I found out yesterday I'm losing my job. Last day is Oct. 19. They are moving all operations for what I do to Austin, Texas. I can't imagine any more devastating news a 61-going-on-62-year-old could hear. The job market isn't just full of opportunities for a guy my age.
I have a couple, five options, I guess, none of which seems to be very good.
1. I could (maybe) move to Austin, where I would join a desk that puts out 127 different newspapers all across the country. I'd keep my benefits, seniority and maybe even get a pay boost for the cost of living difference doing that. But I'd be moving away from my daughters and grandson, who all live where I live. They said they would "try to accommodate" a move to Austin for any of us losing our jobs. So I don't know what that means.
2. A paper in the same company across the state has an opening. But it's in a hell hole of a town. No one wants to move there.
3. A paper in northwest Arkansas has said it could use some help, but we had a guy who used to work there who quit and commuted 75 miles to work for us rather than continue working for them.
4. I could retire. This is the least viable of the options. I simply don't have the funds to retire. My retirement target is 66. If I retire now, I would be getting reduced SS checks. I can barely make it on the full SS check as it is.
5. This is also not very viable. They said there would be two positions open at my old paper, both requiring interaction on social media platforms, along with some of the same duties I do now. It's kind of a joke at my paper how off the grid I am. Everyone knows I JUST got my first real cell phone a couple of months ago. If it were up to the people in charge at my paper, I would probably get one of these jobs, because I have seniority. But they made it clear it wasn't up to them. The new company that bought us out has a very specific set of guidelines for filling the position and a committee reviews each candidate to pick the best ones. I think I'm screwed on that front.
I just don't know what to do, but I'll probably end up leaving all my family and moving ... by myself ... to Texas. Not a good day to be me.
I have a couple, five options, I guess, none of which seems to be very good.
1. I could (maybe) move to Austin, where I would join a desk that puts out 127 different newspapers all across the country. I'd keep my benefits, seniority and maybe even get a pay boost for the cost of living difference doing that. But I'd be moving away from my daughters and grandson, who all live where I live. They said they would "try to accommodate" a move to Austin for any of us losing our jobs. So I don't know what that means.
2. A paper in the same company across the state has an opening. But it's in a hell hole of a town. No one wants to move there.
3. A paper in northwest Arkansas has said it could use some help, but we had a guy who used to work there who quit and commuted 75 miles to work for us rather than continue working for them.
4. I could retire. This is the least viable of the options. I simply don't have the funds to retire. My retirement target is 66. If I retire now, I would be getting reduced SS checks. I can barely make it on the full SS check as it is.
5. This is also not very viable. They said there would be two positions open at my old paper, both requiring interaction on social media platforms, along with some of the same duties I do now. It's kind of a joke at my paper how off the grid I am. Everyone knows I JUST got my first real cell phone a couple of months ago. If it were up to the people in charge at my paper, I would probably get one of these jobs, because I have seniority. But they made it clear it wasn't up to them. The new company that bought us out has a very specific set of guidelines for filling the position and a committee reviews each candidate to pick the best ones. I think I'm screwed on that front.
I just don't know what to do, but I'll probably end up leaving all my family and moving ... by myself ... to Texas. Not a good day to be me.
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