...and I have a new laptop. Yes, I know I said I'd talk about it on Friday, but things got in the way. Like working at home and trying to get the 'net connection over wireless configured properly and then actually doing some work.

It's a nice zippy little thing and has replaced my big old box under my desk. Which is nice because when I head over to two hour meetings somewhere else, I can bring it along and get some work done for awhile. On the other hand, it's made the doorknob that I report to think that I can actually work better at home now.

Um, since when? I could always work at home without issues before, so what's the difference now? Ah, perceptions.

I thought I was going to say more about the laptop, but that's all I really have to say about it. It's nice, it works and I think I finally have it configured the way I need it to be.

Let's see... the kids won a baseball game (finally) on Saturday. It's our second win for the season and we did it by a single point. DH mentioned that he thinks about the other games that we lost it by a point or two. I ignore those, and focus on the one we lost 19-5. That was last week though, and this win was a big boost for the kids' egos.

A good friend here at work is losing her job. I was under the impression (given by the doorknob on Thursday) that they would just find her another spot and that a layoff wasn't an issue. See, she got moved from one group into my group about two weeks ago and the doorknob thinks that it was a rash move (and not a good one) Well, apparently they're not doing anything significant to find her a spot because later that day she got pulled into a meeting where she was given two option. She gets the lovely choice of taking a cut in pay and working on the operations floor, or taking 4 months severance and if it wasn't for her former boss she wouldn't have gotten close to that much... 3 weeks anyone? She's former customer service who got moved into Ops, never converted to a salaried employee - so they figured they didn't have to give her the package that they give long term salaried employees.

Did I happen to mention that she's pregnant and due in September? And that she knows they're hiring two other analysts for this group? She's the only one being cut and has to give them her decision today. I know she's opting to take the severance, but I think this stinks all around because they shouldn't be offering her a lower paying job.

DH thinks she should tell them that she doesn't accept the terms of the severance, nor should she accept the terms of the new position with lowered pay. Neither is a fair deal when she knows (and the doorknob even *told* her) that they're going to hire two new analysts into this team. I just hope she has talked to an employment lawyer between then and now...

The reason for the layoff? I think it comes down to skills. The doorknob wants someone with a higher skillset than she has and I don't think he wants to invest the time in her. It's too bad, because she's terribly bright and quick. Otherwise I would never have entrusted her with my metrics - she's my backup that I invested a lot of time in... Oh well, I guess the metrics are going to suffer while I take a week off in July and another in August and a couple of days in September. I'd like to say it's not my problem but, sadly, it is. And they're paying her to leave...

...anyone know how I can convince them to pay me to leave?