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Oh.  Horrified and delighted?  Having rugs, even rugs we are really really sick of, yanked from neath our feet is very disconcerting. You are good Bakerina and, while I almost apologize for saying it, you will be ok.  I am sorry though.  For whatever it is worth I will say future-shaped prayers for you, prayers that smell like daring bright Sundays and wash forgotten on the line.

It’s always a shock to be laid off, even if you did see it coming. Give yourself some time to think about what you *really* want to do next and seize the opportunity to make some welcome changes. In the meantime, I’ll bet it would be fun to stay home and bake.

I’m sorry that it came on their terms and not yours, but I’m delighted that LuthorCorp will no longer be draining your energy and happiness.

Count me delighted --not that you’re laid off, but that you’ve got severance and you’re out of that poisonous pool you were dying in.

Ask any of us, it’s ten times worse than you see when you’re in the thick of the war zone.  I can’t wait until you’ve back in the real world where people appreciate people like you.

Forward.  Yes.

Yes!

Thank god.

I’m not kidding. I know it’s scary and dazzling and unclear as to what comes next
But mark my words—this is the best thing that will ever happen to me.

Look at me. I was let go from my teaching job because I asked for a four-month sabbatical to write my book. I cried in the Chef’s arms, and then I ran straight toward my joy.

Welcome, oh life, without LutherCorp.

I’m with ‘mouse and Shauna. This last year I’m not sure if you know exactly how much damage working there was doing for you. I know when I was laid off from NYU I was shattered, but it ended up being the best thing for me. When I look back at how miserable I was, I can’t imagine why I didn’t leave sooner or how I didn’t see how working at that job was preventing me from pursuing other healthier options. Now you have time to work on your book and find a job that doesn’t suck the life essence out of you like that machine the skexies had the Dark Crystal. (You are free to imagine me as your personal Fizzgig.)

Now you can really open yourself to the other options that are out there. Vive la vie sans luthercorp!

You can also come over and enjoy brownies and tea (as well as a lap o’ pleasance) during my winter break whenever you want.

I’m horrifyingly delighted.

It’s all up from here.

xo

Oh, sweet thing.  You are being given the chance to shine.  I predict a wonderful new adventure for you.

I’m with ‘mouse too.  It might, in one way, be a bad thing, but with the severance pay, I know you’ll turn it into a magnificent opportunity.  It’s about time you were amongst people who appreciate you.  You deserve nothing less.

The only shame is that you can’t tell LutherCorp to get stuffed.  On the other hand, take their stinking money and run!

It appears we have a consensus here. I predict that one day soon you’ll be tripping along in your wonderful and fulfilling new life and the smell of fresh cardboard will no longer fill you with dread.

Hah. . . my verification word today is “leave”. See? It’s a sign! I bet the next person’s verification word will be “egg book”.

Honey - I can tell you from experience, be happy with it.
Sometimes life needs to kick us in the ass with, what looks on the surface, to be a frightening and sad thing.  But given some time, a bit of baking, a bit of studious thought and you will begin to realise that perhaps this was the kick in the ass one needed to jump start ones life in a better direction.
I called mine my mid life career crisis, and when I was kicked to the curb I found out after much searching and asking that they had a program in conjunction with the local unemployment division.  All I had to do was beg cajole and write a grant, get approved and a year of training, paid, was mine.  You may not have the same, but do ask and moider and question everyone you will come in contact with during this *cough* downsizing.

I know that it feels like being slapped for all your hard work, but really, large corporations couldn’t even be bothered to slap someone, your cog just came loose from the wheel and that is all. 
I never thought I would come out the other side, i had no idea what i wanted to be when I grew up and I just assumed I wasn’t qualified for anything I would enjoy. 
Never let the ‘NO’ deamons get to you. 
Kick some butt!  I see these as your metamorphosis.

Oh, I was sort of horribly excited to read this post.  This is going to be such a wonderful thing for you.

I’m so glad I read this this morning!  I was going to mail you a package to your work today.  So, will you be home to take delivery of a package if I send it to your home?

I have to say I’m a bit relieved though.  Even if you are going to have stress of finding another job, or wondering if they’ll be pissed off with you for staying only long enough to get into law school, at least you don’t have to go to LuthorCorp every day and wish that you were anywhere else.

Love you, friend.

Sometimes life doesn’t care whether we’re “ready” or not, but will push us in a direction that we know we’re headed anyway.

I wish you the best.  If I were you, I think I’d be a little bit of both...horrified and delighted.  You may as well choose to focus on the delighted part

Love and encouragement and all those good things to you my dear!!

For what it’s worth, I was laid off once and outright fired once. Despite the initial soul-sucking fear, there also came a sense of calm and peace that now I could figure out what I wanted to do with my life.

Sort of liberating, that.

Oh no.  no.  but yes, yes.  now you’ll be free of those empty box emergencies!  and this time, take your time, and find something you really want to do.

look at me I’m self-employed, I love to work at nothing all day

All that is happened is that you have been handed your wings a little sooner than you might have wanted.  Fly!

I’m sorry, and yet, I think this will be the beginning of something wonderful. Here’s to looking back on this with a raised glass and saying, “THANK GOD!”

...I had the strangest dream…

You’ll get over the horror and be delighted soon enough.  On to the next adventure...one better suited to you!

I echo so many of the sentiments expressed to this point.  I’m sure you’re terrified, heart-broken, delighted, and any other emotion you want to throw in there.  All perfectly natural and normal.  Remember to keep breathing (honest, remember to do that!  So often we forget to breathe and that’s a no no!) You have a support system out here that is larger than you could EVER imagine.  Keep breathing and have faith in the universe.

Oh, honey, as one who’s been laid from many a job (that’s working in publishing for you), it always feels like a kick in the stomach in the beginning. But then better opportunities always open up, and then you can’t believe you stuck with something so misery-inducing for so long. So, my advice--get online at https://ui.labor.state.ny.us/UBC/home.do
and check out what your options are re: unemployment benefits. You may have to wait til your severance runs out before you can claim it, but trust me: you want it. Unemployment checks are your due, since you and LuthorCorp. have been paying into that pot for all the time you were employed. And that weekly check, even it’s only a portion of what you were making before, is the book writer’s best friend. Get thee back to Eureka Springs and get that egg book fired up! Who knows, maybe this will lead to the birth of the long-delayed Bakerina bakery....You’ve got talent, and the lovely Lloyd, and many many friends who love you. This will be a good thing, promise!

Ok, blushing here. That was “laid OFF from many a job”, really.

Without the most intimate knowledge, I would say this is a blessing well disguised as a disaster.  For some time you have expressed unhappiness at LuthorCorps, my friend.  You have your health and endless supplies of talent and charm.  More worthy employers would and should chase you like the returning prom queen. 

Tonight I shall raise my glass of Merlot and celebrate yoru liberation from the drudgery of a job that caused you misery.  I wish for your happiness, and this day is the start of something new. 

Last year my employer started giving me the hassle, I ended up resigning, I was not going to force myself to a job that made me miserable that I had to look over my shoulder.  The result is I have a better job, one I love. 

Fear not, Bakerina, for I see great things in your future.  More smiles and less stress.

Oh. man. Crappy crap crap. On the other hand… hooray? Definitely a hooray for severance! You can hopefully at least sleep through December and work off the rest of the bad LutherCorp vibes.
I didn’t get laid off from Big SoulSucking Corporation, I left on my own (although it would have happened in <1 year, which is how long it took for the whole branch office to shut down), but it was a really wonderful thing for me. I didn’t realize how much it was negatively affecting everything I did in my life, and what a wonderful gift it was to leave it.

So many other good things await you, Jen. And I can’t wait to tag along and see what they are. Either way, they’ll be good. I can feel it.

It’s all going to be good! I just feel it. I’m sorry for the shock, but when it wears off you’ll recover and go on to do great things.

Well I’m sorry you got laid off, but no more LuthorCorp doesn’t sound like a bad thing. Think of all the knitting time!

Jen, please send me your address. I’ve got to send you a package.

Also, if this doesn’t mean that law is about to get really tasty, I’m hoping it means New York is about to get a kickass bakery. Either way, love, you’re free.

I now have Freebird in my head. And you can, too! You’re welcome

(Also? You can walk around saying in your best John Inman voice, “I’m free!” which may drive Lloyd nuts, but oh well...)

Being laid off, even when you suspect it’s coming, is a shock. But I have yet to meet anyone who’s been through this (and these days everyone seems to go through it at some point or another) who hasn’t gone on to something that made them happier —and usually something that paid better too.

You have enormous talent and LutherCorp was not/is not the place for you. Be delighted by this!

Oh, honey, I’m sorry for the shock of it, but I’m even gladder that you are finally out of that soul-sucking job. I know that there is something much, much better just waiting for you to discover it. Meanwhile, you have time to recover, and bake, and write, and enjoy the holidays. Hooray!

I KNEW there was a reason I opened a book to this passage today:
“The clouds you so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.”

Merry Christmas, and may enough blessings break over your head to necessitate a construction helmet!

I echo the others.  I am sorry for your current worries, but I feel very sure that this is going to be the best thing that’s ever happened to you!  And your readers will be happy to have their old (happy) Bakie back!

I’m delighted. You deserve so much more and you are getting a bit of severance.

Go forth and sleep for a day or two or three. Then dust off ye old resume and see what better things are out there.

This is kind of exciting. A long chapter in your life just ended, and you’re about to start another. Will you become a baker, a lawyer, a professional blogger, or something else? Time will tell.

Thinking of you and hoping this transition period between Luthorcorp and dreams come true is restorative and rewarding.  Go Jen!

The grace and goodness of my friends never fails to touch me.  Thank you, everyone, from the bottom of my heart.

Sorry to be late to the party—we’ve been out of town, embroiled in various kinds of family mishegoss.  But hey, all I’ve really got to say is, well, what THEY said...all your other dear kind commenters above.  I’m looking forward to our chickdate.  Baking?  Carousing? Making merry mischief?  All of the above, hopefully.