I once worked 9 to 5. Now I watch "9 to 5"

Last January, I became one of those 15 million people who eat junk food, wear their pajamas more than 12 hours a day, and watch a lot of tv. Toddler? No, unemployed.

Unemployment wasn't so bad the first few months. I looked for jobs and hibernated. Perhaps I was a bit too cocky with my attitude of "I'll find a job." I don't think I was being cocky, though (in fact, I generally lack self-esteem); I honestly had no clue how difficult it was to get a job until I couldn't get one. I'm college educated, have a pretty solid resume, and am friendly, hard working, and intelligent. Friends and family gave me the same assurance--"You'll find something."

I've been trying to stay busy, but that doesn't always work out as well as I desire. After you send 100+ resumes out and get no interviews, you start to get really depressed about your situation and realize that it's not as easy as you think. On top of the constant job searching, I volunteered. I cleaned the house... only to have it become a mess again. I adopted two abandoned kittens. I made cat toys. I have made some hellaciously awesome meals (cheap, cheap meals). I read books. I blogged. During the warmer months, I went kayaking (and even paddled one time with a random unemployed person I met at the lake). Though there was admittedly much self-pity, I tried to occupy the now-40 spare hours a week in my life.

Two things have remained consistent not only in my quest for employment, but in my life in general: writing and watching movies. In the beginning (when I though unemployment was just a passing fad), I still had extended cable and was able to watch a lot of 90s reruns (90210 became my unexpected favourite, despite never seeing an episode before 2010). I realized the lack of good stuff on tv didn't justify the cost, so I am down to basic, mainly because my internet would go up in price if I dropped it completely. I have borrowed dvds from libraries, done Redbox a handful of times, and my personal favourite--Netflix.

The writing has come from failed blog attempts and correspondence to friends. Journaling. Part 1 of a novella. Everything seemed to be about the downward spiral of unemployment. Do you remember brainstorming in elementary and middle school? You would write an idea in a central area, then you would branch out your ideas, then those ideas would stem from that idea so you would end up with a big web of stuff to possibly write about. Well, in my life, it seems like I am no longer that central concept; unemployment is now what it's all about, the financial issues and the self-worth and the social life and everything. else. in. the. history. of. ever.


It occurred to me that if I like writing, and if I like movies... then why don't I combine the two? I am not one for new years resolutions, but I really hope to maintain this blog and get some readers on this. The silly (but good) thing is that I now have a part time job. It is not glamourous at all and I make about half of what I was making, but it gets me out of the house. It's not the most embarrassing job in the world, but it's far from a career. When you used to have your office and business card... well, it's very humbling to have a job that requires a name tag.

But I'm trying, and that's the important thing. And when I'm not trying, then I'm probably watching a movie.