Wondertime

Its weird to think that Thursday morning was like any other morning. I got myself ready for work, got Gloria up and ready for my mom to pick her up for the day. I drove to the office. Got to my desk. Turned on my computer. Got some hot chocolate. Sat at my desk. Opened my email. Just like any other day. Today, was definitely not going to be like any other day.

Looking through my emails, there was a meeting scheduled for 9:30. It was mandatory. Kind of weird but not totally unusual.

I chatted with co-workers, worked on getting a few things out of the way before the meeting.

I brought my notebook and pen to the meeting, as I do for most of them...just in case. I sat down at one of the tables as other people congregated. Katie, my manager, sat down next to me and asked how Gloria was doing. It wasn't long before we were all seated. Then Ann, our editorial director, sat down in the front. I noticed she looked a little upset.

"I'm afraid I have very bad news." I think I started tearing up before she even got the words out. "Disney has decided to shut down Wondertime." I couldn't contain my emotions. I burst into tears. I had to do all I could to keep from sobbing. She continued to talk but I wasn't really listening. It was like a cloud fell over me and I was so far away from my body. I looked around the room to see people's reactions and everyone's faces were like stone. Looks of complete and utter shock.

I kept thinking, is this really happening? Is this some sort of bad dream? This can't happen. Wondertime isn't going anywhere. Why would it? Its such a great magazine! That may be true, but its just the wrong time for it I guess. Disney took a look at various investments and anything that wasn't making a profit was shut down. We are in horrible economic times, many people are loosing their jobs. Unfortunately, many more will be laid off.

"It feels like a bad break up. Like we'll never love again." This is how one of my co-workers described the feeling after finding out that Disney Publishing had decided to shut down Wondertime. I think its an incredibly accurate analogy.

Right now, I'm more heartbroken about loosing the family I had been working with for the last 2 years. I loved my job! And I loved the people I worked with! I didn't talk about it much on here because it was tough. I couldn't post many things because we were always working in the future. This was a job like no other. We were a family and we worked so hard to put a magazine out that improved the quality of life. At least we hope it did.

Wondertime was a magazine like no other. We won national awards for both edit and design. We even went international last year...Wondertime Australia. Its too bad we couldn't continue to be part of people's lives. As I've said before, the magazine was truly a labor of love.

So March 2009 will be the last issue. We had shipped that last month so we are no longer needed at the office. We had already been working on the April issue. It was only 2 weeks away from being finished. So much work, for nothing. In fact, we had been working on the May issue in addition.

There are many things that could be more horrible than loosing a job. But I can't help but mourn the loss of something I loved and was so very proud to be a part of. I do wonder, as my co-worker had said, if I will ever love my job this much again.

This has been a very tough week, needless to say. Life is very different right now. I have to say though, I am so very lucky to have the most loving family and friends there are! Thank you for your support through emails, phone calls, cards, etc. I love you all so much and appreciate all that you do. Tom and I will be okay. Its a scary time but we'll pull through. Bigger and better things are in store. Please continue to keep us in your prayers and thoughts.