Week 1 as a sudden "retiree"...

...(semi-retiree? premature retiree? involuntary retiree? can't-draw-a-pension-yet retiree?...): It has been a whirlwind of a week, and yet I feel as though I was just in the newsroom a few hours ago. (Or is that merely a sign of aging?) In any case, it's been a surreal experience and hasn't sunk in yet; I'm still in the yeah!-open-ended-vacation! mindset. I know: That won't last long. But it's a nice feeling for the moment. Lots to do around the home, more time to spend with the grandkids and others, more time (briefly) to volunteer before resurrecting my dormant businesses in earnest and/or looking for new work. On the issue of the old work: I want to reiterate something Lisa W. said about Variety being a good home for many years for many of us "journo" types. It paid a number of us better than we ever had been paid before on a regular basis, the benefits were anywhere from good to very good, it was a great "shelter/safe house" for a long time from the abuses we had received elsewhere, and the staff -- both management and co-workers -- were extremely supportive over the years when my family encountered tragedy after tragedy. So I am VERY thankful to have been given the opportunity to have worked there for nearly 12 years. Yes, it sucks to be laid off, yes there's anger and bitterness among some (many? but not myself) of those let go recently and before and those who survived, especially the way in which these things are usually handled and who is targeted, but we all knew something had to give in this very changed media world, so for myself I wasn't surprised by my own layoff. For decades, I was told about the impending "paradigm shift" and it never arrived ... until a few years ago, and we've all seen the toll it has taken on newspaper revenues, staffing, and coverage. That a number of us were ignored as Cassandras when we asked to be included more seriously in preparing our outlets for the future, and that powers-that-be in so many realms didn't plan for an orderly transition to new ways of doing business -- and didn't offer their staffs retraining in order to get there -- is a tragedy that will keep historians and other storytellers/writers busy for decades to come. All that said, I don't regret working at Variety one bit, I learned a lot about "brands" and "showbiz" and economics and moviemaking and so forth, and frankly, as I said, it was a great shelter, especially when my family was enduring what it endured. While there might be disagreement on what next steps Variety/Daily Variety (and other media outlets) "should" take, and the ways in which to take them, I only wish the best for it and my ex-colleagues there. It's up to the management, staff and readers to see to it that it doesn't become the leftover shell of a brand, and a "gold standard" in name only. I don't think the powers that be will let that happen, and I certainly HOPE they WON'T let that happen, if only because I still own stock in the parent corporation! But I also hope they won't let that happen for the simple reason that they should be altruistic and true to journalistic integrity and quality. It's too soon for me to pass judgment on the viability and advisability of the overall restructuring plan, but I hope it works, I'm glad they're not just throwing up their hands, and I wish them all well and the best of luck. As for me? Well, Monday is taking granddaughter to her tutor, last week was taking grandson to soccer practice, Joan is supposed to come home Wednesday from the Philippines, so we might get together with friends near the airport...