Hard day, but we're doing okay.

Today has been long. Very long. I had a presentation today in my Technical Communications class. I was petrified all morning, but I actually did really well. I had practiced several times already and I'm quite good at pretending to be confident when I need to be. ;) I got 48/50! After class, the group I'm working on a Technical Description with finally got to meet and we started our project that is due Friday. But, we went with a geology topic (the awesomeness of subduction and seafloor spreading, actually) so I think that we can pull it off, even if I am the only geologist in the class.
When I got home, the phone started ringing almost right away and it was my Johnny. He had called to make sure his severance check was going to the correct address when he learned that he wasn't going to receive one. So, he called some of the higher-ups to see what was going on with that. He was informed that the files show that he quit his job before leaving for military training. His boss (whichever one) apparently decided that to avoid the sticky situation of laying John off while he was on leave, they would just record that he had quit his job before he left. So, at this point there will be no severance pay or unemployment or anything. But, I contacted a Sargent in the regiment he'll be coming home to and he's going to get me the information I need and get things underway. Apparently someone's going to be in big trouble. ( I hope.) I'm so stressed about it that I'm shaking so much I can barely type. I'm always surprised at what people are capable of doing to another person.
When John called me later tonight I found out that he almost had to stay another week or two because since they decided to do his dental work this week he couldn't go on the camp thing they are supposed to do. His commander had ordered that he stay and graduate with the next class in a week or two. But, John's roommate, who would also be stuck waiting because of dental surgery, talked to their Sargent and let him know that his wife was already in town to see him graduate tomorrow and that this was completely unfair. So, the Sargent got in touch with the commander, and Johnny and his roommate should be graduating tomorrow. (I'll be crossing my fingers that they won't suddenly change their minds.)
So, it's been a little bit of an overwhelming day. But, in the end, we're going to be okay. No matter what. Whether we get severance or if John ends up staying longer or whatever. Let the world tear and scrape at us. We're not going down. "They were glued together, body and soul. That much stronger with their backs up against the wall," as James Taylor's song says. No worries. Wait and see, we'll rise up out of this. That's how graphite is turned to diamond anyway -- a hell of a lot of pressure.