Change at work

It has been a week of change at work. To make an extremely long story short, a major project is coming to an end. It means that there are a ton of folks who are looking for projects to do.

On a good note, there is a new project. However, the company has far too many folks for it that layoffs are likely going to happen, which is sad.

I am fortunate to not be directly involved in this project that is going away. I am unaffected personally, but my team is impacted.

My boss had a talk with me on Thursday. He wants to let the newish incompetent woman go. There is now a colleague who is free to step in and replace her. We'll see if this change works out.

It's always sad to see a colleague go, but it's the best for everyone's mental health and sanity, including my own.

Private sex life of rough sex the cause for employment termination?

One of the first few podcasts that I listened to when I got my first iPod was Q, which started off as an arts and music podcast on CBC. It was hosted by Jian Ghomeshi, who was the former drummer of Moxy Fruvous back in the 90's.

This podcast grew in popularity, to the point where it became a video podcast and a TV show. He was a decent, intelligent host, who made guests feel at ease.

Jian and I went to the same university for our undergraduate studies. He was several years ahead of me and we majored in different areas (he in fine arts; me in geeky computer science and math subjects).

I say that Jian was the host. It wasn't meant to be such an abrupt ending. He had worked at CBC for fourteen years.

Last week, Jian had indicated that he was taking a leave of absence, to grieve for his father who had passed away.

Well, CBC decided to terminate his employment. That isn't exactly the best timing when one of your shining stars is going through a tough time.

There is a lot more to the story, which is unfolding with every day that passes. Jian was allegedly fired because of his "private sex life," and "false accusations pursued by a jilted ex-girlfriend and a freelance writer."

Jian wrote a long message on his Facebook page. He elaborates on his private sex life with a woman in her late twenties, which he feels that CBC felt was reason enough to fire him:

We saw each other on and off over the period of a year and began engaging in adventurous forms of sex that included role-play, dominance and submission. We discussed our interests at length before engaging in rough sex (forms of BDSM).

Naturally, we need to hear all sides of this story. However, I do not think that Jian is obligated to explain his private sexual life to the world. It is just that -- private. His employer should not make a judgment about him based on what he does in his bedroom and be dismissed as an employee for what he does away from work, if this point is indeed the reason for his losing his job.

As much as I get along with my colleagues at work, I never want to share my private sex life with them. My guy is my colleague, but we are in a relationship. What we do in our relationship, especially behind closed doors is private to us. I would be horrified if I were let go from my job because management found out that I like having my bare bottom smacked hard by an attractive guy who holds my hands behind my back and punishes me. It has nothing to do with how competent I am doing my job.

We will see how things progress this week. Jian is suing CBC for $50 dollars, likely for wrongful dismissal.

In the meantime, it would be nice if Jian could be left alone to grieve for his father.