Ode to the H.Hicks Factor

Man, this sucks.

I just found out an old friend from a previous job is being 'released'. This has bummed me out for a lot of different reasons:

1) He's a friend of mine and someone I respect greatly. We get along on different levels and I sincerely admire his ever-lasting and unselfishly selfish (think about that one) love for his two young sons.

2) The company is relatively small and my friend has been with them for at least the past five years (back when the company was made up of 10 or 12 people). If you've ever worked for a small company, you're well aware that after just one year, you feel like a part of the family or an "inner circle." So multiply that feeling by at least 5. And now cut yourself of that relationship. Yeah, not so nice, is it?

3) Apparently, the company still knows little about the value of loyalty and committment. This friend of mine has, on multiple and frequent occassions, slept over at the office in order that he may get what needs to be done, done. Doesn't that count for something, even if there are faults within my friend. (Whom can you honestly say in your work environment is perfect after all?)

4) The company still knows little of project and personnel management. This can only lead to a company's self destruction as A) people quit or B) people are fired because existing managment is not ready to cope with change in a needed, pragmatic, and in this case, dramatic, way.

One interesting story to note about my friend:
A great saxophone player, he often plays by Watertower in Downtown Chicago off of Michigan Ave. One day, while playing, a man in a big, assumingly expensive fur coat comes out of his limo, rushes to the other side of Michigan Ave to where my friend is playing and drops a twenty in the empty sax case and says to my friend, "I know a good sax when I hear one." The mystery man that said is was none other than Paul McCartney. Yes, one of the fricken Beatles told my friend that he is a good sax player. Unbelievable!

Lessons Learned:
Be prepared for anything. Whether it's knowning how to deal with your growing company, managing people, or life in general, you should always accept what's happened(or happening), deal with it in the best manner, and move on. If you sincerely trust in God, you will find that everything works out for a reason. Just pray that it works out for the best.

Also, how come Paul McCartney only dropped a twenty? Isn't that almost a slap to the face?!

Best.