With nothing better to do...

So, I was recently laid off from my job. It was part time, working at this great little organic "fast food" joint. I worked with the most eclectic, beautiful, fun people. The owner was great and the management amiable. I even enjoyed the customers (for the most part). As a sign of the times, the owner had to close the doors. It was a pretty new business, and the timing was very bad. She opened late last summer, when things didn't look quite as bleak. But then it hit. First, the "gas crisis" in WNC. Bullshit, if you ask me. Then, the cold weather. Really cold weather. Then this crappy economy wrapped itself around like a bow. A big, red, bloody bow.

More like a bloody BLOW! I've never been laid off before. Or even fired for that matter! As much as I try to not take it personally, it's a real kick to the gut. I'm now navigating unemployment benefits, and trying to figure out what to do with my time. I've been searching for full time work for almost two years now. I probably send out at least 2-3 applications per week as it is. So, even though I seem to manage a pretty fluid part time work arrangement, the pressure is pretty high.

We've lived paycheck to paycheck as it is, slowly accumulating debt as we go. My beloved minivan has over 120,000 miles on it and the heat is broken and the windows don't go down (or if they go down, they don't go back up again). We live a simple life. We are good people. I love my friends and family. I have a comfortable home. So, I hesitate to complain or whine or feel all "whoa is me". It sucks to feel like our financial stability is completely out of control, so the way I see it, the only thing I have control over is how I react to all of this change.

i like this kind of change better

So far, it's week two. Luckily, I work 10 hours a week, managing a grant in Hendersonville for infant care providers. It's a menial paycheck, but it makes me feel important. I don't really have to even go into the office, but I do to get out of the house. And yet, here I sit. In my house.

I've done two loads of laundry, dishes and revised my resume. I've piddled around on Facebook, spoke to the unemployment office twice, eaten leftovers for lunch, and applied for three jobs. Hum. Ho. Later this week, I plan to do our taxes (yawn), pillage through Gracie's clothes to pull out what no longer fits so I can sell it at the consignment store, and hopefully catch up with some girlfriends (also newly unemployed) to go for a nice hike. I got two new books for Christmas. I want to start a garden. I also recently acquired a copy of Photoshop, so I can also take some time to teach myself to use this unfamiliar program.

Speaking of photographs, some Facebook cronies of mine have started this thing called Project 365. They will either take photos or write and blog every day. Practice makes perfect, I think is appropriate here. Since I'd love to just take photographs for a living some day, I think I might challenge myself to something similar. I may not make it all 365 days, although I do pick up my camera a couple of times a week, at least. But, I think it will be fun and force me to leave the HOUSE! to go out and try to mix up my repertoire.

So, I would love it if you would join me on this mission. Enjoy the photos. Encourage me. Fill my head with some confidence. Or don't. Either way, I think I'll try to pull this off just long enough to start really enjoying it...then, maybe I'll land that job and won't have all this free time anymore!

I've included some I took this week. It's a start!



all photographs on this site are ©2008-2009ChristineCraftPhotography