Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Ants in My Pants...

Life as I know it is officially over. Yup. You heard it here first. My life is completely changing and I'm sitting here drinking wine and watching P.S. I Love You. Again.

So, here's the scoop, my monkey work days are coming to a premature end. That's right. I've been laid off. Now before you start to feel sorry for me, let me tell you that this really isn't a terrible thing. And actually, I think it might be a really great thing. I mean, I haven't loved my job for a long, long time now. In fact, that's why I started writing in the first place. I just wasn't happy anymore. Before I had kids I was turbo corporate America, but after...I don't know, my priorities changed and I changed and my job changed. Everything changed.

So here I am. No job. Two kids. This is it. I'm officially a stay-at-home mom and it's a little terrifying. So much of my identity was tied into my craptastic job. I wasn't just a mom, I was a working mom. I love my kids, but I'm not crafty. I'm not one of those moms who's good at keeping kids entertained all day. I have no patience. I'm horribly selfish. I just don't know if I can do this.

So, I'm going to pour myself another glass of wine, take a deep breath and hope for the best. Change is always scary, but it's not always bad. I feel like this is the start of a new chapter.

I guess I just wish I knew how it was going to end.

P.S.
I REALLY want a cigarette right now. Is that so wrong? Oh, and I want to be smoking it at a train station in Luxembourg. That's all.

27 comments:

Little Ms J said...

I think it is a sign. The stars seem to be aligning for you my dear. I know it must be unnerving, but you didn't love it. It may just be a gift from the universe. Cup half full. Or wine glass. Whatever.

Cheers!

Tara said...

Maybe it's time we start planning our reunion trip abroad! Maybe it could be to celebrate our 30 1/2 year birthdays.

Katie Anderson said...

Love it! I told my daughter I wanted a cigarette the other day and she LOST IT!!!!!!! Literally almost burst into tears! Then she went up and got her DARE (a drug organization that the police do a promo for) brochure and pointed out all of the hazards of smoking to me!

Needless to say I have given up the once a year anxiety driven smoke...

Welcome to your new job which I like to call "Domestic Goddess."

I also have a friend who will tell people she's "in investments" (because she is, of course, investing time in her children all day :)

lisa and laura said...

LMJ - It is unnerving, but I do think you're right. The extra money was nice, but not absolutely necessary, so hopefully it was just the right time for things to come to a natural end.

Tara - Seriously. We need to go back. I still have my tight ass pants (granted they've been totally stretched out by pregnancy) AND I'm pretty sure I can start building up my tolerance again. You know, one glass of wine every night. Oh AND I'm probably pretty close to my Lux weight. I think making out with european boys might be just what the doctor ordered for my quarterlife crisis.

Katie - OMG, love the breaking out of the DARE handbook. Hilarious. This all plays into my theory that every woman should have an emergency stash of ciggies in the freezer. Just one of those things.

Rebecca L Sutton said...

Hmmm...

Write awesome book. - check
Find awesome agent. - check
Quit day job to write. - check
Find awesome publisher.

See you're right on course! That last step will happen any day now. In the meantime consider this unexpected change a kick in the ass to write more incredible books!

This is SO one of those blessings in disguise. As a career woman turned stay at home mom these past two years, I can tell you how awesome it can be. Besides having more time for writing now you'll be able to share even more fantastic posts on here. YAY!

Jeannie Lin said...

Bravo for finding a silver lining in this. It's hard not to be apprehensive when you get thrown a curveball like this that's completely out of your control. Best of luck!

Sara Raasch said...

This is how it all will end: you will get a kick-ass book deal. But wait, no, that's not even the end. That's the beginning. This is only a stop along the way!

Kimberly Derting said...

I have a feeling you'll make the adjustment from corporate America to PTA mom in no time. Pretty soon you, too, will be wearing stretch pants and applique sweatshirts with crocheted collars. Oooh, and scrapbooking. And watching Maury Povich. And you'll teach the kids the hidden meaning behind phrases like: "not now, babies, mommy has a headache", which secretly means "mommy had too much boxed wine at the park with the other mommies."

Who needs a job, you've got kids to raise!!!

P.S. No extra charge for pep talks.

Unknown said...

Hey, you wrote a book and got an agent, you can do this! No craftiness at all necessary. I have absolutely none and I make my kids entertain themselves a lot, but I still stay home to play referee and chef. They'll be so happy just that you're close.

I just checked and entertainer isn't in my job description... ;)

Traci said...

Sorry to hear about your job! :-( Times are tough these days. Having said that...I wish I could quit my job and be a stay at home mom. Will NEVER happen.

Word verification is - novelyzc
See any significance in that?

casiecook said...

Bummer Lis! Everything happens for a reason though, and you definitely won't have to worry about money or free time when your book is on the bestseller's list.

p.s. Since when do you smoke?

Danyelle L. said...

*hugs*

Momming is the toughest job out there, but (for me) it's the most rewarding. Just take it five minutes at a time. I'm not crafty or very patient either, but the kidlets don't seem to mind. :o)

lisa and laura said...

Rebecca - I heart check lists! Thank you for that.

Jeannie - It's easy to find the silver lining since this has been a long time coming. I've survived a lot of different rounds of lay offs. I figured it was just a matter of time.

Sara - You can write the end of my stories anytime!

Kimberly - Um...no one mentioned anything about boxed wine at the playground. That changes EVERYTHING! How can anything involving boxed wine be a bad thing? Off to the store to go buy some holiday sweaters and really unflattering jeans. Gotta look the part, right?

Nisa - So good to hear from moms who aren't crafty entertainers! And I am so with you on the refereeing aspect of the job. I seriously need to invest in a whistle.

LitGirl - Thanks! And that word verification has to be a good sign, right? It has the world novel in it, so it must mean a major book deal is imminent.

Casie - Thanks! And you haven't missed anything, I definitely don't smoke. I just sort of wish I smoked. I used to be a fabulous social smoker back in my Europe/college days, but I haven't had a ciggie in years. I'm too scared of the wicked hangover that would inevitably follow.

lisa and laura said...

Danyelle - Being a mom is amazing! And I think I'm really going to enjoy it. Especially now that I don't have to schedule conference calls during naptime!

Katie Anderson said...

so funny! My mom always had a pack in the freezer growing up! Must be a 70's thing. or 60's or whenever they were like us.

Elana Johnson said...

A new start for sure. Like your shiny new blog layout! It's beautiful!

Sarah Wylie said...

Just like I've been correctly able to predict the trajectory that has been American Idol this season (ahem), I predict that like everyone else said, this is a blessing in disguise and you'll get a fantabulous book deal and never have to think twice about this:)

Samantha said...

Oh no! And, oh yes! Believe me, I know it's shocking. I really hope you got a severance package, unlike me. Layoffs suck.

But things happen for a reason.

Take the time to write, write, write! (And read, read, read).

Sarah said...

Lisa, you were doing such a good job laying low! Sigh, well, even though the economy blows, if you really want another “job” you of all people could get one. Change can be good. When one door closes another one opens, blah, blah, blah. I know, cliché bs, but it needs to be said because I’m talking to you and you give me the confidence to actually believe it.

P.S…My company had layoffs today. I'm supposedly okay, but who knows? Maybe we'll both be stay at home moms. Although I don’t have kids and I’m not writing a book, and I hear it’s “unacceptable” to be a stay at home tv watcher. Always have to be the big shot don’t you?

Anonymous said...

I totally take this as a sign of AMAZING things to come...OHHHHHH, I am SO excited for ou guys...I have that feeling!!!

Have fun with it...and remember that life is always about the journey!

PurpleClover said...

Oh I'm sorry about you losing your job but being a stay at home mom can be wonderful!

Although in my experience I too am not good with keeping kids entertained or not going crazy which is why I'm back in school. hehehe.

But at least you get to try it out and see if it is what you want to do! You may LOVE it!

lisa and laura said...

Thanks everyone! My husband and I have always discussed me being at home full time, but now that it's actually happening it feels a little final. I hope that you guys are right and that it ends up being the start of something new and exciting! We'll see...

Hardygirl said...

Yay! Welcome to my world!!

I wish we living in the same town--we could put on mui muis, smoke ciggies and pass out on the couch at 4:00 in the afternoon . . .wait, that sounds kind of "Golden Girls."

We need to think of a new name for "soccer moms." One that doesn't imply wearing sensible shoes and making cupcakes in team colors.

I think this is a sign. A sign of good news to come. . . .

lisa and laura said...

For the record, I LOVE Golden Girls. Who doesn't want to wear a miu miu and pass out on the couch at 4 PM?


And soccer mom? sensible shoes? cupcakes in team colors?

You are a delight Sarah Francis and we love you.

Jen said...

Sorry to hear about your job, but it sounds like you are going to need the extra time to spend on your writing career. This could be the start of something wonderful and maybe the Universe is trying to give you that extra push to make writing your full time job. Staying home is definitely an adjustment but I'm sure that you will love it eventually. Good luck!

Little Ms J said...

I was at a fancy schmansy work event tonight with a room chock full of fabulous individuals. I walked by the registration table and noticed there was one name tag left that hadn't been picked up. I almost fell over and immediately thought of you. Gerard Butler. I thought of how we'd squeal and put on lip gloss and fan each other before we figured out what our opening lines would be when he showed up. Then I realized that the name tag actually said Gerald. Oh well.

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

OMG this sounds excatly like what happened to me!

Don't call this a comeback

So it’s been a minute. Or 10. Or truthfully more like 2,102,400. At least we think that’s how many minutes there are in 3 years, but let...