Back in the Saddle

Well I ended my unemployment by going back to my former employer. You see they had actually contacted the day that the other plant had announced they were going to close and I did a phone interview on that Friday, but I didn't really want to go back. You see the last time I left was at the end of the strike when I was first severed. I had worked very hard during the strike and even before the strike, but when the rolling mill shut down some of the salary from the reduction plant that had been working down there came back and with the people that were coming back there were 6 people too many. So they decided to cut by seniority, which I had never seen them do and I happened to be in the bottom 6 on seniority. So I was greatly disappointed and didn't really know what to do, because they still needed me to work to train the people who were coming back. Not only did I help train the people coming back, (because I actually had a personal relationship with the people and I liked them and didn't want to see them get hurt because I didn't teach them everything I could have, I would have had a harder time with that if people I was responsible for got hurt, which is ironic because...) I took a casting position which was essential the pit lead. Though it was the only shift out of four that didn't have the shift lead as the caster, but that was probably due to me being the youngest person on the shift. Anyway I hated that job, and actually ended up getting a 3rd degree burn on my ankle, which essentially ended my casting career, but by the time I was healthy enough to come back I already had another job at the triple C ranch. Now I'm back, and I have been hit with a lot of old emotions, but I have an opportunity to leave and go somewhere else. So rather than stay I put my notice in after working 3 days and a funny thing happened. People were like 'Don't leave', 'think about it'. And that is all I have been doing for the last 2 months is think about it, with Sophie and the kids (thus the reason for the lack of blogging lately). You see the old O would have probably said get your stuff and leave, but this time the operations manager came down to my office and essentially tried to convince me to stay. Which signals to me a big difference in management from the way it used to be and some of the people said this is the best it has been for them since they worked there.

The dilemma is I have an offer from a place in Marietta with an industry that I don't have any experience in and I don't even know if I would like it, plus 3 to 4 hours in a car everyday unless I move the family. On paper the the O is actually the better deal, but if I knew for sure the other place would be there in 5 years I would switch in heart beat, because that is more important right now. Or is it? Should I just stay here for as long as I can, one or two years? I worked with the people this week and things went pretty well, plus the relationship that I have with most people is good, and I know the job, it is a little more physical than other places, but nothing I can't do.

Basically the theme of the last two weeks has been 'I don't know', because after the plant I worked at shut down due to whatever their reason was I don't know what it will take for a plant to make it through the current down turn. And I don't know what the better decision is right now either. The salary people at the O are great, and none of the people that put me in the earlier situation are there, it is just a matter of me getting over the old demons of the place. I have prayed and prayed about the situation that God would lead me to the right thing to do, and looking back I don't know if I have taken the signs the right way or just haven't wanted to take them the right way because of the animosity that I had for the plant and my former situation. But when I asked for an answer of where to go the next day the paper had on the front page that one area plant was thriving and that was the O. Plus they called like two hours after the announced closing of the other plant. And then when I put in my notice they gave me a reprieve which is pretty unheard of. I mean how many places are you going to work where you say 'I'm leaving' and they responded 'no, think about it more'. So it is like I completely ignored all the signs and looked for any excuse I could and God basically is screaming at me what to do, so maybe now I'm ready to listen. I can work there and be happy I just have to put the stuff from the past, well in the past and focus on what I can do in the short term. I'll update next week when I have finalized my decision, but I think I'm pretty much there. I just need to talk to the guy from the other plant and let him know. This was a very important cross roads for me and Sophie.