The Great Wizards Winnowing of '05 (aka The Year of the Fallen Wizard, take 3 or 4, FR 1307)

[eurydicebound]

So... yeah. Unemployed. Not the only one. Parted on relatively good terms. I am now joining an elite cadre of game design superheroes who've been laid off by WotC, and there are some prestigious names on that list, so I shouldn't feel all that bad. Of course, none of them are paying me money, so I don't feel all that great, either. I've got some severence, and I'm going to be looking for work. I don't plan to move, at least not at this point. For one, I like it here. For two, my kids' dad is here, and he can't move this time. The army has this thing called AWOL that they reserve just for active duty servicemen who take it upon themselves to suddenly relocate, and that would be bad. At the same time, I don't think I can support myself and my kids here by freelancing. I could be wrong, but... well, it's a hell of a lot more expensive here than Oklahoma, that's for sure.

As it stands, if anyone knows of either a) freelance writing or editing they need done after the first of the year (I have an assignment I need to finish up before Christmas, which should be far easier now) or b) a job in the Seattle area doing writing and/or editing, please let me know. Doesn't need to be game-industry related, though I'd not turn down one in that realm. I'm willing to pay a finders' fee in terms of a kiss/hug and the baked goods of your choice. :)

EDIT: Oh, and to add insult to injury, I am disinvited to the holiday party, and so have purchased a pretty dress for no reason. I guess I have to come up with a reason now. Bah.

Comments

[iamnikchick.livejournal.com]

Pramas and I attended the holiday party the year they threw the party *before* announcing the layoffs. Everyone knew layoffs were coming, so it was a pretty pathetic thing, with everyone roaming around this big party held at the EMP (for god knows how many thousands of dollars), looking at each other and wondering who wasn't going to be there in a couple of weeks.

Pretty crappy party.

Then again, WotC has been known to throw a freakin' ice cream party the day after layoffs, to cheer the remaining employees. Yes, they are that shallow...

[adamjury.livejournal.com]

"Alright, everyone. Taste that? That was Michelle's paycheck for next month. Yummy yummy!"

Bah. I know it's just big biz bullshit, and it's not like it doesn't happen in /small/ business either, but there's something pretty tacky about throwing parties just days after/before handing out pink slips.

[innocent-man.livejournal.com]

Agreed.

[metallian.livejournal.com]

The biggest and best shrimp I've ever eaten in my life were at an extravagant holiday party I attended the night before I was laid off...it was kinda weird.

[thattoon.livejournal.com]

Another fun time is a company letting a guy go without warning right after GenCon.

[xomec.livejournal.com]

Yeah, or at GenCon, for that matter. ("The bad new is your services are no longer required, the good news is that it's a target-rich environment for job-hunting...")

Like I said, Michelle, sorry WotC doesn't recognize a precious resource when they see one.