Fritz's Job is Now a Statistic

Hey everyone. If you haven't heard already, my job was let go last Friday. Although I'm unhappy to be unemployed, I'm VERY happy to be out of that company (spoken much like Clinton's "that Woman"), and away from the stress it gave me and the family. Since the lay-off, I've had three very enjoyable days seeing (and playing with) my children while they're not asleep. And no longer are Allison and I making foghorn sounds at each other, like ships passing in the night (BOOOVVVVVVVVV!), as we did when we'd see each other for those few moments in the morning and evening on my way to and from bed.

I also get a chance to spend time doing something I actually quite enjoy - looking for work! Truthfully, if I could be paid to do just this, I'd do it all the time. I like interviewing.

I do wish the economy were a bit stronger, however. When I was laid-off in 2005, the economy was a lot better and I received a big severance package. Not this time, though. Thus, I have a much shorter "job search" timer ticking away for this round. But, the advantage of working in Finance is that you get to see the lay-off warning signs very early. So, I've had feelers out there for a while, and my job network is much larger now than it was in 2005.

That's about it. Just wanted to keep you guys up to date. If you want to stay in-tune to my day-to-day status, I now have a Facebook account. So, if you want to be cool (like Dave, Anna, Gen, Allison and I are), you'll get on Facebook, too. ("OH YEAH!!!" shouts the Kool-Aid pitcher - the keyword being "kool-aid".)

Inaugaration

These pictures don't do justice to the crowds we walked with. Unfortunately, it was so cold that our camera battery ran out of juice before we could take any more. (It was fully charged when we left in the morning.) We got to the base of the GW monument three hours before the oath of office (when the third photo was taken). By the time it was given, the area was completely filled with people, as far as the eye could see, both toward the capital and back to the Lincoln Memorial. The really neat thing was when Barak took the oath, you could have heard a pin drop; everyone was dead silent. And then the place exploded in cheers!

We'll try and get more photos from our friends, Justin & Julia, who came with us.

New Years Eve in Portland

Hard fought battle by all, but in the end treachery overcame skill.

:)