OK, here's the story:
Back in October, I was laid off at Exploration Place. The new president was hired in June and he decided that all the middle managers had to go, regardless of their usefulness to the museum. Rather than just doing the brave thing and firing us right then, he decided to make us quit. So he started a campaign of transfers, promotions of others and cutting of responsibilities till all but one of us quit: me. I hung on till the end of October till he got tired of paying me for showing up and trying to do my job, so he canned me. So at least I got unemployment for 6 months...
Seven months later, all I had to show for all my job chasing was plenty of interviews and no offers. On June 1st, I started a "joe" job at the local zoo, 35+ hours per week in the blazing sun. But I needed a real job. Cole and I decided that if I did not have a real job by June 30, I would pack up and move back to Illinois (room with my buddy Karl) and she would stay in Wichita with Miri till I could find work.
On June 28 (a mere 2 days before the deadline) I was offered the job of Librarian of the Lower School here at the
Independent School in Wichita. My buddy Allen was so relieved that he nearly cried (nice to have friends like that). I started on August 1st.
It is a major pay cut, but we don't have to move, I have insurance and I'm back in the library business. I'll be keeping my zoo job on full weekends through August, then go Sundays only. Cole may need to find part-time work as well, but we'll see at the end of August.
Whew. To quote C-3PO: "No more adventures!"
Yet another cool animal encounter at the zoo! On Sunday morning, I was cleaning the glass at the lion enclosure (on the public side, that is). On the other side was Fern, the baby lion (in the picture, she is on the far right). As I used the brush and squeegee, Fern pawed and bit, trying to catch them through the glass. She even stood on her back paws once, trying to reach them up high. I'm six feet tall, and her head was above mine; not much of a baby anymore, is she?
The big Moai is here to greet you as you enter. We call him "The Big Kahuna."
This is what passes for the bar. Since I don't drink, it is just a bunch of mugs I have collected.
More big tikis, 'cause you gotta have big tikis. The dude with the beanie baby on his head is "The Other Kahuna." Please note the photo of the King looking down on us all.
The actual tiki collection. A few good stories here: the dark ones on the upper left were ordered from a place in Hawai'i. The guy included a note that said that, in his over 30 years of business, he had NEVER shipped anything to Wichita! The light brown guys on the upper right are examples of "you never know what you'll find at a dollar store." Finally, check out the tall tiki on the far left. It is a real carved wood figure made especially for me in Hawai'i. My girlfriend from high school and I reconnected and she had her mom (who I always thought was not fond of me) get it carved and brought back. I was so happy. All I could say was, "wow." Over and over...
