The Upsides of Unemployment

Ok there are some upsides to unemployment. Really, after the first week I have discovered a few small but important positive aspects about being unemployed. Here they are in no certain order:

I go to the gym far more often. I love going to the gym. Physically pushing myself to go beyond my limits of strength and endurance feels good. I feel better, I notice subtle changes in strength already and am ready for more. I have maintained by membership over the last couple of years but my attendance has been sporadic at best. I don’t have any excuses now.

I don’t have to laundry on the weekends. I can do it as I have time – any time. No more spending hours on Saturday and/or Sunday loading the washer, moving the heavy wet clothes to the dryer, folding and carrying up the stairs to be put away. I have free time on weekends now. Not that I know what to do with it. But, I got it.

The house is a lot cleaner now. I have time to clean again. I can run the vacuum as it needs to be done. Not when I simply can’t stand the floors anymore. I can sweep when I can get the dog out of the way of the broom. The dishes don’t pile up in the sink. The bathrooms get wiped down a lot more often now too. It is amazing how nice things look when you have the time to take care of them.

Dinners are fun again. I have time to pull out the recipe books and magazines and find something new to create. Or visit an older one we have forgotten about. It makes for better meals and lets me putter around in the kitchen for hours on end. I said I could read a recipe – I didn’t say I was an expert at it.

I get to spend more time with my family. I sure have missed them a lot over the past couple of years. We live in the same house and spend very little time together. It has been very nice to see them every day and spend even a small amount of time with them. I am hoping to spend some time with each of them. If they can stand me…..

My daily food/munchie intake is much less. I have time to prepare meals and sit down to each them. I don’t need all those trail mix snacks and meal replacement bars that I have been eating for the last couple of years. When I try to eat like that now I feel stuffed. Yay…I can eat less and not feel deprived. I wonder how much of that was stress eating?

Oh yeah – my stress level is way down. I have not got upset with anyone nearly as easily as I have been. I haven’t had to play my “I am way too mad to do anything else” CD at all this week. And I haven’t wanted to maim anyone beyond recognition either. Life is getting better.

I don’t have to get dressed before 2 o’clock in the afternoon. I spend the morning working at the computer and being accosted by furry people. I go to the gym when my behind falls asleep and my legs are numb. After my sweatfest I take a shower, get dressed, do the hair and make-up thing. I am ready to start my day – at 2PM. Beats getting up at 5:45 AM any day.

And, DIY projects are not so bad. Husband and I got the back storm door up. Took three hours, a bit of swearing and little blood to accomplish it. But, it is up and functional and as a bonus it looks good. It operates better than the last one too. Points to Husband for that. He can be truly amazing sometimes.

Which brings us to the down side of unemployment. We will address those in the next post.

Journey through well everything

I don't have to worry about that job anymore. It is gone. I was not surprised - just disappointed.

I hoped he would have more courage and professionalism than he did. Apparently not! The search begins now for gainful employment.

I am trying to find the courage and commitment for my dreams. I don't know if I have it. This would be the perfect opportunity if I can find the strength. I am more afraid of the risk than the failure. Doesn't make much sense does it? We are given these opportunities so very rarely and yet we just miss them or ignore because of the risks involved....

I started keeping a list on the notepad on my desk. I write topics for upcoming posts as they occur to me. I tried keeping them in my head but they get lost up there. Some are humorous as this life just keeps getting funnier as I get older. Some are topical and deal with the news of the day. I glanced over the list before I started and found a couple that could be combined as well. So, I will have this to keep me busy and to keep me focused. I am going to practice here. Hone some skills and try to make this enjoyable for me and for you.

I can easily get lost in my own mind for hours at a time. I am attempting to let some of those thoughts and ideas out of the confined space there. If I can put them down here and learn how to organize them maybe it will help with the future. It feels like a situation where I just have to move forward. I have to get out of my own way and see where I can go with it.

As a side note, I am looking for a simple to use small digital camera. I am not good with too many dials and settings for operation. The one we have now I have never been able to use. So, if I can find an inexpensive, decent camera I will gladly post some photos and illustrations as I go on this journey.

Come along for the ride.... it will be entertaining anyway.

Changes

You know it is amazing. I haven't been here for a week and I have missed it. I got caught up on my friend's sites. That is always enjoyable. I don't think about them for a few days and then all the sudden I miss them. I have to log-in and see how everyone is doing.

Oh, the Old Dude is ok. He didn't have surgery after all. He had some more tests and now we are trying to get him to do a little more activity--ok a lot more activity. I told my brother the Old Fart needs a puppy. It will make him move around, go outside, go for walks, and get him interacting with people. I can't find anyone in the family to agree with me. Though I know Kim S. would. Bear rescued her when she rescued him.

We have talked more about moving again. The winter times here are tough. Much tougher than we want in our advancing years. That and we are just not in love with the area. He needs more mountains - for hiking, skiing, and just plain enjoying. I need some water. Somewhere I can kayak and canoe to enjoy the scenery and the time spent on the water. Oceans are great for kayaking - lake and streams work for canoeing. S0, we are looking at the coasts though probably not the West Coast again. We weren't happy there. I can't quite figure out why though. It just wasn't good for us. We have been much better here. Some of that may be maturity too. We is old! We decided to work on a plan over the next year. Where do we want to go? What do we want to do? By this time next year we will be ready to make a change in one direction or another. That part is exciting.

All I need...

Success - we have cool air! The ever amazing hubbing came through. He took the thing apart and put it back together - and it works. We had a motor replaced and we good! $500 poorer - much cheaper than the 8 grand for a new one! Yay - I am so easy to please.

Still waiting on outcome of Old Fart's surgery today. Being this far away sucks!! He is getting on in years. His health is not the greatest. This is the 4th surgery in a year. My brother, his "Guardian Angel," hasn't sent any of us a message yet. I have tried to call a couple of times to no answer. I know he isn't supposed to have the cell in certain areas of the hospital but ...some rules you just have to break. They are stupid rules. Like GA is supposed to leave the Old Dude and go out to make update calls. NOT!! I hope we hear soon. I am trying to operate on the theory that no news is good news. If something were very wrong I would have heard by now. I will keep telling myself that over and over until I believe it anyway. Old Fart had plans to come visit this summer. He was going to make a trip out of it. He loops around visits childhood friends and the cluster of us that live around here. He stays until he is tired of us and moves on to the next one. He opted not to make the trip this year. Said there wasn't enough money and his health wasn't so good. I miss him. He gets on my nerves and yells at the dumb dog. But, he is Dad, The Old Fart. I don't want to miss him yet. Not yet.

I am looking for a better template that will allow me to do more. If you know of a good one - let me know. This one is very limiting.
Peace ....

And so We Begin...

So, here is my world.

My job is not stable, there isn't a lot out there to choose from at the moment. That makes it difficult to find a new job. I smile and go to work each day while my husband waits for "the call."

Our house is 11 years old and things are starting to show their age. The heat pump just took a dump! Yay! That's a nice expense to look forward to this week. Summer has returned with a vengence now too. Last few weeks it was like spring. We need the usual stuff replaced like carpet and flooring. Rooms need a fresh coat of paint - roof could use a new layer. New windows would be great. So would the money to fix it all.

Poor old dog is getting on too. Starting to have a few health issues. The cats however are just fat and healthy - can't say happy. Who knows with a cat anyway?

But, the family is in good shape. We all are working and/or going to school (or both). The bills are paid. The new automatic ice cream maker I got for my birthday is AMAZING!!! And the septic tank hasn't had an major issue in months.

So life is good!! We are doing what it takes around here - everyday...
more to come stop by again I will get some photos up soon.