Addiction

We all knew it was only a matter of time. My personality, my specific levels of mania, coupled with unemployment have quickly lead down the slick, smooth, high speed slide to addiction.

It started with just an hour or two. I told myself the lies that everyone does.  It won't be often.  It can't have that strong a pull. I can resist. I won't be like everyone else. LIES!!  They are just easy lies. 

I fell asleep planning my next fix.  I spent hours at it yesterday. A few already today. 

Drugs? Alcohol? OCD cleaning?  Place your bets. . .

I caved. I cut my cable TV months ago.  Aside from a month with rabbit ears (yes, they still make add on antennae for TV), I've been TV free.  I didn't miss it.  I was too busy.  Then my contract ended.  I have a lot of hours to fill in each day and trips out of the hour usually mean I'm spending money.  Money that doesn't currently have a replacement date.

I am still interacting with people, real life people.  I am back to going to the gym. I have also watched all of the first season of Whitney (Amazing.  Seriously.  If you are sarcastic and jaded, find it.) which was twenty two half hour episodes. I've also watched a half dozen episodes of The Simpsons (how did I go so long?), and Fairly Legal.

I know I have a problem.  I may need an intervention.  I . . . can't  . . . .I can't walk away from the freakin computer!  And I'm still on the free version of Hulu.  God forbid if I decide to pay the staggering rate of eight dollars a month or whatever it is for the unlimited, commerical limited version. 

Can someone confiscate my credit card?  (Though Groupon may then go bankrupt)

Da da daaaaa. . . . Unemployed!

It's official, I'm unemployed. 

I just filed for unemployment benefits for the first time EVER. As a contractor, I knew my contract was finite. The end came slightly more abruptly and in a less courteous manner than I'd have hoped for, but I knew it was coming.  The nice thing about being a contractor is that you do know it's going to end.  When I was let go/downsized from a job before it was a surprise and upsetting.  This time it was a good thing.  Being without a paycheck isn't a good thing but getting a final answer was.  VMC was being mysterious about what they were going to do with me (end my contract, move me to another department) and that made me more anxious than having a decision. 

I'm working with several contracting firms and recruiters.  I'm applying to everything in the field and can interview any time.  It looks like there will be several projects starting in October and I should be well placed to take a position on one of them.  Lots of options too: local, travel, longer term, very short term. Hmmmm, what will be next on my agenda?

I am in that old catch 22.  I wanted to travel but didn't have any time to do so with work and no vacation days.  Now I have the time but since I don't know when the next paycheck will come in, I shouldn't spend hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on a trip just yet.  When I lock in a new job, then maybe. Although, Portland and California are so close they don't really count as travel, right?

With that, I'm off to a phone interview. Fingers crossed!