Life of Karen

When you're driven and Type A and you're not working, you try to keep busy. It's difficult. Unemployment does not suit me.

I've been asked what I do all day. What do you think I do, sit around watching tv, eating chocolate, and getting all fat and lazy? Um, no. I wake up in the morning and as soon as I'm up, the cat wants to be petted. Einstein is very touchy and demanding so this can take a while. We've had 30 minute sessions before where he purrs in my lap and wants his chin stroked while I just want to get breakfast started. Depending on his mood, he may or may not dig his claws into my thighs when I try to stand up. I make breakfast -- cereal, fruits, or toast usually but last week I was on a tater tots kick. After breakfast, I often read for a few hours. I've been reading marketing books (Purple Cow, The One to One Future), law books (employment law, refresher on tax deductions, some IP but since I got rejected from the IP firm, I didn't finish that one), business books (have a Drucker book now), and general interest books (I've finished all of Malcolm Gladwell's books, Tipping Point, etc. And read The Shack, Gardening Eden -- which is by a friend, Rose City Justice, etc.). I make myself lunch then head out.

I go to the library weekly and read there or, more often than not, use their computers to look for jobs and catch up on email and now, write this post. I go to our apartment complex's leasing office almost daily to look for and apply for jobs using their computers. I've been treating the library and leasing office as my office of sorts since I like getting out of the apartment and having a change of scenery. Also, being frugal, maybe it helps keep our electricity bill low? I look for jobs on commercial job posting sites, school sites, government, etc. That may take an hour or two, depending on if there's anything I can apply for.

I try to exercise everyday. I mean, just because I'm unemployed doesn't mean I should let everything slide, right? I feel that there's no excuse for me to be out of shape when I don't have a job. Besides, I also hope to mitigate future health problems and health insurance premiums. I run outside or in the fitness room every other day. I've been increasing my mileage steadily so I ran 7 miles today. On days I don't run, I walk or swim (if the weather is nice and not cold. Today it's cool and feels more like mid-spring instead of summer). I like walking to the library, grocery store, and mailing services store. It's oh so environmentally friendly. ;) When I'm feeling down, I go for a run. There have been more of those days than I'd like (unemployment sucks) but I go until endorphins kick in and I feel better. Ah, chemical dependency. Of the "good" kind. (Just for the record, I've been feeling more optimistic lately so the 7 miles was not done out of despair but for fun)

I make Todd dinner and have been expanding my culinary and baking repertoire. Although, you couldn't tell by looking at Todd, but he's pretty well fed. When Todd comes home from work, he watches cartoons (Simpsons, Family Guy) on tv. We watch tv at night, Todd plays Xbox, or we go grocery shopping (Todd hates crowds so doesn't like to venture out on the weekend).

So that's a usual day in the life of Karen. Not very exciting.

Recently, I've been meeting more people and have been going into downtown almost every week. I like living in a city with a good public transportation system, especially since I'm dependent on it. There's a lot of interesting people using public transportation and you have some pretty interesting experiences downtown. Such as yesterday as I was using the women's restroom at Pioneer Place and there was a guy in the stall next to me yelling and swearing a lot (at himself, I think, since there was only one set of shoes). Anyway, I've been networking and meeting more people. It was a little daunting at first since it's hard to contact people you don't know or have any connection to, but people here have been so nice, friendly, and helpful. I'm blessed to have found mentors and people who have been kind enough to let me know if they hear of job openings and who have invited me along to events. I've also started going to more networking events. Todd has had to iron. :)