I like the weekend. It levels the playing field. For all intents and purposes, nobody else has a job on Sunday either - no reason to get up early, trade in their p.j.’s before noon, or wash their hair. In that, I have a good two day head start on all the other folks, but it’s hard to say if that’s a bit of depression at work or me taking advantage of the opportunity to embrace my… natural state. Hey, I still showered! And over-processed hair is dry and brittle! Do not make me get defensive.
Remembering how bad it got last time I was laid off, when the reasons for living (forget washing my hair) grew harder and harder to come by, I’ve been, shall we say, aggressive about keeping a schedule and setting goals and glorying in every single tiny accomplishment possible. For instance,
Added a half mile to my morning jog? High five! You don’t need employment to prove you’re successful because you just busted your ass on that hill! You won’t see it on your paycheck, but one day the bathroom scale is going to reward your efforts. Promise.
Washed all the dishes after each meal AND made the bed well before 9AM? Hold out your hand lady, it’s gold stars for you! Sure, making the bed was mostly to keep yourself from climbing back in it to whimper on the cool side of the pillow, but it was also about order and organization – two of your very strong selling points. Use it in a cover letter.
Finished Level 2 of the 30 Day Shred and did not vomit on your carpet? Ordinarily you’d be tempted to reward yourself with a pair of slimmer fitting jeans. But seeing as you aren’t exactly a contributing member of society, your reward is the PROMISE of slimmer fitting jeans. And two gold stars and a nap. You’re going to want that nap once you stop hyperventilating.
Mostly, I’ve tried to keep a sense of humor about the whole thing to keep myself from really freaking out like I want to. Thanks to all of you for your kindness and support – it’s been a pretty good reason to get out of bed, if not, you know, to wash my hair. While Brandon was in town this week, he asked me what my go-to coping mechanism was. I thought about it long and hard. It’s not booze, comfort food or sleep these days – the three old friends that would normally get me by on those days when I want to cry myself into a snotty heap on the floor. So I decided it’s either exercise (oh, Jillian, the wind beneath my quivering wings) or blogging. Maybe it’s a combination of both. Which, overall, seems like an okay way to be.
Miss Fish, I’m glad to see that you are taking this in stride. I too was just laid off, I’ve been using my free time to re-start my running regimen—something that has been lacking since the real world took over my life. It is nice to know that someone else is trying to maintain order instead of drowning her sorrows (most of my former co-workers have taken that approach).
Things will look up! At least that is what I tell myself when I start to feel my optimism slip.
I wanted to say that I’m happy to see someone handling the unemployment thing well because its an inspiration to me, who was NOT handling it well… But then I thought it might come out like I am happy you are unemployed which I am most certainly NOT. So um… don’t take it that way k?
But bravo on the blogging and exercise. I figure if all I can show for this unemployed period is a smaller ass I will have truly won the day.
Keep it up. I slipped from the exercise coping stage into the booze and strange bedfellows mechanism for awhile, and this morning at the gym was harder than any day, even a Monday, had the right to be.
well, it sounds like you’re making the best of a not so ideal situation. that’s something to be proud of too!
i really need to look into this shred program. though im more in it for bob (even if he doesn’t like my type… or, gender?).
Hey Fish,
Glad to see an update from you! Someone needs to make a chart for all of those gold stars =)
*hugs!*
I Hope that whatever comes your way this time is perfect and makes you happy!
Damn economy. I’m so sorry Heather. But I agree, there’s nothing like a good endorphin rush after a good workout. Sadly, I’m definitely an emotional eater…It’s the 3 C’s for me: chocolate, cheese and cookies. I think it may be time to summon Jillian’s assistance.
Can I just say… Bless you for not typing “intensive purposes.” I am continually amazed at how many otherwise intelligent people do that.
Avoid hermit activity!!! Don’t get sucked into home-y type activities such as making elaborate multi-hour-long meals, obsessive over-cleaning, or addictive tv watching. This seems to be my pattern when I’m without a job. I do it because it sounds productive but I lose focus. It’s even harder when you live alone. There’s no one there to shame you into brushing your teeth or wearing decent outfits that don’t consist of florescent colored socks or extremely large clothing.
http://evehel.blogspot.com
What? What is this I hear? Could it be? Yes, I do think I distinctly hear the voice of Gloria Gainer in all her I Will Survive finery. Rock it girl, all the way to your slimmer jeans and job-with-benefits-and-coworkers-you-love.
But if you do happen to feel the urge for obsessive cleaning, feel free to pop by my place
You can come and vege with my little dog and laugh at me as I fumble around after my upcoming eye surgery. Not sure if you’re an Xtina fan, but “Fighter” might be a good soundtrack for ya!
By putting off buying the new skinny jeans, they’ll be even SKINNIER as you complete more of the shred!
i have a coping saw in the garage, but i’m saving it for a last resort. until then, sarcasm is my mechanism of choice. well, it’s all tied with tequila, anyway.
I’m in the same boat as you and I just started doing the Shred workout and LOVE it. Being skinnier is always good right?
Thanks Fish…your being able to find some humor in this joblessness thing helped me today. I too am a TX unemployment casualty. Thanks for lifing my spirits today.
hi fish,
just wanted to write in and say, i read your blog regularly. and i totally feel your pain. as an advertising freelance writer, i’ve gone for scarily long periods without work when even walking to the fridge to pull out that frozen pizza seems too much effort.
hang in there. things will change soon.
x
s
Yay blogging!
I have been unemployed since June 21, and I totally get the needing a reason to get up thing. I got two more cats! Damn things won’t let you sleep past 7 for NOTHIN’!
another temporary blip.
Beautiful and so true. I’m in the same boat, and as I type this, I realize I have not washed my hair today just yet.
I better hop to it and continue to remind myself of all the good gold stars I am getting for all the others things I am doing and have done!
Daisy
Oh Fish,
Thanks so much for sharing. You can see there are a lot of us out here who need your humor and candor in our ****ty, ****ty UE worlds.
Here’s to being showerless on day 3, extra sun salutations, and actually staying in bed when it rains!
You’ll do just fine Fish. When I was unemployed everyone kept telling me to relax a little, and enjoy the time to yourself. I didn’t but now I wish I had.
What sort of job are you searching for? I’ve read your blog since forever and never figured out what you do; marketing, promotions?
Marketing (mostly in the architecture/engineering field)
I know this might not make YOU feel any better, but your post made ME feel better about my own job situation. I really, absolutely hate my job, and have seriously thought about quitting before I’ve even found something else (although I am looking!), but reading your post reminded me just how much it sucks to be unemployed. So I’m going to stick it out for now. But it made me feel better, just so you know.
I really enjoy your blog, and recently I have been reading some of the entries in the archives. As such, I know I’m responding to an old post, but in the event that you see this comment, I just wanted to say that I really liked this entry. It helped me realize that I am not silly or self-centered for feeling down about being unemployed (I am a semi-recent college graduate who, given the economic clusterfuck that we are currently experiencing, is still jobless and living at home) and my efforts to stay active, small as they may be, are not worthless. This entry provided me with a bit of hope in a dark period, so thank you.