Kripalu in March, Furloughed In April, What’s Up For May?
Life is truly about adapting to change and learning to focus on the blessings instead of the challenges.
Yesterday I received official notice that I am being furloughed 88 hours between April 7th and September 30th due to Sequestration budget cuts. I will have to take one day off a pay period without pay which is a 10% paycut for the next eleven pay periods or until the end of the budget year. While this is stressful and makes me disheartened that our government is so dysfunctional that our Congress did not do their job to pass a budget, I am focusing on the blessing that it could have been worse. The Department of Defense furloughed employees 22 days (20% paycut) and the Department of Labor furloughed their employees 3 days a pay period (30% paycut). I was grateful to learn our furlough would only be 11 days.
I’ve been saving to go on a Yoga Retreat to Kripalu Center http://www.kripalu.orgin Berkshires, MASS for my birthday the week of March 21st. I held off booking this trip until I knew for sure how long I would be furloughed. If I was furloughed more than 11 days, I would not take the trip. However, now that I know my furlough is only 11 days, I called this morning to book my trip from March 19th to 22nd; I was disappointed. They don’t have any private rooms available for that date. I waited too long to book. As I am going alone, I am not interested in rooming with a stranger for three nights. I was very sad. I worked hard for this trip this year. My body has changed and I’ve been looking forward to this trip for months. It was then I asked the representative if the following week was available. And, Yes, it was. So, I booked my trip Sunday, March 24th to Wednesday, March 27th. I won’t be there on my actual birthday because I waited too long to book but I will be there just a few days later. I will however call back before March 11th and see if they have cancellation for the prior week. While I am disappointed I will not be at Kripalu the week of my birthday, I am still very grateful I can still go on my Yoga Retreat this year and I will still be there in March:-)
Kripalu in March. Furlough starts in April. What’s up for May?
Below are pictures I took at Kripalu when I was there last year.
Related articles
- First furlough notices go out (money.cnn.com)
Birthday week or not, I believe you’ll have an enjoyable time.
Yes, I do too. I was just disappointed after hearing about the furlough to hear I also couldn’t go my birthday week because I had to wait to get the official notice before booking… I am getting over it.
Good everything will work out much better than you expect.