Sometimes you have to find the good in a bad situation.

##Make Lemonade

There’s been quite a few wierd/bad things that have happened
lately that I’d like to get down in writing. That way, maybe I’ll remember
how I dealt with it this time and won’t forget how to deal with it next
time.

##RIFs ‘R’ Us

My company just went through a pretty major layoff (30% of of
the workforce totalling about 300 people). This really threw me for a
loop. I haven’t been through this big a restructuring in years, and lots of
good people were let go. Thankfully, I still have my job, otherwise I’d be
screwed.

I have very mixed feelings about the whole thing. First off, it couldn’t
come at a worse time. We’re in the middle of getting together a new
product that should take the world by storm (if we ever get it out now).

Second, the conditions here at work have dropped precipitously in terms of
the mood and spirit of morale.

But on the upside, it needed to be done. The market conditions worsened
severely and suddenly leaving the company with a huge revenue gap. If
these measures weren’t taken, I’m not sure how long the company would have
survived.

##Things not to do to a friend

Don’t ever get so involved with a friendship that you loose
sight of the friendship itself. I think “Kahlil Gibran” said it best in is
wonderful book “The Prophet”, in the section “On Friendship”.

When friendship becomes a means to an end rather than an end in and of
itself, everyone suffers. For a friendship to work, there can be no
expectations of what the friendship will bring. It simply must run its
course. If it’s meant to last it will. If it’s not, it won’t.

I fell into the trap of having a friendship be a means to things that were
missing in my life. It started to drive my friend away, and also hurt my
family. I believe I realized this in time and that both my family and my
friendship will come out OK,and possibly even stronger than before. I’ve
heard “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” I hope it’s true.

##Houses are a pain in the rear

If you’ve never built a house, don’t. I wish I had listened to some people
who had gone through it and told me to avoid it at all costs, but I didn’t.
You would not believe how much stress is involved. Essentially, you’re at
the mercy of the builders who can do whatever they want whenever they want.

I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to see that things are not coming
together the way they’re supposed to in a timely manner. Promises are made
and broken regularly, only to be made and broken again.

Hopefully at the end of this process, I’ll have a house that’s as close to
my ideal as possible. Then it would all be worth it.

##I’m really trying

I can’t remember when more stressful things have hit me in a shorter
period of time. So what am I going to do about it?

1. Focus on the solutions, not the problems
2. Believe in myself and my own worth
3. Trust in my friendships