My Key to Happiness

Today's Globe reports that happiness is like that horrible Haley Joel Osment movie, Pay It Forward. In that if you are happy and hang around with happy people, the feeling gets magnified and you go out and hunt some bison. Or something.

Since I am a woman who just lost her job and was living paycheck to paycheck to begin with, you'd think my gainfully employed friends would be avoiding me like the plague as I wrangle with my finances and become miserable. But I'm actually feeling pretty good. At least until I have to figure out how to pay my rent and bills on my dwindling severance funds.

Why? Because unlike you still-working suckers, I know I'm screwed.

The past few weeks have been hell for one of my friends as she copes with rumors that layoffs are coming. One rumor said her department was safe, then another came along and said none would be entirely spared the misery. She needed to develop a Plan B, then abandoned it when she learned she'd be keeping her job. For now.

Over on Morrissey Boulevard, they're bracing for a contentious meeting about possible pay cuts and layoffs. (My favorite part of the memo Adam Reilly blogged? "Is ‘collaboration’ blindsiding BNG members with layoffs three weeks before Thanksgiving?" Some publications in this town do it two days before the holiday. Which was actually OK, because I got those extra days of pay.)

So if you're miserable because you're doing a ton of work for a pittance because you're afraid you'll lose your job if you don't, drop me a line. If you buy me a drink and some food, I'll bring my happy self to you and spread the unemployment joy your way. Because I'm a giver. And looking to cut down on my grocery bill.