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Do I get a new email address?

For those keeping track, I work for a software company. That company is being bought out by another. I understand that the takeover is almost complete now that the two companies have been given the green light to merge by the United States Department of Justice. So, a lot of us are wondering whether we will get to keep our jobs...

There is good and bad from this merger. Allegedly, the new owners are much richer. They are also better at business. Why? Well, for one, they bought us out. For a long time, it was an Us vs Them competition. We felt like we owned a (albeit tiny) part of the company. And we thought we were winning (or leading at least). We lost. We felt let down. Now we get cashed out. There is little more to stick around for, except for the money and to see what the new overlords decide to do with our little enterprise.

A lot of us are looking for greener pastures or just a change. The one thing about working where I am is that I have made many good acquaintances, maybe even friends. I have also come across some people I would rather not have much to do with. All said, I like my workplace. I think I have just fallen out of love with my job. I used to be eager to go to work and tackle the next big problem. Now I dread going there. Seriously. I hate seeing our Remedy application staring back at me. I hate reading emails from all those people who are less than content with what we produce. I have no say in what we produce. I have no say in how we manage our product. I hate hearing my co-workers vent their frustration out. It makes the work-place less enjoyable. I am tired of the many lies that come our way every day. I have been drawn closer to the people I interact with the most.

I was told that my attitude needed an adjustment. I was told I am drawing the morale of the place down. I was told to be careful of what I say or I will end up dealing with our Human Resources department. I was told to think for myself. I was told what I said could be construed very differently. Maybe it is just me. I have been with the place a little over a year and a half. I have seen many of my co-workers move on. Turnover is becoming a discussed term. I have seen at least one opportunity I had to move on thwarted by my managers. The very same people I am supposed to trust and look to for guidance. They are fast becoming personae non-gratae in my world.

Soon enough, we will see what the merger brings. Maybe it will bring a time of excitement and opportunity. Maybe it will bring pink slips or worse. I just hope the job market is good and that I can find something better should I need to. I also hope I don't lose contact with most of these people. Because they have come to mean a lot to me.

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