questionable working conditions

I'm convinced my jobplace is trying to kill me.

Tonight at work I started sneezing and my throat felt like tiny little particles were attacking it. This is not a cold. I know it's not a cold because the other 3 people working in the general vicinity experienced similar symptoms at almost the same time. I think The Man started pumping airborne diseases through the ventilation system to kill us all off so it's easier to implement job reduction strategies.

I mean, it's all starting in January anyway. As of January 1st, there will be a lower-paid position that is meant to replace most of my friends' jobs over the next 2 years. The management team has to save $100,000 this year and figured eliminating the lowest-paid position and introducing an even lower-paid position was the way to go. Even though the head of the library got a $20,000 raise last year alone. It's causing a huge amount of stress for everyone, me included. My job will require me to take on more of the lower position tasks because there are fewer people to do them, even though I'm already doing extra work from the last workplace/job reorginisation. I only know what I'm doing because I'm so nosy and want to know everybody's business; if not for that, I'd be screwed.

Sure, sure, I'll be done school in 5 months and won't be working my position anymore. (As soon as I'm done I'll have to reapply to the library as a librarian, which isn't a guarantee.) It doesn't really affect me. But, as I said, a large number of my friends are in positions that will require them to find work elsewhere or face serious RSI damage while getting paid $2-$4 less per hour and not being able to work more than 24 hours per week. It kind of causes an imbalance in relationships.

Not like I can do anything about it. No one can. It's a done deal.

Oh, unrelated: I have to make as many gifts as I can this year since I don't have much money, but need suggestions for gifts for men. Ideas? Easy, fast ones? That involve fabric or cross-stitch or cutting paper into shapes?