Here we go again

The clues were there but I didn't see them.

Oh, it seemed a little strange when the boss read to us instead of just talking. How well we'd done, how we'd exceeded goals and expectations, how we were one of the only groups that had gotten higher enrollments this year. Yadda yadda yadda.

And then, "But we met with the accountants and the grant funds look like they'll run out in March." Six to nine months sooner than expected. And the new grants we hoped for hadn't come through.

I love this job and I'm good at it. The work is important, valuable. Still, the cheese moved -- but not for some good or noble reason. It moved capriciously.

This will be my third job hunt in six years. I'm tired and sad for all of us who are going through this, who are watching our kids and neighbors and parents going through this.

Last time my job vanished I said I'd document the process of looking for a new one. I didn't. And I still haven't seen accounts that felt very truthful in talking about this experience so many of us share. So that's what I intend to do -- explore the job hunt world without favor, without prejudice. 

This time I'll be guided by the rules my cattle dog Idgie follows, not the ones I've followed in the past. They are, near as I can see for now:

Outside! Now!
Pay attention with your whole being.
Don't walk when you can run, don't run when you can leap.
Love your pack.
Play. Work. Eat. Sleep.
When they won't pay attention to you, bark.

I'll skip the butt sniffing and the unreasonable dislike of Great Danes. But right now, she makes more sense than the people-experts do.

Most of the time.

Woof!