Whuhhh? What happened to weeks 4, 5 and 6?!!! Well, that’s how busy “not working” can be! Now in the midst of week 7 as a SUJ (Suddenly Unemployed Journalist*), I’ve had virtually NO “free” time: I finally got to L.A. a week ago Tuesday to finally see some former workmates for the first time since being laid off (fun, energizing brunch at Du-par’s, then a drink, then dinner with a family friend in “the biz,” then finally drinks with other former colleagues) – and that’s it. That’s been my only “free” time in seven weeks. The rest has been dealing with family matters (ok, including hanging out with the grandkids, going to Bryce’s soccer games, babysitting, etc), the unemployment department (still haven’t seen a check), dealing with insurance matters (my only moment of depression has been an hour and a half a week ago Wednesday when I realized I’d have to cough up $$$ to continue disability insurance – which I’m planning to drop – and discontinue other insurance coverage including long-term care), looking for work, rebuilding my own freelance businesses, updating the ol’ resume and personal websites, and ... ok, a confession: I don’t consider working on the garden or having dinner with my wife “free” time. Instead I consider that REAL time, the things I SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING all the time anyways. They don’t pay the bills, but they certainly puts things into perspective.
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*(...yes, some would dispute that being “just” a copy editor at a newspaper is equivalent to being a REAL bona fide journalist, but I’ll leave that for another essay)
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Luckily(?) I knew enough SUJs and others and knew enough about being a SUJ anyway that I realized early on it’s a good idea to have a regular routine, even though I could sleep in all day every day (which, admittedly, does save money). Recently, a family friend texted my wife’s cell phone early in the morning and expressed surprise when I responded for my spouse (since she was still asleep). I explained I had been up since 5:45 a.m. “Old habits die hard,” the friend texted back. Yes and no. Yes, it’s part habit (and part cat-thinks-sleeping-people/full-bladders-are-trampolines syndrome), but it’s also that sense of “getting going” and not lollygagging. So, even though workwise I don’t “have” to shave in the morning, I still do; I don’t “have” to get dressed, but I still do; I don’t “have” to brush my teeth... you get the idea. Frankly, though I hate to admit it, routine has been something of a godsend. Would I have “liked” to sleep in – no cat on belly, no answering the phone at 8 a.m. because Omaha Steaks REALLY wants to sell us some meat and someone else REALLY wants to sell us a new house loan? Yes. But there’s something about waking up early, before the sun has risen, and being greeted by chirping baby birds (drives Atreiu nuts, of course), and “getting going” – getting all those things done early on ... so I can go back to sleep for an hour. Like right now!
(Of course this all does raise the question of whether I’m truly “retired,” “semi-retired,” “on sabbatical,” or “just kidding myself.” ... Let me sleep on that one.)
