John of All Trades

So, one day into unemployment, and I have to say I’m pretty happy with the progress I’ve made. This morning started with me realizing how many people still read my blog (seriously!)…when there’s something to read of course. When I realized this, I winced visibly thinking that I hadn’t posted since April. I’m flattered that so many people noticed last night’s post, and extended their best wishes. To take full advantage of this podium (just in case I wind up having anything interesting to say), I’ve connected the blog to my Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn profiles. As an aside, WordPress really makes this a breeze.

The next order of business was filing for unemployment benefits. I’ve heard that this can take a few weeks to come through, and living in Florida I’m sure a few weeks is optimistic, so I figured that should be the first priority. Maybe – hopefully – I won’t really need it, but the last thing I need is to be conquered by my own overconfidence at this point. Florida, if you’re listening, you should really spend a little more time thinking about the validation of web forms…if questions only need to be answered when a previous question is answered “Yes”, don’t force me to fill out those fields after I start off with a “No”. It’s just confusing all around, and makes people think you don’t really know what you’re doing…

After that very involved and overly confusing process was finished, I waded into the thicket that was my resume. It’s hard to believe how out-of-date something can get when it’s neglected for six years. I know, I know, the first commandment for IT workers is Always Keep Thy Resume Up-To-Date. What can I say, I was overcome by a mixture of optimism, overconfidence, and denial. After outlining, researching, and writing this up, I think I’m finally ready to start sending it out to everyone and everything that will stand still long enough…first thing tomorrow morning.

As a closing note, I thought I’d indulge my philosophical side for a minute. Have you ever noticed how long it takes things to start up, and how quickly they end? I’m not just talking about The Phone Call yesterday; I’m talking about the fact that The Phone Call was only yesterday, and by lunchtime today I was looking at an envelope containing my severance agreement. By contrast, my unemployment benefits will probably walk here from Seattle. I guess it all comes down to motivation.