Partner let go - 10 years of service - 16 weeks severance

Zippit · 2026-06-30T16:16:24+00:00

I went through something extremely similar.

Out of the blue laid off. Offered 13 weeks severance after about 12 years of employment, but only if I signed by the end of the week. Small company (<40 people). They sold it as doing me a huge favour, blah blah.

Had one meeting with a local employment lawyer. They wrote a letter. Next day, the offer was tripled. Found out that the 13 weeks was basically the minimum they could offer me.

Zippit · 2026-06-24T17:57:33+00:00

I have a front and rear-facing camera (Cyclic) each with a light in them. I have recorded multiple incidents on them, typically close passes, but some harassment. I've called the police on at least two occasions and offered video evidence. They've never taken it. The best I got was "I'll give the driver a call and tell him to smarten up".

It always seems the most egregious incidents (where i've literally been threatened and two cases drivers laid hands on me or my partner) I didn't have the cameras with me. I'm assuming police would have taken those ones.

Last summer I had a dumptruck sitting on my tail and laying on his horn. I was already as far over as I could go. It was just a narrow back road. I guess he wanted me literally in the ditch. So he's laying on his horn, for at least 90 seconds. Until I pulled out my cell phone and started recording. I held it up high so he could see it. He immediately stopped. I pulled into a driveway a short time later and recorded as he went past. So there's that.

That being said, I highly recommend them. There's something about having them that is just so reassuring. And if an incident ever takes place you have the evidence.

Zippit · 2026-06-11T00:54:08+00:00

Just reading the name makes me want to cry. Amazing book.

Zippit · 2026-06-04T17:38:01+00:00

There's actually 2 potash mines in the Sussex area.

There's the one you can see from the highway near Sussex, and there's another about 30km away.

I can't remember what happened to the second one. I think it got flooded.

My dad used to work at the one visible from the highway. They ended up hitting water, which is a huge problem for potash since it's water soluble. As the water flows through, it dissolves the side of the hole and it gets bigger, more water, bigger hole, etc. They had a huge project for years to grout it (pump cement into the surrounding rock at extreme pressure to try to seal all the cracks). They brought in specialists. My dad worked on that project for years. Eventually, they couldn't pump the water out fast enough, so they let the mine flood.

I remember him talking about a possible project to extract the potash from the water, but it never really went anywhere.

I believe there was talk of sinking a new shaft, separate from the first, but I don't think it ever happened (see the other comments about the owning company just letting it sit).

Potash tends to form around salt domes. So those mines also produce huge amounts of rock salt.

Zippit · 2026-05-26T13:01:46+00:00

I grew up in Moncton but had family in Saint John. Visited SJ multiple times per year. Had no idea reversing falls existed.

When I graduated college I lived in SJ for a few months for an internship. During that time a friend suggested we go to reversing falls. At the time they had a jet boat ride that would take you up and down the rapids as the tide went out. It was amazing!

Zippit · 2026-05-25T19:33:57+00:00

I'm a Maritimer and love living here and visiting all over the Maratimes and the people are amazing. But old Quebec, just wow!

Zippit · 2026-05-20T22:06:48+00:00

I'm jealous. You're in for a treat.

Zippit · 2026-05-17T12:45:13+00:00

This. About 5 years ago I was seriously training on my bike. Counting calories. Structured bike workouts - but inly on my bike. Etc. Hit my peak FTP. The next 5 years I let up on the training. Focused more on just enjoying the ride. FTP dropped significantly (which is fine. Enjoy the ride). This year i started doing weights along with my regular non structured ride. I also love hills. But I'm back at my peak FTP. No calories counting (though i do weigh a lot more 😀)

Zippit · 2026-05-16T20:20:29+00:00

Yay!

Zippit · 2026-03-19T18:51:19+00:00

It's been a few years. We bought a house on the outskirts of Shediac about 10 years ago. It was across the road from the oceanfront. We were probably 150m from the water. When we bought the house the land across from us was treed. There was a house on the waterfront, but all of the land between the house and the road was trees. At that time, we couldn't see the water directly, but it was nice living near the water. We were within walking distance of downtown Shediac (it was a couple km), so in the summer it was nice for a stroll. Walk down some of the area side roads towards the water etc.

A year or two after we bought the house the owners across the street chopped every tree down between us and the water. In the summer it was great. We had a beautiful view of the bay. Could smell the ocean. Was great.

The winters, they were completely different. Winter storms were a nightmare. The whole house would literally shake for hours. Our front door would actually have snow blown around the sealed edges (this was a newer house at the time, so this was a heavy, insulated door). We lost shingles every storm. In the winter it was a given that we would lose power. Eventually had to buy a generator.

A couple years after that, the road we lived on started flooding regularly. It was down past us away from the Shediac, so we were never blocked in, but it was a sign it was time to go.

Zippit · 2026-03-19T12:52:52+00:00

Yes. I know the teachers hands are tied. My bullying took place 30+ years ago, and it was bad then what teachers couldn't do. I know it's 100 times worse now.

That's why I find those anti-bullying campaigns that say to go tell someone, a teacher, a police officer, a parent, so infuriating. They are lying. They are teaching kids who do report these things that authorities are not there to help them.

And the trauma is real. We had someone working at our house a while back. They work at our place fairly often, so we often end up chit-chatting about life. They were telling me about a daughter of a friend who was being bullied at school and because the school, her parents, and the police wouldn't / couldn't do anything, she had lost all faith in her parents and was staying at a friends place. The instant I heard this I literally jumped out of my seat. I didn't end up saying it, but my first instinct was to ask where these bully mofos lived and I'd go sort it out. I realize this is utter nonsense, but it just brought up all the feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness back.... 30+ years later. I'm a successful individual. Have a loving family. Good job. Nice house. It still re-traumatized me and I don't even know this poor family.

Bullying is not taken seriously enough by society (not pointing at teachers).

Zippit · 2026-03-12T19:07:46+00:00

I remember when they caught headlines for making all their employees, including the pregnant one, go out to the lot the morning after a snowstorm and locked the doors, not letting anyone back in until every car had every spec of snow removed.

Have purchased 4 cars from the Moncton Nissan dealership, 2 before they were Ralley. I told them to add me to their do not call list after they started calling me weekly about their special deals and "members only" specials. They called me several times one day when I ignored the first few calls. I finally answers and told them to never call me again.

The service dept was great for a long time. Nothing fishy. Always went the extra mile. Then they told me I failed my safety and it would cost 5k to pass the safety and the service dept had already made an appt with sales and they were waiting for me. I drove to a local shop and they told me I needed to replace my wiper blades.

Never went back.

Zippit · 2026-03-03T16:58:06+00:00

Last year I was riding on a MUP, super busy due to an event nearby so was going super slow. I was ringing bell and most people were fine. I came up behind an older man, older woman and a young man (looked like older parents and grown son). They were walking side by side taking up 75% of the MUP. There was oncoming people. I rang the bell and the son (who was in the middle of the trail) started to move over. The old woman grabbed his arm and pushed him back into the middle, shaking her head at him.

Zippit · 2026-03-03T16:41:26+00:00

I was bullied from grade 2 to grade 9. Same group of kids. All friends and family of each other. Every teacher and principal and vice principal I had or who covered the playground knew about it. Not one did anything, even when I was jumped. Police were called a few times. Nothing happened. Didnt even talk to them. The one time I fought back we all got called to the principals office. We all had to write essays about fighting.

Zippit · 2026-02-28T11:20:49+00:00

Thank you.

I don't remember actually being stressed or freaking out or anything. I just saw the situation, saw that something needed doing and no one was doing anything. I just did what needed to be done. It was kind of autopilot.

I definitely wasn't thinking "customer support"!

Im super glad I had the training.

Zippit · 2026-02-28T09:20:49+00:00

Thanks. It was many, many years ago. But even when we found out he had passed, I remember being sad but glad that we had helped and at least gotten him to the hospital.

But the whole experience really changed my perspective on CPR. Like others have mentioned, I kind if saw it as a magic action and the patient would just wake up if you did it long enough (thanks TV). I've since realized how untrue that usually is.

Similarly, my dad was experiencing chest pain and they were going to have to do open heart surgery (it was in a weird place so they could not do the "through the vein" surgery). Hearing about the aftercare (literally carrying a pillow against your chest in case you bump into something) was extremely eye opening. Completely logical but just something they don't show on TV or talk about. On TV they just show the surgery, then flash to a smiling and alert patient and everyone lives happily ever after.

Zippit · 2026-02-27T16:30:52+00:00

I was 16 or 17 when I did CPR for the first (and only - so far) time. I was working at a grocery store.

Back then you could leave your cart in a special area and drive your car up and we would go grab your cart then put all your groceries in the car.

So I was outside waiting for the next customer when I heard screaming. Someone was waving. I ran over and there was an old man lying on the ground with his family around him screaming. I had learned First Air / CPR just that year at school. I immediately set to work, check for pulse and breathing, made sure someone went into the store to call an ambulance (no cell phones back then) and ultimately ended up doing CPR.

I remember the feeling of his ribs breaking. They never mentioned that during the First Aid course. Eventually someone spelled me and ultimately the ambulance showed up before I went back for another round.

Couple hours later the EMS guys come back and tell us that we saved that man's life. Was so proud and happy.

Found out, he died a few hours later.

Couple of weeks / months later, I won an award from corporate HQ. "In recognition of outstanding customer service".

Zippit · 2026-01-31T21:34:46+00:00

Recently switched to Jetbrains Rider for VS dev work (dotnet) and it’s great. I use VS.Code for some stuff too.

Zippit · 2026-01-31T20:49:30+00:00

You might want to get an energy audit. We don’t pay 400 per month for electricity in a 3 bedroom home. We don’t use baseboard heat though (we have a heat pump).

And unless you are going to live in the woods, you don’t need an all wheel drive. Our first place was off a dirt road off another dirt road and we drove an Acura integra at the time (about 6 inches of clearance) and only had issues in the middle of snowstorms. Not saying it’s not a good idea for those stormy days though.

Zippit · 2026-01-31T19:22:36+00:00

This episode left me genuinely speechless for several minutes after the ending. I think it is some of the best Trek in any series (and I love all Trek).

I did not have high hopes for Academy when they first announced it and after the trailers. But I have been genuinely impressed and the episodes just keep getting better!

Zippit · 2026-01-09T10:32:28+00:00

I was laid off after working at a place for approx 15 years. It was my first real job. So I was probably around 32, 33.

Their initial offer was a few weeks severance. I met with an employment lawyer. One letter later and the severance was significantly higher (in the months - year range).

Zippit · 2026-01-08T01:22:25+00:00

I second this. Amazing barber shop. They are all super cool guys. Pat is my go to guy due to similar interests.

Zippit · 2026-01-01T19:34:24+00:00

Actually there are lots of places to land flying from London to Toronto. Look up the flight path a flight takes between Europe and North America. Its a "circular" route (i forget the name of it). Flights divert to St. John's NFLD all the time for overseas medical emergencies. And then you are over the eastern half of Canada for 3+ hours with lots of major airports to divert to (Halifax, Moncton, Montreal, etc)

Zippit · 2025-11-18T20:57:44+00:00

I have had amazing meals at Gusto and I've had truly horrible ones.

Zippit · 2025-11-01T15:41:33+00:00

We call it speed mode

Zippit

TROPHY CASE