I fired my friend.

On her birthday. How's that for insensitive? Now, before I go any further, let me declare that I didn't know it was her birthday. My friends know I just don't keep track of that stuff. I hardly remember my kids' birthdays, let alone friends'. But apparently that's a little piece of research my HR department doesn't do before we pick d-day.

I've known my friend for 20 years. She's a dear, sweet, kind person who did a good job. We just didn't have any work for her. She's great at planning and executing big, over-the-top galas for lots of glittery, important people. But companies just aren't doing that much entertaining anymore. So she had to go.

She was sad. And so was I. And it did not make for a good birthday, I'm sure. I'm sorry. This economy has had a unwelcome side effect...I am starting to not like myself. No matter how sensitive I try to be about letting someone go, after a while, you are the ogre who fires people.