Happy New Year!!

I realize that I'm a few hours early, but I figure it's better to get it in early than late. My ear infection is less painful now than yesterday, but I still hear ringing in my left ear, and I hear everything a half-tone lower than in my right ear. My head cold (which turned out to be more of a chest cold) has broken up a bit, so I am not quaffing as much DayQuil/NightQuil as I did earlier in the week. I'm beginning to think that the ear infection may have been acquired separately--possibly from the headphones at BPD when I went for the 911 Dispatcher exam.

All in all, I'll most likely be turning in early, so, once again, Happy New Year!!

Irony

Irony: I had over 300 hours of sick time saved up from my time with the City, and I will be getting about a third back in the form of cash ("bought back" by the City, as it were).

Now that I don't need them, I've been hit with a crippling double-combo of nasty head-cold and painful ear infection.

Ain't it just grand? :(

Amongst the ranks of the unemployed

From: Property and Construction Department
To: Mr. Dennis Mahon

Dear Mr. Mahon:

It is with regret that I must notify you that you will be suspendended from your provisional appointment a Computer Operator in the Property & Construction Management Department, effective at the close of business on December 29, 2006.

This termination of provisional employment is not a reflection on your work performance, but is necessitated by the reduction in force resulting from the abolition of the armed portion of the Boston Municipal Police Department. This reduction has required the City to reduce its number of employees, resulting in the abolition of positions within the Property & Construction Management Department. You are being separated from your provisional appointment in accordance of the collective bargaining agreement between the City of Boston and SEIU.

The rest is just about my "bumping" rights and recall lists.

The gist of it is. as of 23:30hrs tomorrow, I am amongst the ranks of the unemployed.

I've already started applying for other jobs, but the ones I'd like to have are well out of reach.

I suppose I could look on this as an opportunity-- Lord knows, I haven't had a vacation in years.

At least my health insurance will hold out until the end of January. After that, I'm without a safety net.

We'll see how it goes.