Crossroads
A week ago I wrote a post with a pile of tear-soaked kleenexes as I mourned the death of my boss, Jeff. Now, I still mourn, but more than that, I simply miss his presence. I miss my job, I miss the routine that I at first resisted but came to appreciate, and I miss the daily chats my boss and I shared in the office.
The past week seems like an eternity as I sorted through mounds of papers, bills, documents alone in the office. A court-appointed attorney came to take care of client files, but since I was coming into the office everyday anyway, he happily handed over the task of organizing and distributing client files to me, while remaining available for consultation and legal counsel from his own office.
I went to the hospital meet Jeff's daughter for the first time and she lay weak in her hospital bed, fresh out of the ICU. It was hard to meet the precious little 10-yr.-old knowing she and her 3 siblings would never see their dad again.
At the funeral home visitation the next night I stood in line with the gossiping private school clique of parents Jeff would've rolled his eyes at, as I waited my turn to say a final goodbye to him in the open casket. At the funeral I played the emotional piece "Gabriel's Oboe" from the movie "The Mission" and heard sniffles in the audience. The stirring piece was fitting; I had just performed it a few days earlier, the day I heard the news of the accident. The melancholy music, stuck in my head on repeat, had comforted me in the few days afterwards.
So now I have reached another crossroads. I was the secretary/assistant to a self-employed lawyer with his own firm and by losing my boss, I have lost my job. But, in addition to the tremendous support I received from friends and members of church who let me know they were thinking and praying for me, Jeff's friends and clients have been more than supportive of me as well. Some of them even offered to write me a letter of recommendation or talk to someone about a job for me.
I have a new lead in another law firm or two, and because I now have a tiny amount of experience as a legal secretary (5 weeks, to be exact) and enjoy the work so far, have decided to try staying in this field first. As for yoga, I missed the two courses last week because of all the events. Tomorrow starts a new "session", meaning paying for 8 new classes, but unless I'm allowed to make up the 2 classes I missed last week, I think further yoga classes will be on hold until I can secure a new job.
Tomorrow I meet with Jeff's ex-wife in the office, presumably being joined at some point by yet another attorney, one she's hired to help with probate and the execution of the will. (Note: There was no will found which had been updated since their divorce, meaning she remains executor thereof. The children, however, will be the beneficiaries, and not she directly, which his friends were worried about - was a big scandal...). Tomorrow I will find out if she wants me to come into the office anymore to help or if she will take over.
Also, tomorrow I will have to bring up the uncomfortable subject of money. Everyone I've talked to, from our court-appointed attorney to Jeff's businessmen and doctor friends, to my parents, has told me to make sure that I am paid for the last two weeks of work, one being the week before Jeff passed away. I'm hoping Jeff's ex-wife will approach the subject of his estate paying me as it is so awkward to bring up.
Speaking of money matters, I just played a gig yesterday and was paid $45 less than the agreed-upon figure. I debated if I should call and say anything or let it go, but think I will call. After all, it's the difference of $15 for three services. It's just so awkward to bring up and I always feel like a greedy little opportunist when having to address such topics. I guess not awkward enough to drop it, though - every dollar counts these debt-filled days!
In unrelated news, I did something quite out of the ordinary for myself yesterday: I ran my first ever 5k race. Well, calling it a race knowing full well I was not intending to compete is misleading. It was a memorial walk/run for a woman in our community, and more specifically, from our church, who had been hit by a drunk driver while doing one of her favorite hobbies: jogging. The walk/run has taken place the past 3 years to remember her.
Now a day later, my legs are quite sore. I have generally always despised running and after giving it a try at different points in my life, always come back to the same conclusion. It didn't necessarily feel good to run yesterday, though the weather couldn't have been better, but my mom and I determinedly set our slow, but sure pace and made it to the end, feeling quite pleased with ourselves. Once I recover from the pain, we actually intend to try a slightly shortened version of the course and go a little faster to see how far we can push ourselves before collapsing to the ground... But, maybe I'll just stick with yoga.
The past week seems like an eternity as I sorted through mounds of papers, bills, documents alone in the office. A court-appointed attorney came to take care of client files, but since I was coming into the office everyday anyway, he happily handed over the task of organizing and distributing client files to me, while remaining available for consultation and legal counsel from his own office.
I went to the hospital meet Jeff's daughter for the first time and she lay weak in her hospital bed, fresh out of the ICU. It was hard to meet the precious little 10-yr.-old knowing she and her 3 siblings would never see their dad again.
At the funeral home visitation the next night I stood in line with the gossiping private school clique of parents Jeff would've rolled his eyes at, as I waited my turn to say a final goodbye to him in the open casket. At the funeral I played the emotional piece "Gabriel's Oboe" from the movie "The Mission" and heard sniffles in the audience. The stirring piece was fitting; I had just performed it a few days earlier, the day I heard the news of the accident. The melancholy music, stuck in my head on repeat, had comforted me in the few days afterwards.
So now I have reached another crossroads. I was the secretary/assistant to a self-employed lawyer with his own firm and by losing my boss, I have lost my job. But, in addition to the tremendous support I received from friends and members of church who let me know they were thinking and praying for me, Jeff's friends and clients have been more than supportive of me as well. Some of them even offered to write me a letter of recommendation or talk to someone about a job for me.
I have a new lead in another law firm or two, and because I now have a tiny amount of experience as a legal secretary (5 weeks, to be exact) and enjoy the work so far, have decided to try staying in this field first. As for yoga, I missed the two courses last week because of all the events. Tomorrow starts a new "session", meaning paying for 8 new classes, but unless I'm allowed to make up the 2 classes I missed last week, I think further yoga classes will be on hold until I can secure a new job.
Tomorrow I meet with Jeff's ex-wife in the office, presumably being joined at some point by yet another attorney, one she's hired to help with probate and the execution of the will. (Note: There was no will found which had been updated since their divorce, meaning she remains executor thereof. The children, however, will be the beneficiaries, and not she directly, which his friends were worried about - was a big scandal...). Tomorrow I will find out if she wants me to come into the office anymore to help or if she will take over.
Also, tomorrow I will have to bring up the uncomfortable subject of money. Everyone I've talked to, from our court-appointed attorney to Jeff's businessmen and doctor friends, to my parents, has told me to make sure that I am paid for the last two weeks of work, one being the week before Jeff passed away. I'm hoping Jeff's ex-wife will approach the subject of his estate paying me as it is so awkward to bring up.
Speaking of money matters, I just played a gig yesterday and was paid $45 less than the agreed-upon figure. I debated if I should call and say anything or let it go, but think I will call. After all, it's the difference of $15 for three services. It's just so awkward to bring up and I always feel like a greedy little opportunist when having to address such topics. I guess not awkward enough to drop it, though - every dollar counts these debt-filled days!
In unrelated news, I did something quite out of the ordinary for myself yesterday: I ran my first ever 5k race. Well, calling it a race knowing full well I was not intending to compete is misleading. It was a memorial walk/run for a woman in our community, and more specifically, from our church, who had been hit by a drunk driver while doing one of her favorite hobbies: jogging. The walk/run has taken place the past 3 years to remember her.
Now a day later, my legs are quite sore. I have generally always despised running and after giving it a try at different points in my life, always come back to the same conclusion. It didn't necessarily feel good to run yesterday, though the weather couldn't have been better, but my mom and I determinedly set our slow, but sure pace and made it to the end, feeling quite pleased with ourselves. Once I recover from the pain, we actually intend to try a slightly shortened version of the course and go a little faster to see how far we can push ourselves before collapsing to the ground... But, maybe I'll just stick with yoga.
posted by Heidi at 8:47 PM
4 Comments:
hey posch, just wanted to wish you the best with your new job search. that's great that Jeff's friends and relatives are helping you too, I know you'll find something. about the gig stuff, just think of it this way - your playing is an agreed-upon service - no one in the grocery store would take less money for an apple from you! You agree upon how much to pay per minute for your cell phone, and you are expected to pay for what you use. I know what you feel, I've had to do that kind of thing too, but just remember that it's a job where they agreed to pay you a certain amount. Good luck!
Thanks Posch, that's very true...good advice. I will call today! Also, thanks for the job search wishes...putting out my resume today!
Hey now I'm still crying..but reading this on the same day!! I'm glad you've gotten some things accomplished at this office, I do agree and feel you should get paid for those two weeks and it's always so awkward but words will come to you and it might turn out better than you think. Keep us posted on any new jobs! good luck! You could come out east and maybe about 70,000 being a legal secretary! just an idea!!:)
Great job on the run!! Kudos for completing it and going for it! I could never do it..shin splints!!!
have a great week
Jen, thanks girl. Wow...is that what legal secretaries can make on the East Coast!? Quite different here, but then again, I have almost no experience yet, so who knows! :)
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