What do we do now? … Now? Now, We Wait

I’m more at peace with this entire situation now. It doesn’t give me this dream like feeling when I’m confronted with the information. Just like everyone will die some day, Opposite of Dog will be our new corporate master some day in the future.

I’m glad some people are going to make some fast cash out of the deal. This lady will get a settlement I’m sure, and our boss cashed in right away. (Legal, but still kind of a shady move. Why didn't he sell last Friday? Oh right, he knew he'd make around $600,000 more if he waited the weekend.)

I’m comforted in looking at other companies Opposite of Dog has swallowed. They’ve kept their identity and colors, but just have a little owned by Opposite of Dog subscript on their website. We have more of their core product so our assimilation may be more yellow than the rest.

Here we are trapped in the amber of the moment. There is no why.

I’m still having a hard time grasping this reality.

When I was walked out of the Sandbox I expected to never set foot on Opposite of Dog property ever again.

Yesterday my wife was sick so I stayed home to watch the boys. I decided to put window plastic up on our drafty 60+ year old windows.

It’s not a job I’d normally be any good at. It takes too much patience and precision.

I paint with broad strokes.

I slowed down and let my mind come to terms with this new world I was thrust into. My head was clear as I put down the tape, put up the plastic, shrank it with the hair dryer and trimmed it was a razor.

By the time I had several done I felt less scrambled.

The irony of the situation isn’t lost on me.

I appreciate this sick sense of humor the universe has.

I left Peoria, and Peoria decided to follow me. I wanted freedom from the endless processes of the machine and the bosses bosses bosses boss, none of whom know a damn thing about what is going on, yet they will be back. They will come to this group of engineers who still exist in a corporate framework, but at the end of the day are accountable to each other more than their superiors. We design to make something great, not to fulfill metrics and be “Green” for gate reviews.

Maybe I can take part in how the transition happens. Maybe I can make my voice heard as the big fish swallows the little fish.

Was I Asleep? Had I Slept? Is Opposite of Dog my bad dream, or I am Opposite of Dog’s?

I began the day like I had most work days since I moved to Milwaukee. I got up, took the dog out, showered, shaved, put on my shirt and tie and went to work.

I got in before my boss, sat down and looked at a few erroneous emails I had gotten late Friday.

At about 6:40 am Central Standard Time, I got an email in my inbox from Opposite of Dog’s press release department.

I blinked hard. This was a joke, a clever email sent by an old coworker. It had to be. I clicked on the link. Opposite of Dog’s website came up, the highway yellow staring me in the face. Sure as shit, they bought us. By this time my boss had showed up. I went over to him and relayed the shocking news. He didn’t believe me either.

The rest of the morning was kind of a shell-shocked blur. This bizarre string of events had my mind swimming.

There was fear, relief, wonder, loathing. I left this place, and now they bought the company I went to.

This could be a good thing. They are keeping global mining in South Milwaukee. If they keep me, I get my seniority back, and my week vacation. By leaving I just piggybacked up to a 24 salary grade, 6% 401K match, 18% bonus, cheaper health care, all the shit they dangle in front of people to keep them in Central Illinois Hell I would get to have in wondrous Wisconsin.

There is the danger of being considered a “redundancy”. I think I left on good terms. No lawsuit to get that weeks pay they boned me out of, some strong words to an HR guy that he should have let me know I wouldn’t be getting paid, but I gave up on it. I know their system, I know this system, I should be valuable enough to keep.

I can only speculate on what the next year will hold.

Just like doctor Frankenstein. I officially bring this blog back to life because there are going to be some kick ass stories to tell as this shit goes down, and that’s the only reason anyone does anything any way, to have a good story to tell.

Pure Fucking Gonzo Engineering.

Since I am the main character in the story of lawryde. I can only assume this is how the conversation went in Opposite of Dog's board room.

“How much to get lawryde back…

8.6 billion…

Do it.”

Un-Fucking Believable