Happy Birthday

So, I celebrated my 45th birthday in grand fashion - I attended a mandatory meeting at my local State Unemployment office. Yuck. How did I get here? As I drove to the office in the pouring rain, I started to chuckle at the predicament that I was currently in. I mean, I had a job, albeit I was sitting in a cube doing, well, I really don't know, for a Fortune 5000 company. I had a nice new laptop that was blazing fast - just ask any song I downloaded from iTunes, I wore a headset for my weekly 'call campaigns', I dressed in pleated khakis and I had access to all the free coffee I could tolerate. That was then (the last week in April) this was now (the second week of May). At first, I thought, Cool!! Unemployment! I'm gonna sit around and drink umbrella drinks and wear flip flops - then the reality of the situation hit me like a ball peen hammer - Crap! I have a 30 yr fix mortgage and a kid in daycare. Time to get on the ball (so to speak).

I can get through this.

Ok, so back to my meeting - I eventually found a parking spot and soon found myself on the third floor in a small conference room surrounded by a lot of folks who didn't want to be there as well. We all watched a bad video (circa 1985 or so - could tell by the crazy hair style the narrator had) and filled out some forms. This lasted about an hour. I thought I was done. Time to go home and watch my Tivo-ed episodes of Family Guy. Ahh no. Time to get the resume in shape (still not complete). Time to fill out some online applications (fibbed a bit), Time to network (does Facebook count?). This is gonna be work.

I can get through this.

I was called the next day to attend yet another mandatory State meeting next week and this one is to be about 3 hours!! Seriously?

Ok, ok... I can get through this.

For now, being home closer to the wife and daughter beats sitting in a cube wearing a headset and pleated khakis drinking free coffee. Well, Ill take the free coffee.

I can get through this.