Dec 5, 2009 -- now traveling to Tortola

[Inkmahm]

So sorry to hear of the job situation Karen.

There is positive out there. I remember being let go 15 years ago. I was devastated. I have never had a job since as I went to self-employment and it eventually led to being the sole income in this family.

I will work out!

Thanks for the encouragement.

15 years ago was the last time I was unemployed at the end of that recession of the early 90's. I was out in 1992 and it took almost 2 years to settle into a permanent new job with a few missteps into temporary spots inbetween. I already am the sole income in our family since my husband is essentially disabled (with no disability pay).

Self - employment isn't really something I've ever been interested in, to tell you the truth. Never had that burning fire to be out there on my own. I'm sure it will eventually work out again this time. It's the pain of going through all the networking, job interviews (few and far between right now) that I'm not excited about. I'm not willing to relocate so that makes the job hunt longer, too.

I really need that cruise NOW.

 

[Inkmahm]

I don't know how to do multiple quotes, so let me just say thanks to all of you. I'm sure some people won't understand us taking a 13 day vacation with a cruise when I'm unemployed but I know all of you understand the magic that is Disney.

In 2008 I took my cousin in Germany to Disney-Paris for her first ever Disney trip. She went because it was me asking her to go, but she thought Disney was really just for kids. At the end of 3 days in the parks, with her wearing her first ever mouse ears and loving it, she told me what she thought of Disney. She said she finally understood why I loved it so much. "For the time you are at Disney, nothing else matters. All the cares of your life fall away and you do nothing but have FUN. It's a great break from reality."
I think she got it exactly right. I'd add that fellow Disney lovers are some pretty great people, too.

 

[wuv tigger]

Today was not such a good day for me. The economy finally got me- my job was eliminated as of this morning.

We will still be going on the cruise because at this late date, the whole trip is paid for. Even if it wasn't, I think we'd still go. Nothing can cheer me up as well as a Disney trip. And now I won't have to worry about work while I'm gone (have to find the positive in this somewhere...)

We have been where YOU ARE

3 times in our marriage ... 18 years.

Hugs to you as you begin your new job ... of course after your cruise.

I totally agree with NOT cancelling the cruise at this point ... it's paid for

 

[carmie3377]

Today was not such a good day for me. The economy finally got me- my job was eliminated as of this morning.

We will still be going on the cruise because at this late date, the whole trip is paid for. Even if it wasn't, I think we'd still go. Nothing can cheer me up as well as a Disney trip. And now I won't have to worry about work while I'm gone (have to find the positive in this somewhere...)

Sorry about your job loss. Sending some your way that something better will come along.

 

[princess369]

Seeing as we'll have to wait till the year 2011, we will have to wait. So far, all I see for the Dream for tentative cruises is the 5-Day Bahamas.

Is the Dream doing anything special?

I understand many of the cruise dates will sell out in days if not in hours. I've been on a waiting list since I heard it was being built.

Info from my TA:

Disney Dream 3-, 4- and 5-Night Bahamian Cruises

The following summarizes 2011 departures of the Disney Dream:

January 26, 2011 to May 26, 2011 and August 21, 2011 to December 26, 2011
3-Night Bahamas Cruises Departing Thursdays
4-Night Bahamas Cruises Departing Sundays

May 29, 2011 to August 16, 2011
5-Night Bahamas Cruises with 2 Stops at Castaway Cay Departing on Tuesdays and Sundays
4-Night Bahamas Cruises Departing Fridays


Again, bookings for these sailings will open on Monday, November 2, 2009 to those who have taken five or more Disney Cruise Line Vacations and on Monday, November 9, 2009 to others.

I'm looking at a back to back for the first and second sailing. 3 or 4 days just won't be enough. Then again, if I can wait, the five day double dip looks like fun. Who knows maybe I'll win the lottery by then. Have you seen the new water slide? I love the Magic but I just can't wait to see the new ship.

 

[princess369]

Today was not such a good day for me. The economy finally got me- my job was eliminated as of this morning.

We will still be going on the cruise because at this late date, the whole trip is paid for. Even if it wasn't, I think we'd still go. Nothing can cheer me up as well as a Disney trip. And now I won't have to worry about work while I'm gone (have to find the positive in this somewhere...)

Truly sorry about the job loss. Job hunting is such a real bummer. However, it can be a push into something better. Sit down and look at what you like to do, hobbies etc. (Sorry but the job of standing around in WDW or on the Magic and smiling a lot is mine as soon as it opens up.) Seriously, is there a local collage where you can get a course or two to qualify for something you really love to do? Can you intern at something you would like to try? How about something like a nanny short term to tide you over? Check online. There are many referal services. Just choose one you don't have to pay for.

hugs - Christine

 

[mommyoftwinfants]

I don't know how to do multiple quotes, so let me just say thanks to all of you. I'm sure some people won't understand us taking a 13 day vacation with a cruise when I'm unemployed but I know all of you understand the magic that is Disney.

I would just most definetly not post this anywhere but here, some people can be down right nasty out there on the DIS.... but I completely agree here with everyone else... no point in cancelling now when everything is paid for and we are past the 45 day mark....plus nothing like starting out refreshed and relaxed when you get back.... a little pixie dust for your job hunting...

Just a little side note my brother was let go from his job while he was vacation........when he got back he was hired with a new company within a week for twice the pay and a very caring boss.

 

[mommyoftwinfants]

I just had my mamo. Five years ago after just getting home from a wonderful Disney cruise I went for my annual exam. They found cancer. But it was caught early and still very small (the size of a pencil eraser). So small a breast exam would never have caught it but the mammogram did. I didn't even need chemo after it was removed. Just radiation. Today I'm celebrating that magic 5 year mark.

Christine

I have been trying to get my mother to go for years but she doesn't listen to me even after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer when I was a baby.

 

[Inkmahm]

Truly sorry about the job loss. Job hunting is such a real bummer. However, it can be a push into something better. Sit down and look at what you like to do, hobbies etc. (Sorry but the job of standing around in WDW or on the Magic and smiling a lot is mine as soon as it opens up.) Seriously, is there a local collage where you can get a course or two to qualify for something you really love to do? Can you intern at something you would like to try? How about something like a nanny short term to tide you over? Check online. There are many referal services. Just choose one you don't have to pay for.

hugs - Christine

Thanks for the ideas! I think I didn't give quite enough information though. We won't starve, we won't lose the house. I actually got a pretty good severance package that will allow me to take my time in finding something. And outplacement service to help me look for up to a year. I know I am much luckier than many people who are out looking for jobs. On the other hand, I'm at the executive level for a large company and there aren't that many of my kinds of jobs around, much less openings for them. I'm further restricted by not being willing to relocate. I'm preparing myself for a long long search.

I know I can't wait to start looking until after the cruise, it is killing me to wait until next week! I just don't do well mentally being unemployed. At least once I get going I will have the outplacement services location to go to while I do my search. After just half a day home, I'm wondering how I'll handle retirement. I think I need more hobbies besides Disney!

 

[Tower]

After just half a day home, I'm wondering how I'll handle retirement. I think I need more hobbies besides Disney!

You can come up to Canada Karen! Lots to see/do. You can help us swat all the mosquitos and black flies in the spring, and shovel our driveways in the winter!

 

[carmie3377]

You can help us swat all the mosquitos and black flies in the spring,

Must be nice to only get those things in the spring. We're still getting those nasty mosquitoes! Of course, we never have to worry about shoveling snow.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Must be nice to only get those things in the spring. We're still getting those nasty mosquitoes! Of course, we never have to worry about shoveling snow.

I'll take snow over mosquitos any day New Hampshire had both in spades depending on the season This part of Germany doesn't get much snow and only about 2 months of moderate mosquitoes so I guess we are pretty lucky there (though Marika begs to differ on the not much snow front--she misses snow up to her waist!)

 

[Tower]

Marika begs to differ on the not much snow front--she misses snow up to her waist!

Ok Hadley, after your fun at Disney is over, before you fly her home, send her on up to Canada and we'll introduce her to our snow shovel and she can help Erik build a Snow Mountain in our front yard. (Do it every year!)

Oh, and by the way, we have no snow blower, just the 'Arm Strong' method.

 

[amyngary]

Today was not such a good day for me. The economy finally got me- my job was eliminated as of this morning.

I was laid off Sept 30 and also am executive level. This week, I just started a contract position that pays really well (much more than I made before actually) but is not work that I really enjoy. Therefore, I know I will need to continue looking, but my point here is what you already know: it will all work out fine. And I have met some really great people in my search.

I did feel myself explaining to way too many people that the reason we were still going on our Disney trip was because the cruise was free and the hotel stay was using points that would expire if not used. I sometimes wish I had just let them wonder how I could be so irresponsible, as it really is not anyone's business but my own .

I hope you will enjoy your time off. I was expecting to be unemployed for much longer, and if I had been, I was planning to spend 1/2 of each weekday doing something for our family or myself. To be honest, I am a little disappointed that I didn't get to do that.

-Amy

 

[Inkmahm]

You can come up to Canada Karen! Lots to see/do. You can help us swat all the mosquitos and black flies in the spring, and shovel our driveways in the winter!

Thanks for the offer, but we have our own mosquitos here and plenty of snow to shovel. There is a benefit though to living in a house that is really a condo- the snow service clears our driveway for us!

I don't start my outplacement until Nov 10 so I have time to go through files, etc. that I brought home from the office. Maybe clean off my desk that is buried right now.

Maybe I'll catch up on some of my reading, too.

 

[Inkmahm]

I was laid off Sept 30 and also am executive level. This week, I just started a contract position that pays really well (much more than I made before actually) but is not work that I really enjoy. Therefore, I know I will need to continue looking, but my point here is what you already know: it will all work out fine. And I have met some really great people in my search.

I did feel myself explaining to way too many people that the reason we were still going on our Disney trip was because the cruise was free and the hotel stay was using points that would expire if not used. I sometimes wish I had just let them wonder how I could be so irresponsible, as it really is not anyone's business but my own .

I hope you will enjoy your time off. I was expecting to be unemployed for much longer, and if I had been, I was planning to spend 1/2 of each weekday doing something for our family or myself. To be honest, I am a little disappointed that I didn't get to do that.

-Amy

Wow, that didn't take you long at all! The last time I was out from being downsized I found something in two months that was to go from temp to perm. The perm part never happened though because it was a new position for a French company and it never got approved. I did that job 4 days a week and insisted on keeping my outplacement for one day each week, just in case. Good thing I did. In total, it took me almost 2 years before I landed at the company where I was until yesterday. I hope I'm not unsettled for that long this time.

I am going to try to force myself to enjoy the time off. Getting back to the YMCA on a regular basis is what I hope to do for myself. All the stress of my job this year made me gain weight rather than continue my weight loss program so I need to get back to that. I have no excuse now NOT to spend the time on myself.

I hadn't even thought of having to explain to others why I am still going on this cruise. I don't think I'll be far enough along in the job hunt process in December for it to come up as a problem. Family knows me well enough to know that I won't give up vacation so they won't even ask.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Ok Hadley, after your fun at Disney is over, before you fly her home, send her on up to Canada and we'll introduce her to our snow shovel and she can help Erik build a Snow Mountain in our front yard. (Do it every year!)

Oh, and by the way, we have no snow blower, just the 'Arm Strong' method.

She would LOVE it (okay I miss snow a bit too--but not the way she does). She was our best shoveler. We didn't have a blower so she got lost of practice too (but our neighbor did take pity on us any time it was deeper than about 2 feet and come over with his blower and get our drive--we had a pretty long driveway).

I was laid off Sept 30 and also am executive level. This week, I just started a contract position that pays really well (much more than I made before actually) but is not work that I really enjoy. Therefore, I know I will need to continue looking, but my point here is what you already know: it will all work out fine. And I have met some really great people in my search.

I did feel myself explaining to way too many people that the reason we were still going on our Disney trip was because the cruise was free and the hotel stay was using points that would expire if not used. I sometimes wish I had just let them wonder how I could be so irresponsible, as it really is not anyone's business but my own .

I hope you will enjoy your time off. I was expecting to be unemployed for much longer, and if I had been, I was planning to spend 1/2 of each weekday doing something for our family or myself. To be honest, I am a little disappointed that I didn't get to do that.

-Amy

I am glad finding somthing new (even if it is not yet the right thing) has gone so quickly for you

 

[scothen]

When I was growing up in Northwest Indiana, I used to ask my dad why he did not have a snow blower, and his response was "Why? I have 3 of them already(referencing me and my 2 brothers)."

 

[scothen]

Thanks for the encouragement.

15 years ago was the last time I was unemployed at the end of that recession of the early 90's. I was out in 1992 and it took almost 2 years to settle into a permanent new job with a few missteps into temporary spots inbetween. I already am the sole income in our family since my husband is essentially disabled (with no disability pay).

Self - employment isn't really something I've ever been interested in, to tell you the truth. Never had that burning fire to be out there on my own. I'm sure it will eventually work out again this time. It's the pain of going through all the networking, job interviews (few and far between right now) that I'm not excited about. I'm not willing to relocate so that makes the job hunt longer, too.

I really need that cruise NOW.

I am sorry to hear that as well. I was in that boat(no pun intended) 14 years ago and am currently in the same job since then.

Please enjoy the cruise, as everything will work out fine. Take care. My prayers are with you.

 

[mommyoftwinfants]

Jessica is supposed to have a piano recital the Saturday after we get back. I wonder if there is piano on board we could get to so she could practice a little.....

Fluvanna

I sent you and email