"Do you miss unemployment?"

Well, I'm officially at the end of week one at the new job and it's about what you'd expect from the 1st week. (Partnering, figuring out systems, finding the cafeteria, etc.) I've recently read that it's considered one of the most favorable companies to work for in terms of employee satisfaction/happiness and so far there's been nothing to indicate otherwise. I even joined the in-house gym (It's not cheating, Fitness Crossroads. It's just to kill time before rehearsal for the next few weeks. And they are dirty cheap) so that I can keep up my run training while figuring out what my actual schedule is going to be. So fingers crossed- so far, so good. (Of COURSE two of the places I applied to got back to me for an interview. I think, though, I'm going to stick around here if you don't mind- in spite of the drive to move folks to sales)

That said, a comment was made a few weeks back where I was asked if I "liked" being unemployed. (I was hemming and hawing over an offer that seemed like it wouldn't be a good fit.) So let's clear one thing up right away- I don't/didn't "like" being unemployed. What I didn't like was not having a steady income/ability to put $ away. And truthfully, that's about it.

See, I figured out this last period of downtime that I didn't want to just take any douche-y job that came up- even if it meant continued unemployment. Reason being, I don't think over the last 18 years or so? I haven't really enjoyed any job outside of the theatre. (I had a very, very brief run at The 'Artford when I created the quality team, was training, felt my input to the senior leaders was valuable, AND they had me travelling. AND I liked my boss a lot. And as a caveat, not all theatre gigs- And I'm talking "paid" gigs now- are aces. Let me know how you feel after singing and dancing outside in cowboy boots and a light up shirt in 104 degree heat during the summer come mid-July and you'll know what I mean.)

Everything ends up being about skills, or more specifically how happy are you at eating bullshit. And the economy of fear has people dumbing-down their palates. My big thing, is that I didn't want to dread going to the office. If I found/find a job that I actually enjoy doing? That would be a huge bonus. So I figured out some pros and cons after thinking about this for a few minutes, not to help find my strengths or establish a goal- but rather to say that being unemployed wasn't too bad. At least until the checks from the gubmint run out. So the list:

-The physical routine. After my last two lay-offs/shit-cannings, I learned my lesson well: Just because you're not a productive member of society does not mean you can start your day off with eggs and a bloody Mary. Daily. That's a recipe for heartburn/gut rot and that shit takes the motivation right out of you. While I like set hours (I like routine, whatever.) I was able to get up every day and hit the gym. Every. Day. And the last month or so, I started to truly feel like my body was coming together. And it wasn't a rushed visit. It was being able to do it at my own pace. And karate? Sheeeeit. I could hit the afternoon class where there weren't as many people.

- Cruising the internet without fear of reprisal. Especially for new work! Every company makes you sign off on that disclaimer that you aren't to use the interweb for personal use...including Pr0n. Well after checking my business and doing my due diligence with employment websites? It's off to frass!

- It's so, sooooo easy to go to auditions. Trying to get on-camera work is hard enough in this town. Trying to land auditions, book gigs, while holding down a 9-5? Dicey prospect at best. There's trying to tell your boss you need a few hours off during the day, and IF you land it there's taking PTO to do the actual shoot. (And many times, having a boss that just plain says "No.") If you want to land gigs, you can't piss away auditions...and after I got tossed from the last job one of the first things I did was call my agent and tell them to send me on as many auditions that come up that I'm eligible for.

-Never late, never worry. Meeting buddies for lunch is super easy! I could be on-time to shows b/c I wasn't worried about cramming in a commute.

-No commute. 'Nuff said.

-Bathrobes are considered "business casual". Of course.

- Taking care of business. I was able to really capitalize on projects that sit around and look me in the face on a day-to-day basis. The bathroom sink debacle? There's probably a good chance that would have taken over a month or two to finish otherwise.

-Siesta's Look, while I did do my due diligence in the morning, I fully acknowledge that I could have gotten into the depressing habit of sleeping in with my door shut every day until I went feral. As it stood, I would get up when Moda slept over and shuffle off to the gym so that I did, in fact, have a routine in place to get me out the door. That said...around 1...maybe 2 in the afternoon? I sure as shit listened to my body when it said "NAP TIME!!!" And like a good toddler, I'd go down for about 45 minutes or so...waking later and feeling refreshed. (This backfired slightly when Moda eventually asked if I was sick because I "seemed to take a lot of naps".)

So what don't I miss? Well, you spend most of your time on house-arrest b/c gas costs money, and you need to limit going out superfluously. So that's a LOT of your house to spend time in. And as much as I care about my roommate...well, you get to intimately know their routine and ultimately see a LOT of them. Which, for my part, is too much. (I recognize as I get older there is a little introvert in me that cherishes "Mike-Time".) There also tends to be a stigma that looms over your head...the one that says "UNEMPLOYED"...which can translate in my mind into "LOSER". Not the rule, but it could have been.