Felt So Funny To Be Free

I've never blogged much about work, because first, it wasn't interesting enough, and second, well, people who blog about things that happen to them at work often find themselves out of work in pretty short order.


So when I was laid off in September, I made only a quick mention of it here. I wasn't sure what I could say about losing my job that was unique (especially in this day and age), and I wasn't sure what the experience would mean to me. Plus, just like employment, unemployment really was not all that interesting.


But that's the thing about having more time. Suddenly, you have nothing to do BUT make your life interesting. For a few years, I had been working full time and freelancing during my lunch hours, evenings and weekends. I worked a lot, and I enjoyed it, but I also missed out on a lot. So when I got laid off, I found myself with all this time I didn't have before. I continued freelancing, so that kept me from feeling completely useless (and my bank account from being completely empty), but when I wasn't busy, I had all this time. And I wanted to use it wisely.


This week, I was offered a contract position at a company I've been doing some work for since my layoff. I start Monday. It's going to be nice to be back in the professional world (though I will miss shopping for work clothes on the sweatpants rack). So today, as I begin my last I-don't-care-if-it's-the-weekend-because-every-day-is-a-weekend weekend, I thought it would be a good idea to look at how I've used the last eight months. OK, so I haven't cured world hunger or anything, but when I look back on the time, I'm pretty pleased with how I've used it.


Here are some of the things I've accomplished.


I wrote a book -- Truth is, I had started the book (a chick-lit crime novel) while I was still fully employed. But with only a few hours a week to work on it, the writing was slow-going. With my days free, though, I had more time and energy to devote to it. I finished within a month of being laid off. No luck yet getting an agent, but I have high hopes.


I made a year's supply of applesauce and apple butter -- I love homemade applesauce, and I'd been wanting to make some for years, but it's a lot of work. But with a couple of completely free fall days and several dozen apples from a local orchard, suddenly, it didn't seem like such an undertaking.


I experimented in the kitchen -- I made the beef bourguignon that takes hours to make. I learned how to spell bourguignon. I even played with some old recipes to make them healthier. Did you know that you can use applesauce as a substitute for oil in baked goods? And when you do, you can cut the amount of sugar you put in too. My year's supply of applesauce quickly became a three months' supply of applesauce, but it was so worth it.


I discovered Hulu -- Not an accomplishment, you say? Well, yeah, probably not. But it was still pretty cool to watch the series Twin Peaks in its entirety and finally find out what all the fuss was about.


I bonded with Stella -- Many days, I wouldn't have anywhere to go, so Stella and I started taking daily walks together. We both enjoyed the fresh air and exercise. And in the days when I had no work to do, no money and felt positively beaten down by life, Stella was always up for a puppy snuggle.


I started acting again -- Many people who are interviewed about being laid off say that having the extra time allowed them to get back into something they had missed out on. For me, it was acting. I'd been thinking about auditioning for a show for a long time but hadn't wanted to give up on the freelance money I could make while working in the evenings. But after landing a lead in Tommy and rediscovering my love for the theatre, I now know that acting is something I will always make time for.


I defied gravity -- This is probably something I would have done whether employed or not, but the experience was, by far, the most rewarding of the last eight months, so it absolutely merits mention here. After years of thinking about it and not doing, I finally got involved as a volunteer with ACCESS, AirCraft Casualty Emotional Support Services, a non-profit organization that provides grief mentoring to people who have lost loved ones in air disasters. To attend the volunteer training, I had to fly all the way to San Francisco, alone. Given my fear of flying, getting on that plane was one of the hardest things I've ever done. But I did it. And the people at that training conference gave me so much hope, so much joy. Because now I know, no matter where I go -- on a plane or in life -- I know I will never fly alone again.


So there it is. My last eight months, in a teeny, tiny nutshell. I won't say it hasn't been difficult at times, but looking back, there was a lot more good than bad. But now, it's on to new places, people and adventures.


Don't expect me to tell you much about it though. I don't really blog about work.

The Tweet of a Beautiful Friendship

I'm not a big Twitter follower of famous people, except for the ones who actually put out information I need or who are funny and relevant. The ones who just tweet about their fabulous lives and expensive stuff I can't afford aren't worth my time, even at 140 characters. 


One of the people I follow is Michael Hitchcock, who falls into the funny category. And well he should -- he's one of the regulars in Christopher Guest movies, several of which are prominent in my top ten favorites of all time.


I never thought I'd have much in common with Michael Hitchcock as a person, but today, on Twitter, he proved me wrong when he tweeted this message: If there's an Apocalypse and I'm the sole survivor, I hope that there's still Lactaid left in some of the abandoned stores.

It was nice to see I'm not the only one who has had that thought. Perhaps he and I could be real life friends after all. As long as he was willing to share the Lactaid.

Pardon Our Dust

I'm not sure why the font here is all screwed up, and why there is now a mile between each paragraph. I'm trying to figure it out. I have not been successful thus far, so please bear with me while I screw around with the settings and make the problem worse.

Try to Remember, and if You Remember, Then Follow (Follow Follow Follow Follow Follow Follow Follow Follow Follow)

Two more friends of mine have started blogs recently, and both are intriguing.


First up, my friend Josh has started working to lose weight and run next year's Pittsburgh Marathon. He contends that "fat people don't run marathons," and while I know this isn't exactly true, I like the way he thinks. Some weight loss blogs might be boring, but Josh is a very funny guy and drops witticisms like they were excess pounds, so you'll enjoy the ride. You can find him at http://freshmutton.blogspot.com.


Second, my friend Crystal is going on a very different journey. A lifelong Christian, she is working on gaining a deeper understanding of God, and of herself. I think anyone who has struggled with questions about God and religion can relate to her story. Read it at http://365daysclosertogod.blogspot.com.


And as a bonus (if you want to call it that), I am now blogging in another location as well as this one. As part of marketing the musical I'm doing this summer, I have started a blog specifically to chronicle the rehearsals and performances, to give a behind the scenes look at the blood, sweat and tears that go into a production. Read all about it at http://tommyonthehill.blogspot.com.


Please read, enjoy and comment. Goodness knows there's not much to read around here lately.

From Here on in, I Shoot Without a Script

My good friend Stephen has recently done something I've always wanted to do -- he moved to New York.


Jealous as I am that he is having NYC adventures while I am living the suburban life in the Midwest, I was excited when he announced that he had started a blog about the big move. It's a fun read, especially for anyone who knows what it's like to be the fish out of water, looking to find your place in a new place.


So head on over to www.nycifyoucanmakeitthere.blogspot.com and check it out!