<p>This belongs back on page 616 or so, </p>
<p>[YouTube</a> - Straight No Chaser - 12 Days](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz8]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz8)</p>
<p>and for the mootfamily:</p>
<p>[YouTube</a> - You’re A Mean One Mr Grinch](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPBS7dVrE1U]YouTube”>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPBS7dVrE1U)</p>
<p>stink, stank, stunk</p>
<p>Thanks for the support, friends, it’s been quite the crummy year, if I may say so in the open.</p>
<p>Good suggestions, p3t, thanks very much! He’s got boxes packed, we’re going to drive the infamous '78 VW Van over there shortly and load it up. Email address book has been saved along with phone contact list from the phone that is being repossessed. Good idea about the other paperwork, I’ll have to see if they gave the unlucky ones any details about unemployment, etc. I intentionally did NOT mention this to TFSFH, who was on his way this afternoon to be on stage with a comedy improv troop in NYC tonight ( 
) as I did not want to throw a wet blanket over his performance – and I may wait until after finals next week to lay the big news on him. Good idea, thanks.</p>
<p>We’re getting ducks all lined up, maybe we can enlist the marmots to keep them in line? And thanks for the Grinch pointer, DeniseC, I definitely needed that today!! :)</p>
<p>Mootie,</p>
<p>Sorry to hear your sad news, especially this season.</p>
<p>Hope all are otherwise healthy.</p>
<p>On the gift front, still hard to believe that Wiis are almost impossible to find a year later. Glad I agreed to stand in line overnight with my son for his on his birthday last year.</p>
<p>Jmmom,</p>
<p>Does yours still get regular use?</p>
<p>All right, then, here’s to mommusic’s programmer-son and SBmon’s goodness-offering-son and all those adults who get Wiis for themselves in the guise of getting them for the kids. (Wouldn’t mind having one myself, honestly…) Let’s raise a toast to one and all, and bring some merriment and mirth to the Alley! </p>
<p>Would someone be so kind as to summarize the words to our 12 Days version(s)? I was busy assisting with a giant art project for most of the last week and sort of didn’t read the lyrics very carefully. And if I’m going to lead a sing-along, I’ll need those lyric sheets!</p>
<p>Mootmom,
Besides the medical coverage (and a qualifying event is always an acceptable reason for change of benefit status on your part), if the bulk of your DH’s life insurance coverage was offered through his employer, see if you can convert that to an individual policy until he signs on with another firm. If it’s a big company, there are usually conversion rates that aren’t too bad. This is especially important if he has health issues that might make an indiviudal policy tough to underwrite. (Taking off my employee benefits hat now!)</p>
<p>So sorry to hear this has happened, and I hope that your H finds something better soon.</p>
<p>“Obay” – I love it!</p>
<p>mootmom, that really s*cks, as the kids would say. The timing is so horrible, and planned this way, no doubt. Scrooge doesn’t begin to cover it. Hope that H takes a deep breath, ties up loose ends and hops back into the employment jungle real soon.</p>
<p>mommusic, our family took a trip to Banff and Jasper National Parks during the summer of 2006. It was absolutely breathtaking. I do hope that in between all that programming that they have the opportunity to get outside. Congrats to S and his team. GO TEAM!</p>
<p>(((((((hugs))))))) to mootmom!!</p>
<p>and a lil wassail too…</p>
<p>Thanks, all. Last year they got to do some touring of Japan, so I expect there will be similar free time built into the schedule this year. </p>
<p>The word that makes my brain shut down is heuristic, every time S uses it. I just can’t get a grip on it for some reason. But I know what an algorithm is! It’s…a recipe!</p>
<hr>
<p>Mootie–what incredibly bad news and bad timing. A coke and a smile won’t begin to do it, but how about your favorite drink and a virtual hug?</p>
<p>And no, you didn’t duct tape the marmots, you duct taped the Barcaloungers. The marmots are still free to do their good deeds, and a good thing too. I’ll send some over to your DH’s place of employment to um, make things right.</p>
<p>Actually I was punning duct/ ducks, as in the ones she ripped off her wall…</p>
<p>Well, I got the pun, just forgot who used to own the unfortunate ducks! :P</p>
<p>Aw. Mootie. Completely sucks.</p>
<p>You really have had the trials of Job.</p>
<p>You need the Mutant Marmots. Let’s get some of these science boys to start cloning right away.</p>
<p>Mootmom, that sucks. I’ve been laid off twice, but long before kids and college tuitions when it really wasn’t such an issue. In fact the first time I remember my first thought was “Oh goodie, I can go home and visit family for Christmas after all!”</p>
<p>Mootmom, I’m sorry to hear your bad news. 
:(</p>
<p>Stink, stank, stunk.</p>
<p>I agree. </p>
<p>Shoot, mootie. No fair. There is no good timing for this. Nada, zilch, zip.</p>
<p>m&s, the Wii has not been in my custody. But I have it on good authority that it is a treasured and regularly used item - this year a second remote has been requested. (And I was able to fill that order on my own, so you needn’t stand in line for me this year. But I will take this moment to thank you again for LY). Ya think he might like Dancing With the Stars for the Wii? Yeah, I didn’t think so either.</p>
<p>oh mootie-
That so stinks! Those surprise layoffs that blindside loyal employees are so difficult! I hope at least Dh will get a severance package and some help with outplacement. Hang in there. Sending you a lump of coal for those bosses!!</p>
<p>Aw, mootmom, hang in there! I found out a couple of weeks ago that I get to keep my job, but a third of my coworkers did not. Truckload of coal lumps to your H’s former bosses. Why do thy they have to do it during holidays?!
Wait, I remember - there is a BETTER gift for the former bosses (econoversion will doo ;)):</p>
<p>[DogDoo.com</a> : Econo-Poop](<a href=“http://www.dogdoo.com/EconoPoop.asp]DogDoo.com”>http://www.dogdoo.com/EconoPoop.asp)</p>
<p>YellowTail up!</p>
<p>Dancing with the Stars for the Wii!</p>
<p>I would totally get into that. While the rest of my family laughed at me.</p>
<p>There is somthing akin to Dancing with the Stars for the Wii. It’s called “Boogie”. Think it involves dancing AND singing.</p>
<p>Check it out. </p>
<p>Sadly I think the timing of MootH’s severance is to get to a headcout number by year end. I have been on the management side of “cut X headcount”; that is no fun either.</p>