Where DOES the Time Go?

One thing that I definitely have not discussed in a while is my seemingly eternal unemployment situation.

I like to pretend that it's not actually happening. Although in reality it has been 3 months since I got my ass kicked to the curb.

I've noticed a very definite shift in people, including myself, since December. A lot of it has to do with the continuing decline of our economy. Back then, only a few of us had taken a tumble when the shit hit the fan...most of my friends still had jobs...and most were quite willing to help out a friend in need and offer me leads for jobs, encouragement, words of wisdom, etc.

I, myself was pretty calm and somewhat, dare I say, excited at the prospect of something new and different waiting for me. I was pretty sure that I would have a job within weeks, or at the very least, a ton of freelance options at my fingertips, and some ideas for new business ventures (pet sitting, chocolate making, cupcakes at the brooklyn flea, blogging for cash...you get the idea).

Little by little, more and more friends started to lose their jobs...we would get together and commiserate, collect ideas and suggestions from each other as to how we could go about finding employement..we found cheap places to eat at, we found the longest happy hours, we found ways to keep each other sane.

I was lucky enough to pick up some freelance here and there, but that has since dried up. All of the unemployed friends are starting to stress out. No one is excited at the idea of getting together for lunch anymore, cuz the money's running out. All of the employed friends are stressed out as well, and seem to want to stay far, far away from us unemployed pariahs, for fear of catching our "disease."

I can't say I blame them.

So how DO I spend my time, you ask? Other than dating and sleeping with most of the men in the five boroughs (well, really four, I refuse to date anyone from Staten Island...of course)?

I talk to my cats a lot. The conversations go something like this: "So Igbot, what do you think of this pair of sweatpants? What do you mean I wore them already this week? They have a hole in the crotch? Whatevs, dude, no one's looking but you. Go eat another cat treat and fuck off."

I go to the gym a lot, hence the need for the constant wearing of sweat pants. Funnily, going to the gym 2 hrs a day doesn't seem to be doing much for my weight, but i sure do have an ass of steel.

I guess the fact that I'm poor and stock pure carbs in my kitchen cupboard might possibly be interfering with my gym success. I mean, think about it. When trying to save money on groceries, what do you buy? Pasta, of course. And, in my case, pancake mix. I make a lot of pancakes. Come on over, anytime, it's like Mel's Diner over here.

I have started talking on the phone. I never used to talk on the phone before...it just wasn't my thing. Now I'm so starved for human attention that I have long conversations about absolutely nothing, just to hear another person's voice. After 2 months of $400 phone bills I realized that I had to change my phone plan. Ooops.

I also take my computer to the neighborhood coffee shop, for the very same reason. I figure, if I'm working amongst other people, it feels like going to an office, or something.

I have modeled for a friend's photo project. I have attended a funeral. I've seen some movies. I've had some interviews. I've managed to avoid almost all day drinking...to my chagrin...but I know that day drinking is asking for trouble...and all too easy to make a habit. But would make the time go so much quicker ;)

I've picked up smoking again...here and there. It used to be an "only when drinking" thing...now I'll buy a pack of cigarettes and have one while I search the internet for jobs.

(that one's gonna have to stop. SOON).