So where did we leave off? The hardest part of writing these things is knowing where to start and finish. The last time I made an entry into my blog it was just before the world began to descend into madness. Even thou you could make the argument that we’ve actually been making that descent for a while now. Now I’m not going to get into that because I want to catch up on my story up due to the fact that there are actually a lot of current experiences I would like to write about. It’s tough to write about what happened just last year because things are happening so fast and life is so different that 2019 seems like 5 years ago. Anyhow  Life in 2020 for me honestly is pretty dam good although It’s really hard to know that so many people are suffering and struggling unnecessarily. At the same time it seems a lot people are beginning to wake up and reject the lies and take control of their destiny. I look forward to having that conversation with you when you reach the level of enlightenment that I realized many moons ago. I will say this thou as horrible as 2020 has been the one constant in the universe is balance. So when all this nonsense is over something spectacular is going to happen buuutttt…… things might get worse before they get better. Other that I’m winning man I’m in the zone I’m working out more consistently then I was before the quarantine. Don’t sleep on that Chuck Norris total gym that machine will tone up your abs and back in one session literally. Also a lot of the goals that I’ve had for years I’ve been able to accomplish this year. I really want to talk about all of those things and more but first let me get thought the story I’ve been telling for the last few episodes 

 

So when we last left off I was being relieved of position by a very polite Englishman. After the group call ends the first person I call is my buddy Rico he was actually the person who trained me for the job. We both worked out of the same city and dock so he was my closest co-worker. I say “did you hear the news” he says “what that we’re all fired” I’m like yup. Neither one of us were really worried just a bit taken aback. Then I get another call coming through it’s corporate. So I’m on the phone with this HR lady the tone in her voice was like she’s walking on eggshells  speaking real soft and delicately. I wanted tell her listen sweetheart your not breaking my heart here. She actually had good news she gave me my severance package with thankfully was very generous. I also had about 100 hours of PTO as well as 240 hours of sick time. I know I had been working an average 60 plus hours a week. I knew for sure I was going to be maxed out on unemployment. So getting the news that I would not have to be out wrapping pallets in the hundred degree weather in July wasn’t the worst news I’ve ever gotten in life.  When people asked me what my plan was I told them my plan was to live off the great state of California. Listen I’m not the one who looks to exploit the system but after breaking my back for these people for the last three years. I wasn’t even going to look for a job for at least two months. Not until at least September when it starts cools down. My plan before getting laid off was to have this be my last job ever.  Plus I had a stash in the bank remember I was saving up to be a car hauler.

 

At this time after the phone calls. I actually was still at the clients’ location so I went in for my appointment did my work for the day and cut out. Afterwards we had another meeting in the form of a group call this one was just for us driver techs and our immediate supervisors. Of course the mood was somber  we were all in shock but the writing was on the wall and we should’ve saw it coming. The head of our department Mark was leading the call he was very emotional a lot of the guys were. For a lot my ex co-worker this was it they said they would never leave this job.  I mean there were a lot of perks benefits and a lot of freedom. For me living in Cali the money just ok. But for some of them guys who live out in the midwest and the south the pay was kind of descent. So our boss Mark is on the phone close to tears. He was absolutely a good guy. We all started reminiscing and telling the stories of when he hired us. Now when you’re describing how someone looks it’s rare that there is a celebrity that they are an exact duplicate of. In case there is my ex boss Mark looks exactly like Paul Giamatti. Here’s the thing dudes voice is insanely deep so deep you might think something is wrong. Our first interview was on the phone I thought the guy was going to be 6’ 8” but he’s not he’s 5’ 8”.For our interview it was the starbucks in the Sacramento airport. He flew here just for the interview then caught a flight directly back to Texas.  So  as we’re getting to know each other in the interview talking about our previous work experience he tells me that he’s been with the company since about 2001 when World Championship Wrestling went out of business. So his last job was with WCW. I automatically assume that he worked in the IT department. I find out a few months later that he was actually a wrestler and he was good. He told me he remembers when aj styles first started in wcw. Imagine this being able to go on youtube and look up your boss in wrestling trunks with a long mullet having a match in front of thousands of people, hilarious. Its turns out a few of the guys in the company worked for wcw before it dissolved. One of the guys Keith was the ring announcer for Saturday night he said wcw management like him and was just about to get the spot on nitro before the company went under. He said when he was on the plane to start this job Sting was on the flight with him and Sting asked him “so what are you going to be doing? ” He told me he replied “I don’t know something about computers”. As someone who watched pro wrestling as a kid I got a kick out of hearing all their stories on some of those big assignments that we had. The best story Keith told me was how he got his first job in the wrestling business. He said he just called the TV station and asked for Tony Schiavone and they put him on the phone. I told him he should do a podcast because of all connections to interviews but he didn't seem interested. 

 

So besides us boo hooing about how we’re all unemployed now they gave us info about were going to finish up the remaining jobs on schedule for the next two weeks. Then help dissolve the company by turning in our equipment the Penske trucks uniforms and all that kind of jazz. That first night was weird while it was exciting to be on threshold of a new chapter of life. There still was some thoughts of uncertainty. Something that has been the major part of my routine for 3 years is now over. I did feel like you do after a breakup like a part of you is missing really incomplete. I did research on what happen to our company and basically it had to do with the trade war. So there I am in my hotel room slipping into the abyss. Knowing myself at that time those feeling were compounded by me trying to drown them out with a bottle of wine.

 

So after that first night all those feeling of despair were gone. I was completely over it I was just ready for the s*** to be done so I could move on.  Too bad I had two more weeks to go. Imagine how motivated you would be to get up and go do a job for a company that your no longer employed with. I remember that Friday they tried to schedule me to do a pick-up that was going to be around 300 assets to scan, process, package and ship meaning it would’ve taken me all freaking day in the 103 degree weather. Remember this is July. Let me mention this if I was a superhero direct sunlight would be my kryptonite. I can’t work in it, I won’t work in it.  I remember laughing when I saw that job pop up on my calendar I was like “they’re trippin I am not going to do that”. Coincidently I called in sick that day. Then I went to the gym then saw a movie instead of going to work.