Miami (Dec. 17, 2010) -- The call came in on Wednesday just as my parents and my aunt and I had pulled up to the beach in Bonita Bay.
It was work and they had decided to terminate my contract. The lady on the other end went over the general terms of what is a fairly generous severance package and then it was over.
I got out of the car, hugged my dad, bought a cold beer and then had lunch at a restaurant overlooking the ocean. Florida is a great place to find out that you've been laid off.
This was far from a surprise. One of my managers, either on his own accord or under the direction of his bosses, had been harassing me for the past year and creating a paper trail of any minor errors that I made. This was a completely subjective process that they could do to any editor at the paper if they wanted to create a case against them.
So while the past year at work has been less than fun, I believe that it is actually for the best. I have been ready for a move for some time and a change of scenery and occupation will be nice. And jumping from a sinking ship and a wildly changing industry while I'm still fairly young actually has me feeling lucky that this all went down like it did.
My plan is to fly to Louisville on Sunday to spend the holidays with my family. I'll be back in Paris on Jan. 12 and will begin the going away process that should conclude sometime in late March or early April. I then plan on spending April in Louisville before moving to Washington, D.C. to find a job in public relations or working as a spokesman for a politician. I figure that there are lots of jobs in D.C. for someone with a resume like mine.
So, until then, if anyone wants to visit Paris to see the city I'm leaving, that's the time frame. All guests are welcome.
It's an absolutely wonderful place and I've had the amazing luck of living there for almost five years. I've made some wonderful friends, had some great times and very few bad times, and I've come to love the French way of life. And over the past five years I've gotten to travel the world on paid vacation. I mean, really, what the hell do I have to be bitter or angry about?
It's been a great run. I won the lottery when I got the job and I've kept that in mind nearly everyday since then. Things had to end at some point since I never planned on settling in France or at that newspaper.
So it's over. C'est la vie. Everything ends at some point. I have many fond memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
It's pretty corny, but Hemingway summed it up best...
"If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast."
When I first read that quote I wasn't exactly sure what he meant.
I now know very well exactly what he's talking about.
Finally, I'd like say thanks to Gina Rarick for making it all possible. She fought for me to get the job even though I had never worked as an editor before. And then she left the paper and began a second successful career. I hope to follow her example once again.
Thanks to my dad for advising me as this all went down at the paper. All big decisions get cleared by Pops. That's the rule.
Et un immense merci to all my amazing friends in Paris. You're what I'm gonna miss the most.
Merry Christmas to all.
Take care,
Brett
