A gift

I was given a very exciting gift yesterday. A gift so large and so amazing that the gift is priceless.

Now you're excited and want to know what the gift is - right?

It's the gift of time. Yes  - I was able to add 50 + hours of time to my week - EVERY WEEK.

Think about it - yep - I basially don't have a day job any more.

GASP?  Seriously?  What happened?  I know you have questions, here are a few answers.

Why? Budget cuts and a new focus that didn't fit with my role

When? I found out early yesterday morning and I was gone as quickly as I could pack my office uup. Which was really funny because after I found out, I went back to my office and I closed the door and I sat there and looked around me. There was a lot of stuff to pack! Quilts, paper, stuff - lots of stuff. I managed to squeeze it into my car and I was a free person!

Did I see it coming? Nope - I was like a deer caught in the headlights.

Did it surprise me? Yes, but when I got to thinking about different things that have happened while I worked there, I realized that the writing was on the wall and I would say that this is a mutually agreeable situation.

How am I? After the initial shock which perhaps still hasn't sunk in, I just became my practical little self. Packed the car, had errands to do, etc.

What's next?  Well this is where the news gets super exciting.  I mean EXCITING!  As I was zipping around yesterday doing my errands, I was weighing the pros and cons. Not that I had a choice to go back, but to help me justify what happened. Here they are:

PROS:
No stupid commute to work - twice a day - five days a week. It never seemed to matter the time of the morning that I left, the traffic was bad. The drive took anywhere between 1 1/2 hours - 2 hours every day. And that was incorporating the toll highway into the mix. Think about it - I'm saving a couple of hours every day and I'm saving hundreds of dollars every month on the tolls and gas. The round trip was close to 100 KM.  Am I happy about that? JUMPING FOR JOY on this one.

Get to spend more time with the girls. Yep - pretty happy about that one too. Not only can they spend all day everyday outside (well almost), but they get to go to the park everyday. And we all get to make new friends or renew dog park friends. Am I happy about that?  You bet!

No deadlines! I don't even need to go into details on that one! I alone will be the one to control my deadlines. Am I happy about that?  Silly - of course I am.

I get to focus on what is important to me. This is super exciting as I now have 50 extra hours every week to focus on what I want. Maybe it'll be lazing in the backyard, listening to the pond (in the summer of course), reading a book, maybe it'll be chasing the dogs, maybe it'll be designing quilts, maybe it'll be writing patterns, maybe it'll be sewing my own projects or developing classes. Am I thrilled about that?  You bet!  It's going to take a while before I figure out what exactly this means.

I get to take a nap in the afternoon if I want!  Nuff said!

I get to sew with my Monday group again! I felt that I was losing contact with lots of them as many came after I left early in the morning so it'll be good to get back to sewing with the girls. Can't wait for Monday!

I get to renew relationships with a whole lot of people - the librarians at my local library and the staff at the various local shops that I frequented, although my local quilt shop is closing - but based on the fact that I'm earning less money, that's probably a good thing.

I'm back in business for long arm quilting. A few clients have stuck with me during the last couple of years. Now I can focus on getting more done and I bought a computer for my machine so I will have a new toy to play with in a couple of months when that arrives.

I can actually go to my spin classes in the morning. Yeah! I haven't been in a long long time and I miss it. I'll be able to get back into shape and I'm super excited about that.

I have time to ride my bike or take a walk to Tim's with the girls.

I have time to focus on writing which I love. Maybe I can even help Lexi more with her blog.and I want to expand  my own blog and what I offer on it.

And I could go on and on.

CONS:

Hmm - a salary. What little was left after taxes, gas and the toll highway. I can live without that money.

Oh - that's it?



Well - I think you get the picture. While I'm a little bummed that I got laid off! That's never happened to me before, but you know what - I'm OK with it and when I think back - this probably should have happened a while back. You know - hind sight, quality of life, happiness with what you do, respect and a whole lot of other things.  So am I upset?  HELL NO!!!!!

I'm dancing amongst all the boxes that are now sitting in my hall. I do have a bit of work to tidy up all that and deal with it all, but I have time!  Lots of it.

I was in Home Depot yesterday as I had to buy something for an upcoming class. I had to laugh as I walked the aisles looking for the items. I now have the luxury of doing errands during the week when everyone else is at work!  I love it!!!!

BUT - this is actually a very important lesson for me. I could take that gift - those 50 extra hours and squander them away. So I must be very careful that I treat that gift with respect. I need to evaluate what needs to be done, what I want done and  make sure that I do it. So I'm going to go to work everyday! But at my house - commute - 20 seconds if that! This office needs to be cleaned up, sorted and whatever. My computers need to be consolidated and pictures cleaned up. My mom wants me to do some work on the Family Tree.  I envision a typical week like this - Sewing on Monday, Long arm on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will be "working" in the morning and sewing on my personal stuff in the afternoon. Weekends free to do whatever. Now how can you beat that?

On that note, I'm out of here!

Have a super day!!!!


Ciao!!


So if you need to get in touch with me, the only e-mail is elainetheriault@gmail.com.  That's also at the top of my blog in Contact Me sections. I have a ton of people to send notes to so that will keep me busy for the next couple of days as I sort out files and contacts and all that good stuff.  But one e-mail - that's also a PRO!