Even though the leaves aren’t really turning color here in the District They Call Columbia, Autumn is definitely here.
I love snuggling into the
dark, with candles on my dinner table, so I, for one, welcome the change.
And to help it in, how about a
little Coltrane? “Autumn Serenade”, to be specific.
Here’s a plant that appeals to me, although I do not have a sausage of an idea what it is. Help me out.
It’s a shrub; that’s all I know.
#IDme
Yom Kippur began at sundown last night, and Jews all over the world are taking time today to consider the past year (5782, if you’re asking), fast to help their focus, acknowledge their mistakes and sincerely atone for them. Then they’re ready to set out into the new year with a metaphoric clean slate.
It’s the finale to the Days of
Awe, which began with Rosh Hashanah 10 days ago.
I really like this concept:
devoting serious time to reflect, measure, acknowledge transgressions and
resolving to do better. We all need to be reminded of this, to go through the
cycle at regular intervals and to take steps to maybe not keep doing the same
things over and over again, expecting different results.
It’s also great that—after fasting
for the day—you get together with loved ones and have a slap-up meal. (A guy I
worked with at HBO once swore that you couldn’t get into a Chinese restaurant
anywhere in Brooklyn after sundown on Yom Kippur.)
Well—whether you celebrate or
not, I wish you an easy, meaningful fast and few causes for atonement. May your name be sealed in the Book of Life.
We here in the District They Call Columbia have got off lightly WRT hurricane Ian. We’ve had light, but pretty steady rain since Friday evening. No floods, no high winds. So lucky.
Also—rain on leaves just turning for Autumn is lovely.
Okay, here’s the deal. My employer has been acquired by a megalithic software company. Last Thursday we were all given offer letters by MSC, either FTE—full time, no time limit—or FTC—fixed time limit.
I got the latter.
It’s because I’m currently
between assignments, really—neither here nor there. Big shaggy story, but I was
meant to have transferred to a SVP to help with strategy and alliances, and
also the women in cyber security initiative she runs. But budget, process
freezes and the acquisition killed it. And there’s no place for me where I’ve
been parked for the last 15 months.
So FTC.
That means I have until April to
find another position within MSC and convert to FTE, or be laid off.
Not, as you might imagine, how I
wanted to be spending my time, but here we are.
So here’s the plan: I’m going to allot
about 70% to the SVP, making sure the initiative demonstrates value to MSC, getting
the website above its current dire status, developing programs, measuring
response, etc.; and finding out what actual strategy might constitute in this
organization. The next 20% will be continuing my Voice of the Customer
interviews, because even if the VP of PM doesn’t see the value, his PMs do, and
so do others in our org. If they do, someone in MSC might, so I want them to
know I’m doing this.
The final 10% will be networking around
the company (and outside) to see what I can find.
I’m not looking forward to this,
because it essentially means that for the next six months, I’ll be in an
interview WRT everything I’m doing. I’ll probably have to wear mascara more
than I want. But it’s got to be done, and what must be done can be done.
When I told my hiring manager
about the offer, his response was, “Sorry if that’s frustrating. I hope it’s
liberating instead.”
Frustrating was not one of the
adjectives I’d have considered. Terrifying, gut-punched, shattering—yes; not
frustrating. However, I choose to take on the liberating aspect. I’m grateful
that I have six months to work towards my next job—either inside or outside
MSC. I recognize this for the gift it is. And I’ll be grateful for any support you can give me in this.