Just to show my support for the masses I decided to quit my cushy contract job. No, that’s not really why I did it. It’s far more complicated and rash than that.
But the bottom line is I am voluntarily unemployed at possibly the worst time to be unemployed since 1933. I have a house that’s been on the market since April 1, 2008 that I’m not even living in because I’ve rented another place to live in with JT. (Hint: One of the reasons I quit my contract gig.) How smart am I?!
Unfortunately, my nature seems to be that when the going gets tough I hide under a rock. Or, in my case, a pillow. Although I did drag myself to a networking event last night, God help me.
It turned out to be really cool, which was a pleasant surprise. I met some interesting people and it jazzed me up for awhile. Through talking to people I found myself looking at things from a different angle and coming up with ideas. Probably why they have social networking events. Who knew. I will probably go back again next month assuming I’m not living in a Maytag appliance box under an overpass somewhere. At least it will be spring soon.
I met this man last night who told me when he was unemployed in 1982 – which was as bad as now, according to him – he still got up, showered and dressed by 8 as if he was going to work. I thought those stories were urban myths! Good for him, I guess, but I don’t do that.
I wonder if I have the wherewithal to make something happen. To make cold calls and ask for informational interviews and set the alarm clock to dress for an imaginary job.
Pride goeth before a fall they say, or they used to say a really long time ago when people used words like “goeth.” I’ve been kind of high and mighty snarking at the masses and at corporate America and now it looks like I’m in for some tasty crow. Which will be good on a cold night in the big appliance box!
Yes, networking is all about networking. Dressing up, getting out from under the proverbial rock, and heading downtown with an "uptown" attitude, or at least heading across town with an "I can do this" attitude. It's all about shifting energy - a movement toward something, a gathering of momentum and purpose. But at times like this, it's still nice to know that there's a pillow waiting!
Posted by: Page Lambert | March 05, 2009 at 08:28 PM