is Mercury retrograde?

[ellesin]

Just wondering. Because holy cats has my life gotten messy. I'm
assuming this is still a public list (readable and searchable by the
world) despite our earlier conversation, right? So I won't say much,
just that my church board leaders requested my resignation last
Thursday (no grievous transgressions of clergy rules or anything like
that, just general discontent) and in an attempt to do what was best
for the church, I agreed. I thought things were going really well,
but apparently not for everyone.

So as of May 1 I have no health insurance. I have three months'
severance, just the salary part, for which I am very grateful. I am
wrapping things up and staying away from the church as much as
possible between now and then. And of course, I have no job. In our
denomination the whole job-hunt thing takes a year, so I am now
looking for work for at least a year, but frankly I'm feeling pretty
burnt and wondering what other kinds of ministry are out there. I do
see life coaching as a kind of community ministry (as counseling is)
and I plan to put more energy into that.

But I'm stunned. Head spinning. Dealing with all the grief and
stuff. Feels kind of like I've been tossed out the airlock of a
spaceship, and there's no atmospheric pressure to hold me together.
I'm sure there's a silver lining, but I only get glimpses right now.
I've decided that perhaps I need to begin by getting some
brightly-colored socks, since the socks I wore to work were almost
always black. I know I'm not the only one to go through this. But
damn I've had better weeks.

Leela
questing, floating socks

[cyn########]

Post by ellesin
Just wondering. Because holy cats has my life gotten messy. I'm
assuming this is still a public list (readable and searchable by the
world) despite our earlier conversation, right?

Yes, it is.

Post by ellesin
So I won't say much,
just that my church board leaders requested my resignation last
Thursday (no grievous transgressions of clergy rules or anything like
that, just general discontent) and in an attempt to do what was best
for the church, I agreed.

Geez....I'm sorry. This is awful.

Post by ellesin
I thought things were going really well, but apparently not for everyone.

There's no recourse? I guess it's too late to work with them and find
a compromise? Especially if this came out of the blue, with no
warning...bleep.

Post by ellesin
So as of May 1 I have no health insurance. I have three months'
severance, just the salary part, for which I am very grateful.

[...]

Post by ellesin
but frankly I'm feeling pretty
burnt and wondering what other kinds of ministry are out there.
I've decided that perhaps I need to begin by getting some
brightly-colored socks, since the socks I wore to work were almost
always black.

Good idea. I'm donning one of the few non-black socks I have in your
honour, today. My feet look funny, but, ah well. (I should go pick
up some warm and fuzzy socks -- they seem to work for Joules.)

Post by ellesin
I know I'm not the only one to go through this. But
damn I've had better weeks.

I'm really sorry to hear this.

I don't have any knowledge base, at all, when it comes to religion,
but I do know what it's like to feel like everything's out of control,
and the world's suddenly not what you thought it was. I hope you have
some supportive people around you, not tied up with the Church. Even
if you do, please don't hesitate to vent here if you need an ear, or a
place to send out your thoughts, in any form -- you'll have a friendly
listener.


cyn#
(who'll send a CK(tm) over, if you need moral support)
sympathetic shoes

[ellesin]

Post by ellesin
I thought things were going really well, but apparently not for everyone.

There's no recourse? =A0I guess it's too late to work with them and find
a compromise? =A0Especially if this came out of the blue, with no
warning...bleep.

Yeah, things had been rough and then better and then rough and then
better, but I thought we were pretty solidly in the "better" and
apparently...well, for some people we were and for some we weren't.
Le sigh.

Post by ellesin
I've decided that perhaps I need to begin by getting some
brightly-colored socks, since the socks I wore to work were almost
always black.

Good idea. =A0I'm donning one of the few non-black socks I have in your
honour, today. =A0My feet look funny, but, ah well. =A0(I should go pick
up some warm and fuzzy socks -- they seem to work for Joules.)

.smile. thank you! If your feet can't make you smile, what can? :)

I don't have any knowledge base, at all, when it comes to religion,
but I do know what it's like to feel like everything's out of control,
and the world's suddenly not what you thought it was. =A0I hope you have
some supportive people around you, not tied up with the Church.

I do indeed. My gf is really mad but is working hard not to let that
get out in ways that might be harmful (to me) later. And she's taking
extra specially good care of me. I have a few other friends, too. It
just feels like my whole world has gone topsy-turvy, which you
describe perfectly above.

Even
if you do, please don't hesitate to vent here if you need an ear, or a
place to send out your thoughts, in any form -- you'll have a friendly
listener.

Thanks.

I love this list--the internationalness, the low flame rate, the
playful spirit. I feel like I'm trying to figure out...not WHO I
am--I think I know that--but HOW I am in the world, when my whole life
doesn't revolve around the church. I was just about due for a
sabbatical, so I guess I have one sort of. This list is a good place
for figuring-out that way.

I think the CK(tm) idea is a good one when I can handle a little more
chaos. They seem to have a rather...exuberant air about them that I'm
not sure I can match at the moment. .glances over shoulder at ceiling
beams. but I'm not sure I'm ready for pounces and hordes quite yet.
The world feels very, very still at the moment.

thanks,
Leela, figuring-out toes

[cyn########]

Post by ellesin

Post by cyn########
I'm donning one of the few non-black socks I have in your
honour, today. My feet look funny, but, ah well.

.smile. thank you! If your feet can't make you smile, what can? :)

My feet look ridiculous. They don't match my new faded jeans, at all.

Post by ellesin
My gf is really mad but is working hard not to let that
get out in ways that might be harmful (to me) later. And she's taking
extra specially good care of me.

Yay for gfs!! :-)
You take care of yourself, too.

Post by ellesin
It just feels like my whole world has gone topsy-turvy, which you
describe perfectly above.

Hmm. It is a familiar place...for a lot of us. So, yeah, you're not
alone...and, everything really does get better, with time.

Post by ellesin
I love this list--the internationalness, the low flame rate, the
playful spirit.

Ditto, on this.

Post by ellesin
I feel like I'm trying to figure out...not WHO I
am--I think I know that--but HOW I am in the world,

And, look....you're miles ahead of me on this one! ;-)

Post by ellesin
I think the CK(tm) idea is a good one when I can handle a little more
chaos. They seem to have a rather...exuberant air about them that I'm
not sure I can match at the moment. .glances over shoulder at ceiling
beams.

Ah, but _my_ CK(tm)s, are very adaptable. They really can be an
attentive listener, thanks to their furry ears. And they're good at
just providing a quiet, companionable presence. They'd be content to
sit in the stillness with you, as time passes, slowly, until you
regain your equilibrium. Give them an ear rub, or two, and they'll
have your back against anything that comes your way. First loyalty is
to the one they're assigned to. And, they're h-ggable, if you're so
inclined -- you can wrap your arms around one, and know that one of
the lil guys is totally on your side.

Post by ellesin
but I'm not sure I'm ready for pounces and hordes quite yet.

No worries! CK(tms)s generally save this for special occasions. Or
when Aussie ethicists invite attack.

Post by ellesin
The world feels very, very still at the moment.

It's freaky how the world can echo with silence, sometimes.


cyn#
shoes dispatching a CK(tm) your way...with orders to hover
protectively in the background if you're not ready for a marsupial
buddy...but ready to provide companionable silence, and two furry paws
to help, if desired
(I'd send chocolate chip cookes, which the CK(tm)s make exceedingly
well, but I recall your gf can probably bake better ones) ;-)

[ellesin]

Hopefully, yes! I have been busy what with the church exploding all
over the ceiling and everything, but I'm finding myself with some time
now...

Leela, off to get dirty toes (in the garden :))

[felice]

Post by ellesin
Just wondering. Because holy cats has my life gotten messy. I'm
assuming this is still a public list (readable and searchable by the
world) despite our earlier conversation, right?

Yes, this list is going to stay public, though a more private supplement
might get sorted out eventually. I don't think it's currently included
in standard google web searches, only group-specific ones, so the
potential audience is probably quite limited, but we have no control
over what search engines choose to do with it in future.

Post by ellesin
my church board leaders requested my resignation last
Thursday (no grievous transgressions of clergy rules or anything like
that, just general discontent) and in an attempt to do what was best
for the church, I agreed.

That sucks 8(

Post by ellesin
So as of May 1 I have no health insurance.

I really, really hate the lack of proper public healthcare in the US.

Post by ellesin
the whole job-hunt thing takes a year, so I am now
looking for work for at least a year, but frankly I'm feeling pretty
burnt and wondering what other kinds of ministry are out there.

Yes, looking for some other kind of employment sounds like an excellent
idea; being forced to stay out of work for a year or more doesn't seem
like a great option to me.

Post by ellesin
But I'm stunned. Head spinning. Dealing with all the grief and
stuff.

Understandable. *hugs*

Post by ellesin
I've decided that perhaps I need to begin by getting some
brightly-colored socks, since the socks I wore to work were almost
always black.

Yes, that's a good place to start.

felice
bright pink socks (yes, I managed to find one non-black pair at the back
of the drawer 8)

[nora]

Post by ellesin

There's no recourse? I guess it's too late to work with them and find
a compromise? specially if this came out of the blue, with no
warning...bleep.

Yeah, things had been rough and then better and then rough and then
better, but I thought we were pretty solidly in the "better" and
apparently...well, for some people we were and for some we weren't.
Le sigh.

i'm really sorry to hear about your job loss. i've been through it a couple of times myself (in these times, is there ANYONE who hasn't been through it a couple of
times?) and i know it's really tough. hang in there!

Post by ellesin

Even
if you do, please don't hesitate to vent here if you need an ear, or a
place to send out your thoughts, in any form -- you'll have a friendly
listener.

Thanks.
I love this list--the internationalness, the low flame rate, the
playful spirit.

i also love the international, playful nature of this group ... but there has definitely been a flame war or two aorund here in the olden days ...

- nora
flame-proof toes

[ellesin]

Post by nora
i also love the international, playful nature of this group ... but there has definitely been a flame war or two aorund here in the olden days ...
- nora
flame-proof toes

.nod. I remember. But compared to some of the old lists and groups,
this one was positively gentle. Seems like people have gotten wiser
about flame wars in general since then...or maybe I've just chosen my
online company with more care...

Leela
firefighter socks