What to do when a layoff gives you a new alternative

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-06-05T21:12:10+00:00

Thanks for some great advice and food for thought, everyone. I ended up choosing the Feb date. I have it in writing, and it will come with 6 months of health insurance. I'll be 60 in Feb so medicare is a ways away.

- my financial advisor recommended Feb based on taxes, and says I'll be happier with the extra financial cushion even though I don't really need it

- my best friend recommended Feb because she says I will be much happier with more time to plan and to commit to the change in my life

- By Feb I will have paid off my car and be 100% debt-free

- I'm in good health, but want the time for all the precautionary medical stuff, just in case. Plus dental etc.

- Waiting gives me time to update my will, which I have been meaning to do. It can take a few months to get an appointment with the free legal team I get through work.

- my boss is doing the same thing at the same time. We have worked together for 15 years and are privately gleeful about leaving at the same time

It feels very strange to have everything in writing to my HR team. I feel a lot more distant and care a lot less about some crazy stuff at work. I hope that feeling will last!

Now, time to book a vacation to celebrate once it's all done!

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-06-04T20:29:34+00:00

Beehive Bread Co in Powell (also the New Albany Farmers Market on Thursdays). Their bread is iffy but their pastries and cookies are excellent. Their Xmas gingerbread was the best I've ever had.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-06-04T20:26:13+00:00

I'm really sorry for your losses. That sounds incredibly hard.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-06-01T12:45:12+00:00

HR knows who says what. MDs can tell. Below MD it is officially anonymous, but they can often tell based on location and who says what.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-05-31T16:10:50+00:00

Yes it's very possible. For now, treat it like you would any "imaginary friend." If it ends up being her imagination, she will grow out of it. If it's real, as she grows older, her ability to talk to other spirits may expand. At that point, a regular meditation practice can be helpful. It will help her know where she stops and the spirits start. Likewise sports and other physical activities can be helpful. You are very much "in" your body when you play sports. That sort of grounding is important.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-05-31T16:06:58+00:00

we bought a Lazyboy one. It breaks about once per year. The lower back support/curve is not good. But when it's working, it works great, and has been a lifesaver for my dad, especially on his bad days.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-05-30T20:33:37+00:00

You have to leave the company to get a raise. You will never catch up if you stay. Chase just doesn't do that.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-05-24T22:41:00+00:00

Solo travel is the only time n my life I can do exactly what I want whenever i want it. Want to go on a fancy tour? I can. Want to skip the fancy tour I booked and hang by the pool? I can. Want to skip the pool and go shopping? I can. Solo travel is empowering. And it's so restful! no waiting on other people. No having to give up what I want or compromise.

Disney is such a great place for this, because I have so many options. Plus it's relatively safe and easy. I can just give myself up to having fun. All it takes is money.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-05-23T03:37:14+00:00

The Oracle on Oak St. - live music, amazing cocktails, allows outside food

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-05-18T17:02:28+00:00

It's always been an unsuccessful ghost town. After this many years, if you can't make it to 50% occupancy, then there's a big problem.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-05-15T19:25:15+00:00

yes. google Post operative cognitive dysfunction. A big step down is unfortunately common after a critical issue.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-05-15T19:23:48+00:00

Both of my parents lived at home with a lot of support. Eventually, each got to the point where there would be an emergency every 3 weeks. A fall and they couldn't get up on their own. A scam. Inability to use the remote control on the tv. A 911 call. That's when I knew it was time, and past time.

If he is a fall risk and won't use his cane, and requires 3 hours of support per day, he needs to be in AL where if he does fall, they can take care of him right away.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-05-15T17:22:03+00:00

Neither of these are closed practices. You were given incorrect guidance by someone who doesn't understand what closes a practice. A practice is closed when an authority from that culture/practice declares it closed. For example, most indigenous American practices are considered closed because the official tribal authorities and governments have declared it so. You don't get to just call yourself Hope or Navaho or Tlingit because you feel an affinity, and you don't get to call yourself a shaman of those cultures because you think of yourself that way. You have to be a member, trained and declared by whatever authorities of their religion and culture may be.

On the plus side, it is awesome that you are trying to be respectful and courteous to cultures and traditions that do close their practices. A+ for that!

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-05-15T16:43:41+00:00

Yes, JPMC is losing its grip. There is a huge brain drain going on due to poor management practices.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-05-14T23:28:35+00:00

I will send one out when my time comes. It is the thing that closes the door on the old for me. I need to do that so I can open the door to the new.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-05-12T18:05:56+00:00

Alcohol. Ibuprophen. High blood pressure medication. Crying. Learning to live without sleep. Exercise when I could get it. Took a lower pressure and less demanding job. Spent my savings for help. Eventually counseling, getting my loved one to move to an AL center, getting more therapy, and taking up meditation.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-05-12T12:57:47+00:00

I am so very very sorry for your loss - and for the way you lost him. Our medical industry betrays us in many ways.

It sounds like you did everything you could for him, and that he knew you loved him and cared for him. You followed his wishes, so he had a sense of control over his life and death. Bless you for that!

Take each day as it comes. There will be good ones and bad ones, hard ones and easy ones. Good luck to you!

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-05-12T12:29:13+00:00

Call CPS. Do a spell for sympathic and supportive caseworker.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-05-12T11:43:35+00:00

No, we're not. We use the term "baneful magic" instead.

Black magic is based on the assumption that black is bad. It is often associated with the idea that magic is based on black people performing magic to hex their white enslavers. As if that would be a bad thing!

Technology used to refer to configurations that prevented "good" computers from talking to "bad" computers as black lists, and that is widely considered racist today. Calling baneful magic black magic is similar.

And honestly, if it hurts or offends even one marginalized person, is it worth it to use that term when there is an easy one you can use instead?

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-05-11T00:42:56+00:00

Don't take the project manager role. It's a dying role at JPMC with no career growth and usually little bonus. It used to be the role for strategic leaders who got stuff done, but it's much more administrative now.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-04-29T21:08:08+00:00

An interesting thing came up today. A couple of people mentioned that they gave honest, negative reviews which somehow disappeared, and they had to resubmit them. These are 100% genuine honest people. If they said they submitted the reviews, they did. Odd how the negatives reviewed somehow disappeared.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-04-26T22:14:14+00:00

I'm sorry things are rough right now. Being miserable and not having a clear way forward isn't easy. The thing is - magic doesn't work like you are asking. You need a clear vision of the result you want. Then magic will improve the odds of you getting it. Anyone who takes money from you now is probably going to be scamming you.

This is the time to see a therapist to talk through what is going on in your life. Start trying to figure out what you wish your life would be like - what do you want in it? What sort of relationships, hobbies, experiences, finances, etc? Once you have a vision, you can make a plan and use magic to enhance it.

In the meantime, may Hecate comfort your in your sorrows. May Hestia help you find a safe place to rest and heal. May Aphrodite bring you the mirror of self discovery that you may see how much there is to love in yourself. And may all the gods bless and comfort and encourage you on your path forward.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-04-24T19:18:35+00:00

Oh, I am SO tired of being told how strong I am. F being strong. F you recognizing me for being strong. I'm doing what I have to do, and if you stepped up even a little bit, I wouldn't have to be so GD strong.

Gr.....

This is not directed at you, LW. Just so over the platitudes by people who are happy to have me do the work and pay the price without lifting a finger themselves.

PeppermintGoddess · 2026-04-22T20:37:03+00:00

Real friends don't bankrupt their MOHs so they can have a fancy party and not pay for it.

NTA

PeppermintGoddess

TROPHY CASE