a coherent collection of random statements regarding God, words and tunes

And now, here to present his own minority opinion....

Posted by: burninglight at 00:22 | link | comments (9)

Processing, 1-2-3....

     Been a sad day today here at work. We had some warning it was coming, but we were officially re-org'd today, company-wide. Twenty-one people -- nearly half from our division and including my immediate supervisor -- are gone. 

     Most of the rest of us haven't heard specifically where we're going; we'll know more about that later today (lots of individual meetings). Our department leader (and his boss too, for that matter) is also being moved elsewhere -- good for them, we'll see about us, although I think our new leader will be fine (was in this department, fast-tracked to leader elsewhere, and now he's back here -- provided "here" is in fact here for ME.... although I have to say that it'd be foolish to move me too far abroad...)

     Whatever it is, it's a done deal. The overall changes make sense, but the "finer cuts" probably could have been avoided with more foresight. A lot of tears, a lot of pain, and some anger right now. But for all that, way different from the Lexis-Nexis experience I had for nine years (or elsewhere, for that matter) -- we always cut straight to the anger there.... or to numb indifference. Not to say the fine sense of gallows humor I acquired in Jersey hasn't served me well today, but it's been noticeably more like losing family. These were people we genuinely liked and generally did their jobs well (and at the moment, still seem indispensable -- like said bosses and the two art directors who worked on my last three books, as just a few examples...).

     And yet, it's time to go back to work. Doesn't seem right today. But here we are. 

     Update: Been, in fact, moved to another department, as our old one has been pretty much decimated.... very mixed feelings, but sounds like some potential for growth there too. It is what it is, and one must work with it.

Posted by: burninglight at 20:40 | link | comments (6)

Addendum for the curious....

    Example of my wife Marion's art. The gallery she's joining is opening next Thursday. Cool, yes?

Posted by: burninglight at 01:14 | link | comments (5)

OK, shut up, have a post....

     I was thinking of posting this anyway, but was gonna expound more on the latter part of this. But as I'm kind of unmotivated right now and need to freshen the place up regardless, take this three-quarters-hearted attempt instead....

     Anyway, this is old news in some sectors, but it's still messing with my head. Had the weirdest phone call I could conceive of on Saturday. My mom's boyfriend (see February blog for further details) called; first time I've spoken with him in about seven months. My youngest daughter picked it up, and gave "Uncle XX" to me as quickly as humanly possible; meanwhile, he put another guy on the phone, who after I got off the phone realized was someone from our small group who'd became a Christian early on our watch seven years ago, and left his wife to shack up with another woman a few months before I left Jersey. The latter actually came to the wake and started justifying his behavior, and there I am counseling him to snap the faith out of it right in the middle of my mother's wake -- with my mother laying there 10 feet away -- while 10 feet in the OTHER direction, "Uncle XX" was... well, again, see the February blog....

     As far as I can guess they must've just met; they were both bus drivers, so I assume that's how. ("Uncle XX," who got kicked out by the Jehovah's Witnesses 30 years ago for his own infidelities but still wants back in and never failed to do their end-times schpiel every time God came up in a conversation, never stepped foot in our church in the 8 years I was there, unless you count visiting our home in the very early days, and during times when we weren't meeting.)

    Anyway, that was VERY weird. Another call like that and I'm changing the number. Anyway anyway, that pretty much constituted Reasons to Leave New Jersey, Parts 250-278.

    Otherwise (and not entirely changing topic, after all), been wrestling with some other ministry issues as of late -- i.e., still trying to figure out where I fit in out here (aside from my job, of course). Interesting that I've had more "God moments" with others in the weight room after work this past week than I have in our church the past nine months. There may be something to this. But I'll wait and see what, rather than waste time speculating further just now.

Posted by: burninglight at 17:16 | link | comments (8)