Cut Loose

Late last week, I was laid off. Two more weeks and the fifth anniversary of my employment would have passed, but it didn’t work out that way. I won’t go into the particulars, not so much because my severance agreement suggested that I not share them with the world, but because I don’t care to dwell on it. I feel a little strange, but not very bitter or even upset. No member of my family is panicking either.

There’s no immediate crisis, and little risk of being tossed out on the street someday. When I called an old friend and former co-worker on Saturday, one of the first things he said was, “I’ll bet you’re glad you’ve lived within your means.” I am.

So now I look for work, which includes freelance writing assignments until something permanent turns up. Better to be laid off in the spring. Last time this happened was in November 1995; a lousy time to be out of a job. As it happens, the weather lately has been flawless for unemployment. April is hit-or-miss proposition in terms of warmth up here in the North, and for once, it’s been warm, nearly 80 F these last few days.

I will continue writing here, but try not to turn it into a chronicle of unemployment. I may even be able to see a few things I would have missed by being in an office.