Oh no...I am so sorry.

Donna

Sorry to hear this. I can't imagine what it is you wrote that got you in trouble, but I commend you for taking the high-road with respect to your employer. People of lesser character would like to strike back -- including myself.

WTH? I'm so sorry Ambra. I just read about some other dude who was dooced this week too. This is crazy. I'm sure you'll find another job!

Your links aren't working, so I'm assuming you mean you lost your job because of your blog? But you never said anything about your job here! Maybe you weren't supposed to be blogging at work. I'll pray that you get another job.

I cannot begin to understand this. That has to be an unlawful termination. But I know you'll be OK. All things work together...and all of that. *smile*

I'm very sorry to hear that. Perhaps it'll all turn out for the good, maybe better than you could have expected? Praying for you.

Feeble

Wow, that seems unjust. But i pray that you find another job soon, and all works out for the better.

Dooced? For what? If you write about your job in any kind of detail you're opening yourself up to trouble, but I haven't read anything here lately that warrants termination. Which, by the way, is a complicated process in legal terms, and most people are not aware of their rights. Usually it's the bums who *deserve* to be fired on the spot who know how to milk the system, while honest folks just grit their teeth and walk away.

-snob

Doors are forced closed on us to prepare us for the ones that are opening.

I hope you are holding up well.

Get ready, and God bless.

What tae said. I'm sitting here absolutely flabbergasted. Ambra, I'm really sorry to hear this. Doocing is the new "downsizing" it seems.

Watch yer neck, folks (myself included).

NEVER, EVER, NEVER (times 100) trust an employer, that includes those in management who want you to believe they have your best interest in mind. Lies and the Love of Money is in every employer's operation handbook.

WOW! This is the first time I've heard of something like this happening.

Well, I encourage you to get closer to the Lord during this time. I pray that you'll hear His voice on how to flow and how to conclude your former employer situation.

You're blessed!

1 John 4:4; 1 John 5:4

My heart hurts for you now, yet I will rejoice with you as the Lord opens up new doors.

This is a bad time of year to be job hunting, as it will take a few more weeks for managers to figure out if they are hiring for 2005. Take some time, pray for direction with your next step, and then move on out to North Carolina(!).

The "doocing" was most likely a convenient excuse for whatever other reason they wanted to get rid of you. I know from personal experience the rage and desire to strike back, yet there is also the feeling that if you are not wanted there then they can just be blessed without you.

I'll be praying for you, my blog buddy.

All these people are here leaving you messages to make you feel better, it proves you have talent and charisma and a new job is waiting for you, a better one.

If you take MarcV's advice and move to NC then hit me up(!)

Oh man, that's horrible! I am so sorry to hear that Ambra. I'll be praying for you through all this. You have the right attitude about it already. God bless!

Geeeze!

I was thinking recently that if you were working full time as a writer, you'd become rich and famous. Magazine articles and television appearances flying everywhere.

Hint! Hint!

Whatever you decide to do, I have complete faith that you'll do just fine. Godbless.

Damn, Ambra. Another one bites the dust. Well, as with most people who lose their jobs, I'm not going to say I'm sorry. I'll say the same I'd say to any friend -- Welcome to your new possibilities, and enjoy the ride.

But I *am* sorry. Yikes.

I wish you the best in the future!

Major bummer Ambra....:(

By the way, do fix the links so we who are linguistically-modern-speech challenged can all find out what "dooced" means....:)

Diane R.

Last year, I was laid off for ten weeks, so I just committed it into the Lord's hands. My benefits were a paltry $179/week, but I kept praying and kept tithing. God gave me a new job and, after my 90-day raise, I am making 30% more than my old job paid. God will bless you, Ambra, so just be patient and have faith. Praying for you.

Carol, "dooced" is a term that came from Heather Armstrong, she of the popular blog "Dooce."

Hers is probably the most famous fired-for-blogging story (read that or you can check the short answer in her FAQ).

(whoops. that should've been addressed to Diane, and that second link just takes you to her FAQ which does NOT explain her firing. gah. more slppe.)

What????

You're courageous for sharing this. Should anyone need a reference for you, let me know. Your blessed w/ a ton of talent.

(don't forget mediabistro.com and Craig's List)

Well, that's certainly an unpleasant surprise.

I've been thinking about you a lot lately. It has been very rainy here (weird), and I keep thinking, "If I wanted to live with weather like this, I'd move to Seattle. Ewwww... but -- then I could go out for ice cream with Ambra! YAY!"

You are in my prayers... if there's anything I can do, let me know.

Ambra,

Sorry to hear such bad news. I too am young (22) and worked for a big corporation for six years and was "dooced" this past July. Many told me it was because of a web log I maintained.

However, I knew it was for other reasons. They said they fired me because they located some schoolwork on my private job (privacy? Yeah right!) that was done during work hours. They were correct and I was escorted from the building.

But, it wasn't the blog as I had originally thought. Turns out a deposition I'd submitted on behalf of a former coworker regarding her sexual harassment case against the company was a much bigger player in my being fired.

I was devastated. Six years and all I get is a kick out the door by a security guard?

While I am on the other side of the political spectrum, I know what it's like to go through such an amazingly earth-shattering experience.

If there's any good news in my firing it's that I'm now about to accept a job as a substitute teacher, will launch my own web domain within the month and my friend who filed the sexual harassment lawsuit is about to get paid big time. (I told her I thought it was ironic that she will be raping the company instead of the other way around!)

Ambra, the first couple weeks are traumatic and dizzyingly confusing. Not wanting to wake up in the morning may be commonplace. I wish you luck. Let me know if I can offer any help.

Mike

Unfair - and dumb - of them. I don't recall your ever saying much about your job, let alone bad mouthing the place. Whoever they are, they had a plus in you and now they are way down in the cellar.
No idea what a faithful reader can do but if anything occurs to you, give a shout.
I know the Lord is working in this experience, and it will be for the better down the road.
They certainly didn't deserve you.
You will be in my prayers.
Chin up.

From a regular reader but rare commenter: I'm very, very sorry, Ambra, and I'll be praying that this works out to your benefit in the end.

This is why I find myself extremely reluctant to write about my work or anything that is related to my work. Not because I see anything inherently wrong with it (especially if one is careful not to mention specifics that would make it too obvious what company or contacts were being discussed), but because I fear that it'd be used against me in a way that I think is unfair (and, unless you had a major attitude change just before I started reading your blog, I can't see this as anything BUT unfair).

Man, that sux. Here's looking to your next better paying job. illegitimi non corborundum

WHAT???

Weemel:

That's dead tongue for "don't let the (insert term for children without fathers)get you down"

Ambra, you're blessed. You now have the opportunity to really go for the corner office.

I was also "modern speech challenged" also until I went to the site but I just figured out that you got canned.

Do you think that Heather speaks with all that foul language in front of her kid? She's kinda funny but the F-bombs just kinda take away from her writing.

On being canned - it's not that big of a deal - not that I have ever been canned before but I do know that when it does happen to people who are smart & talented that things usually work out for the best in terms of jobs and life experiences. It sucks at first, you know, the rejection, etc but you will get over it in a day or so.

So - my solution for your immediate needs - put up a paypal button and all of your fans will donate enough so you can keep your internet connection going.

Who did you work for anyway?

Ambra, luckily you're young enough that there's a whole lot of stuff you can do.

BTW--I think Heather's blog is quite vulgar. It sounded like a cool site until I read a bunch of her posts.

Sorry to hear about this. Look on the bright side. You can always go back to school :-) Seriously I hope & pray things turn out OK for you.

Ouch. That sucks. I didn't even know that this kind of thing happened - shows how new to the game I am. And it makes me glad I'm staying relatively anonymous.

Here's hoping you bounce back as soon as possible!

God bless,

Phil C

I empathize with you. You never cited your employer in a post, but what's done is done on their part (and Sharon B.- the name of a blogger's employer or past employer is a private matter, one would hope). For those who are minimizing being laid off as if it is "not that big of a deal", I'm not certain who your landlord or mortgage banker is. It's about faith, and the outlet(s) where your light would be best put to use. Continue to let it shine.

I hope the next step for you turns out well. You've already demonstrated your writng abilities. Maybe you'll be able to focus on that more.

Phil, ask the Washingtonienne if annonymity helps (answer: no, not really. IT has vays of makink server logs talk).

Yeah, it's amazing cuz Ambra took pains to keep private her employer's identity. She rarely discussed them, and even then only in a positive light (in fact, i feel pretty silly now teasing her that she didn't even feel comfortable saying what she did for a living).

In your case Ambra, I suspect there may be something else behind it and, from personal experience, I say it may be worthwhile telling your story to a wrongful dismissal lawyer, just to see if there are grounds for a case. Even if it doesn't go to court (and it rarely does), the "threat" can give an even heftier boost to your severance package and allow you even more time to find a suitable gig (why do i have a feeling you already have one lined up anyway? ;-).

Worth a shot?

Ouch. You probably didn't get that truck's license plate number. Hold fast. An internet pundit's life is never a picnic. Perhaps punditry suits you better. And don't forget Freddie the Neetch- that which does not kill me makes me stronger. But it's ok to grieve for a while.

*hugs*
You were SO careful not to talk about your employer. I'm so sorry. I certainly was never that careful when I was running a blog -- OTOH I was never popular either.

Perhaps we should ALL abide by the laws of children on the net "Never use your real name. NEver give out real details of your past. ETc." *sigh*

*hugs again*
I can't imagine what reason they would have from your blog to can you!

WOW! Well, as previously mentioned, this will only lead to something better for you.

I hope you're checking e-mail, Ambra.

Ambra, God has big plans for you.

Jeremiah 29:11

Thanks to Michelle Malkin, I found you. I hope everything turns out for the better. Loved the article.

Very sorry to hear the crazy news.

What gets me is that not only do I have no idea what you do for a living, I also don't know what you could have said that makes them want to get rid of you.

I'll keep you in my prayers, and just from your post about the issue, I can see that your class will pull you through this short term storm.

For every door that closes, God opens another. Job 2:10 "Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" Embrace it and you will come out the better for it.

Very sorry to hear this, but with your God-given (and self-developed) talent, they'll be eating your dust!

How about a Donate button so we can help out?

The way God usually hands out blessings is by creating a problem. Solve the problem and you receive the blessing. The difficult part is to realize that every problem is an opportunity. Get to that point and you never have problems, only opportunities.

Oh, gosh . . I'm so sorry to hear about this! I know you'll get bigger and better opportunities, though.