Well I figure it is time to provide an update. It has been since December 2023 I provided an update.
I am still shaving on average 6 days a week. And am currently working on a CBL soap as I have fully embraced the 3017 movement as you can see in my signature below. I no longer am testing blades, and am honestly just working through product trying to downsize the square footage I occupy with shaving goods. It's a slow process especially when you inventory and see how much 'stuff' you actually have. I suspect that my future grand children will be using shave soap, and blades that I purchased.
As to the family things are good. Life is crazy with 3 kids but it's a good crazy. Between all the activities Tae Kwon Do, Basketball practice, Soccer practice, dance practice, dance recitals, and all the other stuff that seems to just pop up, well we are constantly busy. Honestly though I love it, it's the constant in this crazy life that keeps you going. Having 3 kids ages 11,8, and 2 our house is always chaos. Megan and I embrace the chaos and I wouldn't have it any other way. Megan and I celebrated our 15 year wedding anniversary back in April and the future looks bright with many years to come. Death has surrounded our family with losing a really close friend back in August, and attending another's funeral just last night. My paternal grandfather's cancer is back with a vengeance and preparing the kids that their great-papa will soon be passing has been difficult. My maternal grandmother recently turned 94, and for for the first time in my life I am seeing her slow down and she is getting more forgetful, it's hard too see such a strong woman get weaker.
My referee career is going well still doing football and basketball. Attending college camps, working a lot of games, and slowly moving up the crazy competitive ladder that is sports officiating. But this is my reprieve... my me time.
The Knights of Columbus continues to be my identity it's brought me closer to God and has helped me be a better father and husband. All the church activities just makes me beam with joy when I see my kids actively participating in the volunteer events, participating in mass, and leading prayer sessions. Our annual state convention is coming up this weekend Friday through Sunday; and I am running for the State Treasurer position which puts just 3 years away from being the State Deputy... assuming I win the election. The Knights have selected me for future leadership program called the McGivney Fellowship. In this fellowship I have made friends across the United States and this requires me to travel about twice a year, which has turned into pilgrimages and granted me the opportunity to see some pretty spectacular things that my Catholic faith holds dear. Without the Knights not sure how I would be able to experience these things.
We continue to camp in our motorhome and schedule many trips that allows us as a family to get outdoors and experience fishing, hiking, sight seeing, etc. The motorhome has a big trip coming up in June to Yellowstone and after the convention mentioned above I will begin that process. On the list is de-winterize, replace kitchen sink, wash/wax, inspect awning as I did a small repair at end of last season, and replace door handles as they have gotten some wear and a replacement of screen door is probably in order.
Now the hard part and the realization. Amongst all the great stuff above I must confess I have been in a state of depression, first time experiencing this, the last 18 months has been extremely difficult but I do my best to not let it impact me. But it has I have gained 30 pounds, and the mood swings from the depression have been rough. But The rest of this year I plan to get out of it. So what put me in this state? Well employment. My last post here was the beginning of the depression. Currently sitting at 18 years with this company, and the realization that I am 36 years old, so literally half of my life with this company. If you follow along and know me, you probably remember that back during the pandemic I was laid off briefly, but was brought back on in a different position but on the same portfolio. I have decided to not look for employment with the company this time and instead just going to get on the roller coaster and wait for the ride to end. So here's what happened.
October 2023 - my employer announces they are selling the portfolio I have worked on since 2011, and they anticipated that in December 2024 I would be laid off. During this time they offered me a bonus that if goals were hit and I stayed employed til March 2024 they would offer a bonus.
December 2023 - Announced that another company was buying our company and a merger would take place hopefully in 2024. I was then offered a retention bonus to stay til 12/31/2024
March 2024 - The bonus was paid, and invested into a growth account because that money might need to be lived off of at some point.
June 2024 - The sale and transfer of the portfolio has taken place and the work load has decreased like crazy, friends and peers that I have worked with on this portfolio since 2011 are laid off, but I work in compliance and risk so work for me still goes through end of year.
August 2024 - The merger of the two companies is pushed back to 1st quarter of 2025, and because of this they offer another Retention bonus to stay til 3/31/2024.
*Now probably thinking why stay? Why be dragged along? Honestly not sure. But the reasoning has been. The severance package will provide 120 days of staying on payroll once layoff occurs, and then after that a lump sum payment of 2 weeks pay per year service plus 6 months of benefits payment. So do the math, I am going to get 36 weeks of pay + the benefits money. This all equates to a little over a years worth of salary in a lump sum.
December 2024 - First retention bonus payment paid, and $$ added to growth account to accrue interest because once again I will need to live off of this.
February 2025 - Announced that merger will go through and the two companies will be one in May.
March 31, 2025 - Payment provided for other retention bonus, and again it was added to growth account.
April 2, 2025 - DDAY. I am laid off. Added to payroll for 120 days. The first 30 days are technically a working notice meaning that til tomorrow I am acting as a consultant.
May 2, 2025 - I will enter Non-working notice and lose access to systems, but stay on payroll.
August 2, 2025 - I will be paid the severance.
In that severance I have been provided a year access to a company that assists professionals in the transition. So I am getting resume help, training, and access to a tailored job board.
So needless to say being dragged around, and career feeling stagnant for the last 18 ish months is what's put me in this state of depression. But I know with all the money financially we are fine for 18 months without making any lifestyle changes. If we made lifestyle changes we could extend that to maybe 3 years.
So what's next? Well I have been golfing more, trying to spend time with family and friends, and taking advantage of the out placement services. I have 18 years of banking experience, an MBA, and countless skills learned. But man the job market has changed since I started this previous job. I am learning linkedin etc and realizing how difficult it is to find a job. A lot of jobs out there this is true, but not a lot where I want to be. So what do I do? Well I have a small business I am still slowly working on and trying to get off the ground, I have my officiating career, and also another business venture that I MAY take but there are a lot of factors that prevent me from making this step but it's on the table. Anyways where I stand I am really looking at and considering a Government job ideally with the city or state, I believe my skills could transfer easily enough and with about 30 years left to work before retirement I like the idea of securing retirement for the future. But time will tell where I end up. Also on the table are potential re-locations which are narrowed down to Northern Georgia or Southern Tennessee since we have family there.
Anyways there's the update and why I have been limited in posting. I am busy with a lot of things, and dealing with the mental depressive state this has all put me in. But I am holding onto my faith and family. I know I will come out of this state. It's just one step at a time.
Well not sure when i'll post another update but I felt it necessary to get this out there... step 1 complete.
