Unemployment: Trials and Tribulations

In California, I was beginning to feel unemployed.  Prior to this, when I was in Oregon selecting a wedding venue with family members who are for the most part retired, I felt like I was on vacation.  Since getting to California, I felt jobless.  With no venues to visit, I had no goals or distractions; with no retired family members, I no longer had company during work days; and with no money, I had nothing to with my lonely time except run (slowly, as I was still recovering form circuit training), read books, and watch Law and Order SVU.  I promised that I would watch no more than one season of SVU during my unemployed time because I never want to get to the point where I have seen most of the episodes that air as re-runs on TV.  That would be worrisome (I would hate knowing I had spent that much of my time on a couch) and would also take away one of my greatest pleasures in using cable and certainties in life: No matter what, I can always find an episode of Law and Order to watch that is new to me.

This past Monday was day three in Mountain View, and my unemployment was becoming very trying.  My morning jog had rapidly become an early afternoon jog since I was getting up later and later and usually read for about an hour or two before getting out the door.  On the trail, I ran 1/2 to 2/3 of my planned distance and then walked the rest--what was the rush?  Sometimes, I walked extra because I had nothing to get home to except more reading. 

Afternoons were spent by the pool with Chelsea Handler's, "Are You There Vodka, It's Me Chelsea" followed by "My Horizontal Life."  This was less enjoyable than it sounds because by 2-3 PM when I arrived, the sun was lower than the surrounding pines and I had to wear jeans and a sweatshirt to keep warm enough in the shade. 

Caitlin asked me to make an orzo salad, so a good portion of this particular afternoon was spent at the grocery store and then in the kitchen, making the orzo early enough to give it time to cool off in the refrigerator before dinner.  One of my terms of housing was that I was to cook healthy food for Caitlin and Paul.  It crossed my mind that I should be applying for jobs rather than cooking, but I always to what my older sister tells me to do, and that seemed like a good enough excuse. 

It was only day three, and I was already becoming depressed by my situation and really felt like I understood the sadness and distress of friends who had gone through this experience post college for extended periods. 

Having felt completely worthless all day, I was desperate for company and a sense of purpose.  To my great pleasure, Caitlin and Paul came home early and their friend Lisa joined us for orzo and a sampling of Law and Order.  At 6 PM, I received a call from a Seattle area code, which I correctly assumed was a job offer that I was waiting on from the University of Washington.  Thank goodness. I don't think I could have handled much more unemployment.