Flying Without a Net

Anyone who wants to certify me completely crazy can step up right now.

Four weeks ago I resigned from my job, and now, in the worst economy in 40 years, I'm flying without a net!

My boss resigned right before Christmas, and I knew right away I was in trouble because his boss HATED me. I had felt this for the past year, but it was only confirmed for me a few weeks ago when my boss admitted several weeks after his resignation that when he hired me, Carl had said, "I don't like, Nadine."

My boss, who shall remain anonymous to those who don't know me, thought that my great writing talent and creative ability would compensate for whatever it was he didn't like. What that is, I still don't know. My face? My hair style? The fact I haven't seen 29 in a few years. Whatever.

Although my co-workers all loved me, Carl's entourage picked up his sentiments, and they hated me, too. Once, I was leading Carl and some top federal executives to a green room before an event. As we got to the door, Carl's chief of staff put out her arm and pushed me out of the way.

Once my boss left, there was no buffer. Carl can't find anyone else he likes, so there was a vacuum at the top of our department and no one to direct traffic. My projects all came to a standstill, and there was no one to approve them. When I sent the chief of staff an email, instead of responding to me, she sent my ex-boss an email at his new job, and he forwarded the information back to me. They were paying him as a consultant to complete assignments I could have done had they spoken to me. But no one ever did.

We had three people, each with more than 30 years' experience in communications. But that wasn't good enough. He couldn't find a new general manager, so rather than appoint one of us as interim director to get the work done, he told us to report to a 32-year old woman who couldn't spell or punctuate, but had very big breasts and said "how high" whenever he said jump.

That was the final straw. I handed in my resignation.

I must be nuts. So now I'm on the hunt again, looking for a new job. And also setting up a web site and looking for any writing assignment that comes along.

It is scary. But I don't have to face someone who hates me every day. And maybe, if I find enough clients, it could be fun.