Tightening the Belt

No, I didn't lose weight. I wish. In my dreams.

Our company had layoffs last week. 10 people were laid off. I'm very thankful to have not been one of them. Also 14 people were reduced to part time hours. 32 hrs instead of 40. I was one of the 14.

Additional responsibilites, more to do, less time to do it in, and less pay for doing it.

That's the "glass half empty".

I have a job and they still pay me for it!

That's the "glass half full".

Ends will not meet and I may have to get an additional part-time job.

That's the glass drained with only backwash in the bottom.

So, now to come up with ways to save money. I've had a few thoughts:

- Don't fix the dryer. Continue to hang underwear on hangers. Or dry clothes at someone else's house.

- Be the last one gone from work and do a big "elimination" job before leaving, to save on toilet paper at home.

- Put the endless copies of the phone book that arrive on the doorstep, carport, front yard, sidewalk to good use...as toilet paper.

- Use cloth panty liners. Don't laugh. I'm already doing this. Got 'em on etsy.com.

- Hypnotize the dog and cats to convince them that they are herbivores, and plant alfalfa in the back yard.

- Teach the cats to use the toilet, to save on litter expenses.

- Sell the cats to Filiberto's as "organic" meat.

- Do the dishes by hand (read: make my son wash dishes) thereby saving electicity by not using my beautiful stainless steel dishwasher that I've only had for a year.

- Convince my son he is an herbivore, and send him out back with the cats.

- Cut my own hair. I've done it before. A lot.

- Cut my son's hair myself. He can wear a hat if I leave any bald spots.

- Stop coloring my hair. Gray is attractive, right?

- Wear even less make-up and only buy the cheap stuff.

- Cancel Netflix

- Cancel internet

Hey, let's not go overboard: the internet stays.

When the layoffs and hour reductions first happened, I was amazingly calm about it for about 3 days. I'm going to take that calm as a peaceful assurance that everything will be fine.

When this Monday rolled around and the work-week started, I began to panic. Then after panic comes paralyzed inaction. I have to be careful not to let that happen, because that is often how I deal with crisis. Sometimes "Catatonia" just sounds like such a nice place to be!!

Surely they have a beach there where cabana boys bring you fruity drinks and adjust your umbrella so the sun doesn't shine in your eyes.