Sunday, November 23, 2008

Unemployment: It's More Work Than You Think

So this might be a little bit of a rant. I could possibly get fired up while writing it, so I'm just warning you now.

One of the things that pisses me off most about telling people I was laid off and am unemployed is that they think I must be lounging by the pool/lake with a fucking margarita everyday after I sleep in until 10 a.m. Or they ask, "So, like are you bored? What are you doing with your days?" Well, clearly they don't know me. I have things to do. I am in school, I'm a national volunteer in my sorority (and we are approaching our busy Recruitment season), I'm an Auxiliary Board for a hospital and generally have interests outside of work.

I'm shocked at how few people my age have interests, besides drinking, outside of their profession. Television doesn't count, unless you are a rabid television watcher and your friends turn to for advice on what they should be watching. If you're going to do something, do it up. Go big or go mother f'in home, you know?

Not to mention my outside interests (which, according to an article we read on retirement, will help make my retired years more enjoyable) there's also the whole activity of LOOKING FOR A JOB. In a TERRIBLE economy. I know few people who enjoy job searching. It is a humbling, annoying experience, much like dating. The jobs you like won't call you back, and the jobs you would never consider in a million years keep sending you emails and leaving you messages.

I think I will plan on extending this post to be more substantial in the future, but I had it in draft form for so long that I felt I needed to post something.

Word of advice...if you are between the ages of 22 - 40, and have no interests outside of work or the bar (or your kids even), do everyone a favor and go to the library. Take a knitting class. Get a sketch pad. Try a new recipe. For the love of GOD, do something that makes you more interesting than your profession, because that is a relatively depressing thing to call your identity.

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