive to find a new one! I guess I was the same way – worried about i till it happened, then mad for a day – then got back on the horse and hit the pavement.
I have no doubt you will find something very soon.
And take advantage of the time you have – i wish I had more time for crafting!