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jchrisobrienThis unemployment thing is starting to wear on me.
People will ask me how I'm doing, and I want to say something better than " same old same old." I paint, I surf the Internet, I send out job applications. I watch Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Clone High on my computer, and then I paint some more. I spend the majority of my day at home, in the same place. My Creativity Table holds my computer and my painting area now. So I don't need to move at all. Lately, I've felt a malaise falling over me the longer I sit here. I read friend's entries and e-mail, but I don't respond.
Now, the answer to all this is fairly obvious. Get away from the desk! Going to the gym always energizes me and breaks the monotony. If I move to the next room, I can watch movies (my roommate still has films I haven't seen yet), read books (one I have to review for my mother), and wander around town more. Which means braving these arctic temperatures. Brr.
You know what else it is? When you are working, even if it's at a shitty job, you are producing something. You are helping society function, part of the great machine that keeps the country and economy running. You can say you've accomplished something at the end of the day (hopefully). When you're not working, you aren't helping. In my case, I'm not taking care of myself. I'm not working for my money, which is always a punch in the gut to your self-esteem.
HOWEVER.
I didn't ask to be laid off. I am trying to find work. I am completing tasks (mostly painting), but I have tangible results at the end of the day. It's just a matter of adding more variety to the day. Of focusing your will and writing. Of getting out of the house and getting back into the world.
Change will come.
People will ask me how I'm doing, and I want to say something better than " same old same old." I paint, I surf the Internet, I send out job applications. I watch Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Clone High on my computer, and then I paint some more. I spend the majority of my day at home, in the same place. My Creativity Table holds my computer and my painting area now. So I don't need to move at all. Lately, I've felt a malaise falling over me the longer I sit here. I read friend's entries and e-mail, but I don't respond.
Now, the answer to all this is fairly obvious. Get away from the desk! Going to the gym always energizes me and breaks the monotony. If I move to the next room, I can watch movies (my roommate still has films I haven't seen yet), read books (one I have to review for my mother), and wander around town more. Which means braving these arctic temperatures. Brr.
You know what else it is? When you are working, even if it's at a shitty job, you are producing something. You are helping society function, part of the great machine that keeps the country and economy running. You can say you've accomplished something at the end of the day (hopefully). When you're not working, you aren't helping. In my case, I'm not taking care of myself. I'm not working for my money, which is always a punch in the gut to your self-esteem.
HOWEVER.
I didn't ask to be laid off. I am trying to find work. I am completing tasks (mostly painting), but I have tangible results at the end of the day. It's just a matter of adding more variety to the day. Of focusing your will and writing. Of getting out of the house and getting back into the world.
Change will come.
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Date: 2003-02-13 03:04 pm (UTC)Take the opportunity to go on a short trip. Visit friends in other cities. Visit your family. If there's a tournament or a show or some event, check it out! You've got a car, so you can drive somewhere.
I know what you mean, though...Whenever I've been unemployed, I keep thinking that it'd be a great opportunity to get an army finally painted. However, I can only do that for so long before I find myself needing to get out of the house, which means I've never gotten the army finally painted. Aieee.
I think the other problem is that you're unemployed at a time when few of your friends are unemployed. When I was unemployed for a year, it was at a time when a bunch of friends were also out of work, so there were plenty of people to hang out with. Might as well poke around to see who else you know is out of work and hang out with them. Presumably I'll be done with this damn contract job soon, so I should have a lot of free time ahead of me. :)
no subject
Date: 2003-02-13 04:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-02-13 06:38 pm (UTC)Keep your chin up! Something will come around. In the meantime, I guess it helps to set goals for yourself. I could have stood to do a bit more of that =(