> So this morning I found out that my company is acquiring another, bigger company. This was announced in a huge, company-wide meeting that was broadcast live to all of our locations across the country. This will almost double our size again and make us the second largest company of our kind in our region, or something like that.
>
> Okay, I'm thinking, we're the ones buying them so it won't be at all like what I went through a year and a half ago. We're in the position of strength; they'll be the ones worried about losing their jobs, etc. If anyone has to relocate to keep their jobs, it'll be them, right?
>
> Wrong.
>
> Apparently, because the company we are acquiring is bigger than us, we're going to be moving a major chunk of our operations, including the Marketing department, of which I am a part, to where their headquarters are located.
>
> And that turns out to be Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
>
> Okay, I'm officialy freaking out now.
>
> Gri"I'm going to need a heavier coat"shny

It could be better, could be worse. At least your company is upsizing instead of downsizing. I've been to Milwaukee once. It was a summer Sunday afternoon, and there was nobody around. It was like one of those sci-fi movies where somebody goes into a city and it's empty. (San Francisco in On the Beach!) Stores were closed, the streets and sidewalks were empty. I saw a taxi cab, parked, and a few old coots shuffling along, but not much else.

I guess that when you spend eight months a year in your igloo, you have to get out of town on a nice weekend.

Maybe you can find a new time-consuming hobby to pass the indoor time. I know some scooter collectors up there who restore old scooters all winter and they come out on hibernation with some really beautiful stuff. And best of all, they aren't stir-crazy.

So don't panic. It could be a good thing.
Howard