* Original message posted in: R19SYSOP.
* Crossposted in: 45POINTS, FN_SYSOP.

Hello All.

Things may not be quite as dire as it first appeared... I don't like sounding like Chicken Little with the sky falling, but that possibility looms shortly ahead. But, a great deal will be determined in the next week or so.

Two of my co-workers (different departments) are working with me to try and put together a revised business plan (that will also include a *very* substantial, but hopefully temporary, pay cut for me) that, with hopes and prayers, will stave-off my dramatic change in position to part-time-on-call. A great deal depends on whether or not upper management is willing to listen and work with me to improve the amount of work coming in. I have to convince them to advertise - my department has virtually zero on-line and zero in-print presence. Not sustainable, IMO. The main company is in Defense and Cyber Security for the gov't - advertising in an unknown since 100% is by bid. Likewise, the major division I work for is an A/V integrator that does major A/V systems for the Federal court system as well as schools; again all done by bid, so advertising is virtually unheard of.

The subdivision under them DOES advertise as they manufacture professional audio equipment (all made in the USA now.) My little department is sort of a stand-alone that has never had the luxury of public awareness that we're (that's me) here. Obviously, it won't work sustainably like that. Hopefully the next 10 days or so will see a change for the better and not the worse. Please keep me in your thoughts and/or prayers.

The system is still stable and will remain on line, at least for the time-being. Turning off the Comcast Commercial connection is not feasible at the moment as I apparently am *still* under contract until the end of December, so the connection to them will at least remain active. Cutting it off now would be *rather* costly.

So, for this very moment, I am still up. Newsgroup echoes from me will be going away immediately as I've cut my account with GigaNews. Please don't post to any echoes that you still get from me that start with alt-xxxxxx or bit-xxxxxx that originate at 1:396/4.

There simply can be no guarantees that the company's owner will accept the proposal. Although I am definitely not giving up hope, I have to face the imminent reality that I may be, for all intents and purposes, out of a job. If the proposal *is* accepted, my fretting will have been for naught and I'll be able to hang onto FidoNet a good while longer - - if FidoNet will still have me.

Best regards,
Marc

--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+
* Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS-Huntsville,AL-bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)