Emancipation

After the shittiness that began last week - culminating in Pia's farewell on Wednesday - I decided to take a day off to recover. I sent an email to Sarah, my boss' PA, discreetly telling her that I needed mental health assessment, hence I would be away.

The scheme was partially fuelled by my mother who called to ask if I was free on Saturday (when I already told her that I wasn't because I was going to Live Earth) then mentioned that she, my dad and my visiting brother were going to have lunch down at Gunner's Barracks, which is where my bro and his fiancee will tie the knot next February. So I decided to take a day off.

It was the best day I've had in a long time. I woke up late-ish, my parents picked me up and we scooted down to Georges Heights (near Taronga Zoo) for lunch. Lunch was exquisite and made better followed by dessert and exotic tea, then a promenade around the premises. The property has lovely water views and is quite secluded so it looks like it will be a nice wedding.

I was so relaxed, I came back and I made an appointment to see a counsellor on Monday, as I told Ness "I think i need someone professional, someone independent to say 'get out of there, it's unhealthy for you' and then I will do it. Because at the moment I'm in limbo waiting for something good to happen". The trains fucked up but I decided not to tango with them, foregoing Pia's second 'farewell' at Ichi-Ban and Jeff's farewell (writing group) before he jets to Canada indefinitely. I felt better for it.

I rocked into work at 9am on Friday - 'to hell with the early starts,' I thought, 'no one cares' and I'd long ceased to think they meant anything - and busied myself with the seemingly endless geography unit I'd been given. I went and did the Appen typing test at lunch for my $30 and then had a simple lunch of soup and cous cous.

At 2pm I was invited to a meeting in the boardroom at 2:30pm. Fellow invitees were Ian, Julie, Roland, Andrew G, Rod and Lindsay. Others around us had been asked to go to the area outside Mark's office. Much speculation ensued. I figured that it was cuttin' time and that my group didn't look too good as we were on the smaller side and peppered with people who were specialists or already looking elsewhere for work.

My hunch proved correct, Nick sat us all down and told us that due to restructuring with Netus, we were no longer needed. AND GUESS WHAT? WE DON'T HAVE TO WORK OUT THE TWO WEEKS. So, it saved me having to write a letter of resignation, working out the two weeks I would have had to work out with resignation and I have four weeks of annual leave saved up that will tide me through to the end of August. Sweet!

I felt really happy, really light - the best I'd felt for a long time. Then I saw Julie and Roland, both of whom were quite distressed. Joey (my neighbour) started to cry (she lost both Ian and I as neighbours) and Vanessa was quite shaky because she lost Lindsay and I as companions. I talked to Sarah for a bit about counselling and the problem I had with the so-called management of the company but then dismissed it as not my problem. I like Sarah for that reason, she knows and she can tread the line really well.

I packed up my things and we all went to the pub with Nick fronting up a tab (until the Jager bombs). I remember talking to Robyn about freelance work and her impressions of "management" and hugging Rod for a really long time, then I went home and watched Spellbinder with Sir.

I haven't told my parents yet and they don't need to know (until I'm hard up and need to move back home - heh!). I'll get around to telling all my friends eventually but most of them knew I was thinking of leaving anyway so it isn't going to come as much of a shock. And that's where I'll leave you. I have a lot planned for this week so I'm glad I can do it all during the day instead of cramming into evenings when I'm already burnt out.

I'm free!