Things To Do While Unemployed

I’m taking the elimination of my job amazingly well. Or at least that’s what everyone is telling me. People look at me awkwardly, asking how I’m dealing with the news, and I just smile and say, “I’m fine.” And then they give me that sad look that tells me they think I’m being so strong in hiding my pain, so I have to follow up with, “No, really! Do you know how much I can get done without my job getting in my way and sucking up all my energy?”

Not an optimist, folks. Just a realist.

But c’mon – if I’m going to be unemployed (hopefully for only a very short while), why NOT plan out all of the projects, chores, and wish lists I’ve wanted to tackle for so long but never had the time for? I feel like I’ve suddenly got the entire world in front of me, with limitless directions to take.

Here’s just a few of the items I’ve started writing in a notebook (three pages now, people!) that I can now do with my time, in no particular order:

For home:
Make a greater dent in the laundry, get rid of clothing that no longer fits, de-clutter every room in the house, clean out the garage, put up the shelf I just bought from Ikea, take down the kitchen table & replace with the larger crate for Cosmo (this dog is getting too big), vacuum more often, learn to paint with the help of Pinterest and YouTube, paint a few rooms, get some kind of filing system up and running to keep papers under control, dust (for once), and more…

For the family:
Volunteer for my daughters’ classrooms, pick Cordy up from school some days so she doesn’t spend 1.5 hours on the bus, take Mira to preschool each day so Aaron doesn’t have to be late for work, learn to cook with Pinterest and blogs (I’m trusting you, food-bloggers!), cook meals occasionally without poisoning my family, decorate my daughters’ rooms with input from them, help Cordy with her homework, read more with Mira and take the time to teach her how to read, take the dog for walks, make doctor and dentist appointments that I’ve been too busy to make and then go to them, pay attention when Mira tries to tell me something that is so important to her, listen to Cordy’s stories, cuddle with Aaron on the couch and spend time together and not just in the same room, sign Mira up for gymnastics or ice skating and take her to classes, and more…

For me:
Sleep at night again, next to my husband (!!!!), go the gym more, blog more, use my gift cards to have a facial or massage, get acquainted with my sewing machine again and find my way back into sewing, play video games, visit with friends, re-do my blog template, play with my fancy camera, catch up on Downton Abbey (I’m only a few episodes into season one), blast loud music in the living room and dance around like a fool when no one is home, reorganize my Pinterest boards, do something with my Facebook fan page, meditate, read a book or two, say yes to more product reviews for small businesses I want to support, knit, and (you guessed it) more…

Whew!

Looking at that list, I’m kinda amazed at how behind I am on things. I should have found myself a stay-at-home wife years ago to help me get all this done! 

Did you read it all? I admit, it’s a long list, and I seem to find new things to add to it each day. And of course there will be a half hour or more set aside each day to check the job boards and look for any opportunities that would be a good fit for me, or network with friends who might know of good jobs. (This has already been happening and so far is very promising!)

I feel so free knowing the long hours of my night shift are at an end. I’ve worked an overnight shift for years now; seeing the sunshine and enjoying my weekends without being in a sleepy fog will be refreshing. If you’ve never worked overnights for an extended period of time, you have no idea how it affects your body and mind. No matter how much you try to convince your body that night is day, and buy blackout shades to have some darkness during the day while you sleep, it still knows. Oh, it knows, and hates you all the more for it.

Maybe I’ll even blog some of the adventures I’ve listed above? I’ve been so removed from the domestic scene for so long that it could be comedy gold.

I doubt I’ll get to everything on my lists. But I’m actually excited at having the ability to tackle them.