So here I am, unemployed for a month. Just got word that earlier today, four more people were let go by my former employer. So that is five of us, pounding the pavement, chasing after the almighty dollar. I have had some luck; got some contract work early on, and meeting with some folks over the next couple of weeks. I still haven’t finished the paperwork for unemployment; psychologically, it feels like that would be acknowledging something I don’t quite want to acknowledge yet.

In my free time I have been reading a lot, and spending more time with my girlfriend, and taking care of things around the house. My days have been surprisingly full, actually, and it makes me wonder how I ever managed while I was working 45-60 hours a week. In the last ten days I think I have got a full eight hours of sleep at least three times. Last time I did that was, umm…college, I think, when sleeping in until 1 in the afternoon on a Tuesday was a point of pride.

The one serious project I have completed so far has been to move the website for From the Heart Yoga over to Drupal Gardens. That’s right; the CMS which caused me such grief over the past year is now my go-to solution for almost any standard website I might be called upon to build. I actually learned a few interesting technical things, which will be the subject of upcoming blog posts of the “I had to figure this out for myself; here are my notes so you don’t have to” type.

Other than the lack of health insurance, I would/could comfortably do this for a long time. Except…

Except…

There are a lot of other people out there who are also unemployed, or under-employed, and who do not have the prospects I do, and to whom I feel obligated. I have a lot of friends who are hurting right now, and, if I can’t actually get them back on their feet, I feel that I should get myself back up and running so that I am in a better position to help them if the need should arise. What kind of friend would I be if I have the opportunity to help someone else, and deliberately put myself in a position where I can’t?

Yeah, having time to think has definitely broadened my horizons.