Losing A Job You Love Is Like Going Through A Breakup You Don't Want

So recently I was let go from my company. It was the second time this has happened in my life and hopefully it'll be the last. While the first go around with unemployment was actually amazing (FUNemployment lived up to its name) this second go around hasn't been so swell. First of all, the first time I went through the unemployment process I actually wasn't terribly enthralled with my job or company. So when they cut bait with me, I was actually quasi relieved. And they were kind enough to let me go at the beginning of June, so I actually had an impromptu summer vacation! It was awesome. It's kinda like that significant other you're with and you want to break up with them but you feel sort of guilty about it so instead you just act like a jackass hoping THEY'LL break up with YOU. However, this time not so much. And being let go from a job you actually adore is almost identical to going through a painful breakup. One day you think everything is fine and dandy. You're walking around dancing in your own head like that dude in 500 Days of Summer after he gets laid by his dream girl. The whole world is delightful.

Then comes the break up speech. It's not you, it's them. Well, actually it IS sort of you but they still love you. But maybe you're just not meant to be together. Maybe your fates fall elsewhere. It was a great whirlwind of excitement but once things settled down you guys just weren't right for each other. Of course, when you're being told this it's pretty devastating. It's hard for the breaker-upper as well but at the end of the day, they go on living their life. They've already moved on, been preparing for this moment. You on the other hand are left in the cold. All of a sudden you're alone and your ex is out having fun without you.

As the days and weeks go by, you try to get over them. You look back fondly on memories and smile. Then you get angry those memories are no longer continuing and the smiles fades. Everywhere you go something reminds you of them. Oh look, a new blog post by my ex! Oh look, I'm out at a bar and there's a bunch of friends we used to hang out with together! And of course, you stalk them silently! Oh, I'll just check in with them here and there, no big deal.

What makes it more difficult is I worked at a relatively popular company that is basically everywhere. So when I'm looking for new jobs I see my previous employers ads for hiring! It's like your ex dumping you and then 2 weeks later seeing them on eHarmony or out on a date. You're trying to move on yet there they are reminding you they're there. I also still contribute to content for my ex-company, something my roommates have tried to stage an intervention for. In fact, I've become more associated with my company's product since being let go than I had been before. It's like stalking your ex's facebook, just torturing yourself (oh look, she got a new haircut and it looks so good, she looks so good! Look at those new features!) You keep reflecting on how you thought you found The One but at the end of the day, she didn't want to be in a relationship...

To borrow Peter Griffin's line, here are some other things that are grinding my gears:

On April 5th, 1994 Kurt Cobain was found dead. He was 27 years old. Considering he was my idol and I was 14 when he committed suicide, it's hard to believe I'm now 30 and 3 years older than Kurt was when he died. Even more disturbing is to think that if he were alive today he'd be 43 years old. That puts shit in perspective! I wonder what kind of music Nirvana or Kurt would be making today. I've seen Green Day, Metallica, Guns N Roses, and other great bands I loved growing up make pretty spectacular comebacks and I just wonder where Nirvana would have fit in all of it.

And speaking of music, here's a Macster Music Challenge: Name me 8 great rock and roll bands of the past decade (2000-2009). I'm having real trouble with this one. In fact, I think the past decade was among the weakest decades in the course of history in regards to rock music. In the 70's there were the likes of Zeppelin, Floyd, Queen, Black Sabbath and others. The 80's we had GNR, Metallica, Van Halen, AC/DC, et al. And of course the 90's had Nirvana, the Pumpkins, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and the like. But the 2000's? I didn't see many bands with much staying power. The Killers? The White Stripes? My personal favorite is Muse. But aside from those 3 are there really any other bands that will leave a lasting legacy? And if so, who are they? Because maybe I haven't been paying attention...

I was at a concert recently (Citizen Cope) and before the show even had begun, a guy next to me was already completely blacked out hammered. I'm talking like Macster Madness style. First of all, who gets wasted at a Cope concert? He's way more granola than frat. But more importantly, what is the point of getting shitcanned when you're going to watch a band play? I understand having some drinks and getting buzzed. I understand partaking in some other recreational things to enhance the show. But how does getting plastered enhance a show? I've been a culprit of doing this once, at a Chili Peppers show, and I've regretted it ever since. If you can't remember the experience, what's the point of dropping $40 to see the band live?

And finally, you get to realize firsthand how terrible the print industry is doing if you've been a recent ex-subscriber to any magazine the past few years. I've gotten the most ridiculous deals on subscriptions due to unsubscribing or letting my subscription run out that I feel bad for the magazine company! I've let two subscriptions go the past 2 years only to re-up when they've offered me incredible deals on 1 year subscriptions. I can say I literally had no intention of re-upping a subscription for either magazine. First they start sending you special offers. You know what they're like, "resubscribe now and get this bonus issue FREE!". When you don't respond to that, they start slashing prices. "Resubscribe now and you get the first two issues FREE!" No response. Finally, I get the pleading resubscribe forms and I just can't say. It's like "Please resubscribe. We're essentially giving you these magazines for free. It costs us more to print these magazines than you're going to actually pay for them." Ok, that's not exactly what the form says, but it might as well. I resubscribed to two prominent magazines for a combined total of probably $20 (for a 1 year subscription). I felt bad for them, took pity on them, and gave them the $10 to renew my subscription! I mean, come on, $20? I spend that at the bar in 30 minutes. I can afford to throw $20 to a loyal company trying to keep me happy with their product, right? I just don't see how it benefits them in any way. It's like your ex constantly pleading with you to get back together, constantly offering more and more depraved sexual acts to lure you back in. Eventually you won't be able to turn it down, but you won't feel good about it, you'll just feel like you're taking pity on the poor thing. So what I guess it all boils down to is that whether it be your job, music, or a magazine subscription... you can always compare these things to dealing with exes!!

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