The Morgans, Issue #1
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The Morgans
Written by Jon Morgan
November 2007
themorgans.babble-club.net
News for friends and family Inside: Table of Contents 2 In the Next Issue:
5
Information: About the Author Jon is a new media professional living in central Michigan with his wife, kids, and a cat named Sunset.
Contact Info:
Email: [email protected]
Postal: The Morgans P.O. Box 532 Shepherd, MI 48883
On the Web: http://themorgans.babbleclub.net
Laid Off Jon hadn’t forgotten the day two weeks before Easter when his manager had called him in to explain that he was about to be laid off. There had been speculation off and on for the last year about what would happen to all of the people at the helpdesk if Dow Chemical didn’t renew the contract for the video conference rooms. His managers had assured them that a new project would be created and everybody would be safe, but as Jon listened to his manager tell him the bad news it was apparent now that no new project was going to materialize and save his job at the last minute. Or, perhaps his job had already been saved once last October when he had been offered the EDC Technician position inside Dow Chemical’s Employee Development Center. This was an opportunity for Jon to get out from behind the desk and support conference rooms out in the field. This mean that he would be more hands-on with the technology and work faceto-face with the clients who used it. Jon accepted the position and began the day after Halloween. Although Jon was successful with the clients and the conference rooms in the EDC, other elements of the position didn’t go so well. His managers eventually transferred him back to the video conference help desk. It wasn’t easy for Jon to give up the EDC and return to the help desk, but at this point he was ready to do anything that would help save his job. But even as he back into the help desk Jon couldn’t shake the feeling that his job was about to suffer a slow and meaningless end. Jon left his manager’s office feeling a mixture of both dread and relief. Dread because he didn’t know how long it would take him to find another job, but relief because he was finally free of the rumors, misinformation, and scrutiny that had plagued him ever since the help desk’s new manager
2
The Morgans
Table of Contents 1
Laid Off
3
Unemployed
3
The Preschool Dilemma
4
Return to Dow Chemical
4
School Days
4
Sunday School Days
4
Good News, Bad News
4
Historical Society
4
Zoning Commission
4
The Interview
4
No more MARVIN
7
Happy Birthday, Alex
7
Dad’s Day
7
Just Another Tuesday
7
Halloween
November 2007
3
Jon says good-bye to his co-workers at SPL
Josh tells his mom about his first day at preschool
had started in December. It didn’t make sense for him to be treated like such a problem employee after three years of dedication and hard work, plus yearly performance reviews with consistently high remarks. As Jon contemplated his situation, he wondered if management had decided to lay him off a long time ago but just needed some ways to justify it.
for a web marketing position. Although he was never hired for this position, he also wasn’t exactly rejected, either. The position just seemed to dematerialize.
Per the arrangements Jon had made with his manager, his last day with SPL and Dow Chemical came two weeks after Easter. His co-worker, Steve, had been notified shortly after Jon was, but chose a more immediate end date. Another co-worker, Lorna, was let go a month later. Jon tried to find solace in the fact that he wasn’t alone, but it wasn’t very comforting as he was registering with Michigan’s unemployment office.
Unemployed In May, Jon’s only remaining job was to call MARVIN every other week and then cash the unemployment check which would show up in the mail a couple of days later. At the same time, Jon was searching the Internet and newspapers for solid job opportunities. Jon interviewed for a technical writer position down in Auburn Hills shortly before his last day with Dow Chemical but was eventually turned down. His next interview took him down to the Partnership for Learning office in Lansing
Jon spent the rest of his time driving Kayla to school and preparing for Shepherd’s upcoming Sesquicentennial celebration in August. School ended but Jon plugged away on his job search. In June he interviewed for a web content writer position with Alma College but wasn’t hired for the job. Jon had actually found out about this position three weeks before it was posted thanks to a friend who attended church with the hiring manager, and a librarian at the local branch who had an “inside track.” Job interviews came few and far in between as the summer went along, but Jon did receive several rejections from CMU, the Soaring Eagle Casino, and Channel 13 Action News. Even the Shepherd Sesquicentennial came and went without any sign of a strong job opportunity for Jon.
The Preschool Dilemma There was a lot of discussion throughout the summer about whether or not Josh should start Kindergarten in the Fall. Jon and Theresa were sure
4 that Josh wasn’t socially ready for a full day of Kindergarten, but he had already been rejected by the only preschool program they could afford. It was the middle of August when the Morgan’s friend and neighbor, Jenny Holliday, called them with some exciting news. The Head Start staff had decided to re-evaluate Josh for acceptance into their program after Jenny explained his situation.
The Morgans ceived two important emails in his Yahoo! Inbox. The first was from Kelly Services and explained that he had not gotten the position from Dow Chemical. The second email, however, was from Jan Mason with the Partnership for Learning. Mrs. Mason had written Jon to ask if he might be interested in a new position that the organization was creating. Jon called her back right away and arranged for an interview the following week.
Return to Dow Chemical Historical Society New hope came in September after Kelly Services replied to Jon’s application for a web content technician position with Dow Chemical. After a phone screening, and some long waiting, Jon was invited to interview for the position inside Dow Chemical’s corporate headquarters. For the second time in his life Jon entered Dow’s facilities as a guest, but this time he felt more at ease. He left the interview feeling optimistic about his chances.
School Days October marked the start of the second full month of school. Both Kayla and Josh had made smooth transitions into their new classes. Josh’s teachers had even described him as a boy who was “polite.”
Sunday School Days It was late September when Jon started teaching Sunday school for his church’s new “Living Out Loud” program. This program consists of a children’s service and then thirty minute of classroom instruction time. He initially volunteered to be a teacher’s aide, but soon found himself leading the class by himself. He has now taken full responsibility over the class and has even given the message during one of the children’s services. Jon’s only request was that he be given the elementary school aged kids.
Good News, Bad News It was the first Friday of October when Jon re-
Jon presented the Shepherd Area Historical Society’s new website to society members during the monthly meeting in October. Both the website and the newsletter were received well. Now Jon just needed to follow through with what he promised.
Zoning Commission Jon attended his first zoning commission meeting in October. The village secretary asked him if he was interested in getting involved with the zoning board after someone else recommended him.
The Interview Jon drove to Lansing for his second interview with the Partnership for Learning on October 12. This time he met with both Jan Mason and Bryan Taylor, President of the Partnership of Learning. They were looking for someone who could do things like respond to readers’ questions, help with the website, and write articles for publication. Jon assured them that he would be able to do everything they were asking for in a candidate. Jon left the interview feeling optimistic about his chances.
No more MARVIN Jon called MARVIN for the very last time around the middle of October. His last unemployment check arrived two days later. The Morgan family prepared themselves for their first month with just
5
November 2007
Halloween 2007
The porch was decorated by three pumpkins this year: Moon and Stars, Mr. Goofy Pumpkin, and Harry Plopper
Kayla pauses in between houses on Halloween night
Kayla smiles during the Shepherd Elementary Halloween parade down main street
Josh loves trick-or-treating
6
The Morgans
Alex’s Birthday Party
Kayla helps solve one of the clues during the Pirate Treasure Hunt held during Alex’s Birthday
Mea smiles big for this extreme closeup photo
Alex got a lot of stuff for his eighth birthday
Kayla looks on as Theresa helps the kinds solve the word scramble at the end of the treasure hunt.
7
November 2007 Theresa’s income from Wal-Mart.
Happy Birthday, Alex Kayla, Josh, Theresa, and Jon were in Marlette on the 20th to help celebrate Alex’s eighth birthday. Jon helped his niece, Allyson, prepare a pirate treasure hunt in the Volz’s backyard.
Dad’s Day
had any questions about the organization. Her only question was about the commute. Jon assured her that he would be able to manage the hour-or-so long commute to Lansing and back. After all, he had managed it once before when he worked for Special Olympics Michigan, and driven a similar commute when he worked for Dow Chemical. Finally, she offered him a position and he accepted. There were more details to hammer out, such as when he would start, but as he told Jan goodbye and thank you he could hardly believe that he was going back to work.
Halloween
Jon visited Josh’s preschool class on October 26th. He was able to learn how the kids learned their colors, the name of the months, and how to take Theresa packed a pair of wings and antennae inturns. Jon also participated in the free play after side Kayla’s bag on Wednesday morning. She also lunch time. dressed her seven-year-old daughter in two layers of pink clothing. This was all a part of the Halloween costume that Kayla would be wearing during the elementary school’s parade down Main Street. Josh was going to dress up as a cat for Halloween, but wouldn’t be celebrating the holiday until that night. Jon was already planning on attending the The phone call that Jon had been looking forward parade. This would be among the last times he to all summer finally arrived on the day before would be able to take advantage of his unemployHalloween. Jon was outside with Josh and the neighbor’s son as they waited for the bus when the ment before starting work with the Partnership phone rang. Jon heard Theresa answer the phone for Learning on the following Wednesday. He had taken days off before to attend the Halloween pabut didn’t think much about it until she appeared rade, and could again, but of course a decision like at the door and waved him over. She whispered that became far more difficult once someone had that it was Jan Mason. the responsibility of a job. Jon answered the phone and hurried into his bedThat night, Jon and Theresa took their kids trickroom where he could speak without being interrupted. He had been waiting for two weeks to hear or-treating around the Village of Shepherd. back about the position that he had applied for with the Partnership, but still didn’t know what to expect to hear. Would it be good news, or was Jan calling to tell him that they had chosen someone else? Jon begins his new job in Lansing. Will snow slow
Just Another Tuesday
In the Next Issue:
Four months before, Alma College had called Jon directly to tell him that he hadn’t been selected. It was nice to tell him personally, but Jon had gotten his hopes up as he dialed the number to call the hiring manager back. There had been other positions which he had followed-up on only to find out that they had, indeed, chosen someone else but just hadn’t informed him yet. The rejection letter arrived the next day. But one of the first things Jan said was that they were interested in him. Next, she asked him if he
down his commute? Also, Josh’s parents throw him a Halloween-themed party for his fifth birthday, Theresa covers a shift at Wal-Mart on the day after Thanksgiving, and Kayla builds her first music sculpture.
8
The Morgans
Inside this Issue From their biggest cheers to their lowest tears, the Morgan family shares an account of their summer that includes how Jon lost his job, Josh’s near miss with preschool, and more. Post your comments about this issue of “The Morgans” on the official website at http://themorgans.babble-club.net or send email to [email protected].
The Morgans P.O. Box 532 Shepherd, MI 48883
Written by Jon Morgan
November 2007
themorgans.babble-club.net
News for friends and family Inside: Table of Contents 2 In the Next Issue:
5
Information: About the Author Jon is a new media professional living in central Michigan with his wife, kids, and a cat named Sunset.
Contact Info:
Email: [email protected]
Postal: The Morgans P.O. Box 532 Shepherd, MI 48883
On the Web: http://themorgans.babbleclub.net
Laid Off Jon hadn’t forgotten the day two weeks before Easter when his manager had called him in to explain that he was about to be laid off. There had been speculation off and on for the last year about what would happen to all of the people at the helpdesk if Dow Chemical didn’t renew the contract for the video conference rooms. His managers had assured them that a new project would be created and everybody would be safe, but as Jon listened to his manager tell him the bad news it was apparent now that no new project was going to materialize and save his job at the last minute. Or, perhaps his job had already been saved once last October when he had been offered the EDC Technician position inside Dow Chemical’s Employee Development Center. This was an opportunity for Jon to get out from behind the desk and support conference rooms out in the field. This mean that he would be more hands-on with the technology and work faceto-face with the clients who used it. Jon accepted the position and began the day after Halloween. Although Jon was successful with the clients and the conference rooms in the EDC, other elements of the position didn’t go so well. His managers eventually transferred him back to the video conference help desk. It wasn’t easy for Jon to give up the EDC and return to the help desk, but at this point he was ready to do anything that would help save his job. But even as he back into the help desk Jon couldn’t shake the feeling that his job was about to suffer a slow and meaningless end. Jon left his manager’s office feeling a mixture of both dread and relief. Dread because he didn’t know how long it would take him to find another job, but relief because he was finally free of the rumors, misinformation, and scrutiny that had plagued him ever since the help desk’s new manager
2
The Morgans
Table of Contents 1
Laid Off
3
Unemployed
3
The Preschool Dilemma
4
Return to Dow Chemical
4
School Days
4
Sunday School Days
4
Good News, Bad News
4
Historical Society
4
Zoning Commission
4
The Interview
4
No more MARVIN
7
Happy Birthday, Alex
7
Dad’s Day
7
Just Another Tuesday
7
Halloween
November 2007
3
Jon says good-bye to his co-workers at SPL
Josh tells his mom about his first day at preschool
had started in December. It didn’t make sense for him to be treated like such a problem employee after three years of dedication and hard work, plus yearly performance reviews with consistently high remarks. As Jon contemplated his situation, he wondered if management had decided to lay him off a long time ago but just needed some ways to justify it.
for a web marketing position. Although he was never hired for this position, he also wasn’t exactly rejected, either. The position just seemed to dematerialize.
Per the arrangements Jon had made with his manager, his last day with SPL and Dow Chemical came two weeks after Easter. His co-worker, Steve, had been notified shortly after Jon was, but chose a more immediate end date. Another co-worker, Lorna, was let go a month later. Jon tried to find solace in the fact that he wasn’t alone, but it wasn’t very comforting as he was registering with Michigan’s unemployment office.
Unemployed In May, Jon’s only remaining job was to call MARVIN every other week and then cash the unemployment check which would show up in the mail a couple of days later. At the same time, Jon was searching the Internet and newspapers for solid job opportunities. Jon interviewed for a technical writer position down in Auburn Hills shortly before his last day with Dow Chemical but was eventually turned down. His next interview took him down to the Partnership for Learning office in Lansing
Jon spent the rest of his time driving Kayla to school and preparing for Shepherd’s upcoming Sesquicentennial celebration in August. School ended but Jon plugged away on his job search. In June he interviewed for a web content writer position with Alma College but wasn’t hired for the job. Jon had actually found out about this position three weeks before it was posted thanks to a friend who attended church with the hiring manager, and a librarian at the local branch who had an “inside track.” Job interviews came few and far in between as the summer went along, but Jon did receive several rejections from CMU, the Soaring Eagle Casino, and Channel 13 Action News. Even the Shepherd Sesquicentennial came and went without any sign of a strong job opportunity for Jon.
The Preschool Dilemma There was a lot of discussion throughout the summer about whether or not Josh should start Kindergarten in the Fall. Jon and Theresa were sure
4 that Josh wasn’t socially ready for a full day of Kindergarten, but he had already been rejected by the only preschool program they could afford. It was the middle of August when the Morgan’s friend and neighbor, Jenny Holliday, called them with some exciting news. The Head Start staff had decided to re-evaluate Josh for acceptance into their program after Jenny explained his situation.
The Morgans ceived two important emails in his Yahoo! Inbox. The first was from Kelly Services and explained that he had not gotten the position from Dow Chemical. The second email, however, was from Jan Mason with the Partnership for Learning. Mrs. Mason had written Jon to ask if he might be interested in a new position that the organization was creating. Jon called her back right away and arranged for an interview the following week.
Return to Dow Chemical Historical Society New hope came in September after Kelly Services replied to Jon’s application for a web content technician position with Dow Chemical. After a phone screening, and some long waiting, Jon was invited to interview for the position inside Dow Chemical’s corporate headquarters. For the second time in his life Jon entered Dow’s facilities as a guest, but this time he felt more at ease. He left the interview feeling optimistic about his chances.
School Days October marked the start of the second full month of school. Both Kayla and Josh had made smooth transitions into their new classes. Josh’s teachers had even described him as a boy who was “polite.”
Sunday School Days It was late September when Jon started teaching Sunday school for his church’s new “Living Out Loud” program. This program consists of a children’s service and then thirty minute of classroom instruction time. He initially volunteered to be a teacher’s aide, but soon found himself leading the class by himself. He has now taken full responsibility over the class and has even given the message during one of the children’s services. Jon’s only request was that he be given the elementary school aged kids.
Good News, Bad News It was the first Friday of October when Jon re-
Jon presented the Shepherd Area Historical Society’s new website to society members during the monthly meeting in October. Both the website and the newsletter were received well. Now Jon just needed to follow through with what he promised.
Zoning Commission Jon attended his first zoning commission meeting in October. The village secretary asked him if he was interested in getting involved with the zoning board after someone else recommended him.
The Interview Jon drove to Lansing for his second interview with the Partnership for Learning on October 12. This time he met with both Jan Mason and Bryan Taylor, President of the Partnership of Learning. They were looking for someone who could do things like respond to readers’ questions, help with the website, and write articles for publication. Jon assured them that he would be able to do everything they were asking for in a candidate. Jon left the interview feeling optimistic about his chances.
No more MARVIN Jon called MARVIN for the very last time around the middle of October. His last unemployment check arrived two days later. The Morgan family prepared themselves for their first month with just
5
November 2007
Halloween 2007
The porch was decorated by three pumpkins this year: Moon and Stars, Mr. Goofy Pumpkin, and Harry Plopper
Kayla pauses in between houses on Halloween night
Kayla smiles during the Shepherd Elementary Halloween parade down main street
Josh loves trick-or-treating
6
The Morgans
Alex’s Birthday Party
Kayla helps solve one of the clues during the Pirate Treasure Hunt held during Alex’s Birthday
Mea smiles big for this extreme closeup photo
Alex got a lot of stuff for his eighth birthday
Kayla looks on as Theresa helps the kinds solve the word scramble at the end of the treasure hunt.
7
November 2007 Theresa’s income from Wal-Mart.
Happy Birthday, Alex Kayla, Josh, Theresa, and Jon were in Marlette on the 20th to help celebrate Alex’s eighth birthday. Jon helped his niece, Allyson, prepare a pirate treasure hunt in the Volz’s backyard.
Dad’s Day
had any questions about the organization. Her only question was about the commute. Jon assured her that he would be able to manage the hour-or-so long commute to Lansing and back. After all, he had managed it once before when he worked for Special Olympics Michigan, and driven a similar commute when he worked for Dow Chemical. Finally, she offered him a position and he accepted. There were more details to hammer out, such as when he would start, but as he told Jan goodbye and thank you he could hardly believe that he was going back to work.
Halloween
Jon visited Josh’s preschool class on October 26th. He was able to learn how the kids learned their colors, the name of the months, and how to take Theresa packed a pair of wings and antennae inturns. Jon also participated in the free play after side Kayla’s bag on Wednesday morning. She also lunch time. dressed her seven-year-old daughter in two layers of pink clothing. This was all a part of the Halloween costume that Kayla would be wearing during the elementary school’s parade down Main Street. Josh was going to dress up as a cat for Halloween, but wouldn’t be celebrating the holiday until that night. Jon was already planning on attending the The phone call that Jon had been looking forward parade. This would be among the last times he to all summer finally arrived on the day before would be able to take advantage of his unemployHalloween. Jon was outside with Josh and the neighbor’s son as they waited for the bus when the ment before starting work with the Partnership phone rang. Jon heard Theresa answer the phone for Learning on the following Wednesday. He had taken days off before to attend the Halloween pabut didn’t think much about it until she appeared rade, and could again, but of course a decision like at the door and waved him over. She whispered that became far more difficult once someone had that it was Jan Mason. the responsibility of a job. Jon answered the phone and hurried into his bedThat night, Jon and Theresa took their kids trickroom where he could speak without being interrupted. He had been waiting for two weeks to hear or-treating around the Village of Shepherd. back about the position that he had applied for with the Partnership, but still didn’t know what to expect to hear. Would it be good news, or was Jan calling to tell him that they had chosen someone else? Jon begins his new job in Lansing. Will snow slow
Just Another Tuesday
In the Next Issue:
Four months before, Alma College had called Jon directly to tell him that he hadn’t been selected. It was nice to tell him personally, but Jon had gotten his hopes up as he dialed the number to call the hiring manager back. There had been other positions which he had followed-up on only to find out that they had, indeed, chosen someone else but just hadn’t informed him yet. The rejection letter arrived the next day. But one of the first things Jan said was that they were interested in him. Next, she asked him if he
down his commute? Also, Josh’s parents throw him a Halloween-themed party for his fifth birthday, Theresa covers a shift at Wal-Mart on the day after Thanksgiving, and Kayla builds her first music sculpture.
8
The Morgans
Inside this Issue From their biggest cheers to their lowest tears, the Morgan family shares an account of their summer that includes how Jon lost his job, Josh’s near miss with preschool, and more. Post your comments about this issue of “The Morgans” on the official website at http://themorgans.babble-club.net or send email to [email protected].
The Morgans P.O. Box 532 Shepherd, MI 48883
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