Wow! Where did the summer go?

Okay... the last you heard, in March, I no longer had a job. The job of 15 years at the newspaper as a graphic designer. I think I mentioned that I quit... actually that is what I thought I was going to do. I had just had my annual review by someone that I had never even worked on a project with and I decided it was time to exit stage left. Besides. SXSW was going on. What better time to just be rid of my job so I could go out all day every day and night to hear music. First stop, Opal Divine's on South Congress. It was 3 in the afternoon and there I was. Of coarse the questions began. "What are you doing here at 3 in the afternoon, you have a job!" "Uh, no I don't. I think I just quit." I told all my friends that I had walked away from my job. I remember the look on Jimmy LaFave's face asking if I was sad and did I cry when I drove away. I said. No. It was a weight off of my shoulders. I didn't have a plan but it felt good.

That evening I went home and Dan, the intellectual boyfriend suggested I not quit, having worked with the Ray Marshall Center of Human Resources at UT for 15 years he wanted to examine the situation. So, he suggested going back to work the next day. Then I got fired. That was such a blessing on so many levels. I really have some serious angels watching out for me. I thought I loved my corner office with the view enough to make it work. I thought I loved my boyfriend enough to make that work. Both my employer and boyfriend decided differently and now, 8 months later, I thank God that they made those decisions for me because I would have continued in both situations and neither were healthy. Both situations were toxic. The powers that be at the Statesman came in and moved all the creative designers out of our wonderful little haven in the corner office where we were able to brain storm, we had a view of the Austin skyline and room to breathe. They purposely moved us into the middle of the Marketing department with 5 foot dividers between us. That's right our own little cubicles. I remember the first morning in our little cubicles James, who was once the head designer, sent an email to all of the designers that said "Do you feel like we have been divided and conquered?" That was exactly what it felt like. I could no longer look over and see his cute freckled face or Sueanne either laughing or crying while reading her screen. I had my own little purple corner decorated with a trickling water feature and photos of all my favorite people. People from all over the building would come and hide in my corner of the Universe through out the day just to feel peaceful.

That was all good but I had been in constant physical pain for about 7 years, knowing all the while that if I didn't have to go to this office every day and market something that I totally didn't believe in that I wouldn't have to hold all that pain in my body. But there was no easy way out. It was insane. But... my angels were looking out for me as usual and took care of all the details. I love that about my life. So... check it out. There went the job. I have another huge complicated situation in my life that I am not sure what to do about. that was in March. Okay... then meanwhile ... the boyfriend Dan was making plans of his own. I was thinking "Cool, I no longer have a job, we can travel. He was thinking. "I have to get rid of the girlfriend who no longer has benefits. Not to speak of the ex-girlfriend he was becoming close to again. Then in May, Dan and I broke up, that would have been on my birthday. So... I just poured all that energy into a film project with the hormones and made a hell-of-a-film project titled "The Running Of The Bulls" a tribute to all the Taurus ladies in the group and Willie of coarse. He made an appearance in the film as well. I put my house at the lake on the market and it sold within the first week in a dead market. Wow! I went to St Louis for a couple of weeks for a visit with my son, his fiance and grandson. Came home and my best friend from high school, Shirley, came to visit from Albuquerque. That was fun! Did I say that Dan and I broke up? Yeah but he was still hanging around. Then I packed up all my stuff and moved it into storage and moved in with Nita for a little while. Planned a trip to Hawaii and then decided to completely put the brakes on the relationship with Dan. Went to Hawaii and had a fabulous time, got a whole new perspective on life came home and here I am. I am going to look for my own place to live this week. I'll write more later.

Laid Off From My 15 Year Job at the Austin American-Statesman!

Christina Fajardo - Graphic Designer
Austin American-Statesman

So after 15 years as a graphic designer in the Marketing Department at the at the Austin American-Statesman, I got laid off yesterday..... what a blessing! I feel so free! I had been trying to figure out how I was going to transition out of the 40 hour a week job and it was handed to me on a silver plater during my annual review. 

As if by magic, I was able to walk out of my corner office on the 3rd floor, get in my car and drive down Congress Ave to Opal Divine's. There was a SXSW event going on. All my friends were there. Jimmy LaFave was the first person I saw. He said "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at work?" I said "I just got laid off." He said "You don't look very upset." I smiled and said "I'm not!" 

I sat and listened to all my favorite bands, drank a cocktail and ate my favorite food, feeling extremely grateful for the job I had for 15 years while I raise two children, bought a house, a car and all those other luxuries that a single person has to purchase for one's self. 

I'm really looking forward to what my future is going to look like. 
I wonder who is going to do all that work.... ha! Not.

During the early morning hours of December 25, 2003, our beautiful friend, Jody Fischer, began her elaborate journey to join the Great Spirit. As she drew her final breath, one friend held her hand while her other friend, Miles, played Seven Steps to Heaven on a trumpet in a corner of the room. Hoka Hey. This is a great day to die. Debuting on December 21, 1949, in Pittsburgh, PA, Jody was the second daughter born to Lois Danahey. At age six, after the death of her mother, Jody moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, where she stayed until setting her sights on New York City. She was passionate, romantic and delightfully impulsive, and it was these qualities that eventually brought her to Austin, Texas, in the early 1970's. Jody began working with Austin musicians through her job at Moon Hill Management before becoming the secretary at Willie Nelson's Pedernales Recording Studio, where she was employed for several years. She has made numerous long time friends in the entertainment business and was very much a part of the early Austin music scene. You're not from Texas, but Texas loves you anyway. As a Farm Aid volunteer, Jody was a true friend to the American Farmer, spending many loving hours counseling and lending a caring, loving ear when no one else would, and for this alone, she'll never be forgotten. Jody also has loved many Sioux, Navajo and Hopi Native American brothers and sisters, who, not only love her in return, but will always respect and honor her life. Perhaps your child even snuggles up nightly in one of her famous Cowboy Covers she has made through the years, that, as she said, ``are made with prayers and love for the children'. Her unyielding care and support has made an everlasting change in the lives of many, many people and her contributions to this world were gifts that can not be measured, but merely treasured. Jody is survived by her sister, Erla Hagan, two nieces, Mara and Sasha, and a nephew, Adam of Charlottesville, Virginia. She also leaves behind her loyal and trusted companion, Guy of Briarcliff, and a planet of grateful two legged, four legged and winged creatures that she fed and cared for daily. All the close friends who cared for Jody at the end wish to thank her oncologist, Dr. Jack Whitaker, the 7th floor nurses at Seton Hospital, plus a very special thank you to the doctors, staff and a multitude of angels at the wonderful Christopher House. Memorial services will be held in mid-January for friends and family. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions payable to the Christopher House. ``Behold, a sacred voice is calling you; All over the sky a sacred voice is calling.' MITAKUYE OYASIN. We are all related.
Published in Austin American-Statesman on Dec. 28, 2003