tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post3391111791266639280..comments2008-12-22T15:15:04.381-05:00the lil beenoreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-12684972153141736042008-12-22T15:15:00.000-05:002008-12-22T15:15:00.000-05:00you are awesome. very inspiring post. i am going to sharpie your rules on my wall.<BR/>i just lost my job a little over a month ago. i was anticipating it for about two months and came up with a back-up plan in the meantime - to learn how to sew and start a lil handbag biz. of course when the shit hit the fan my ego was hurt for a few days (i left the office in tears!), but having friends around, keeping busy with personal projects, and discovering cheap and free things to do in nyc has been a lifesaver, and much more satisfying than a real job, although i do miss the steady paycheck. i would love to travel but the lack of monies is a problem (how did you do it??!)hazelhttp://www.elefantsdonkees.etsy.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-65311147533620196962008-12-21T23:32:00.000-05:002008-12-21T23:32:00.000-05:00This was the best! Loved every single wordVanessa Cavacohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06579516357290304241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-23028124020309315402008-12-20T13:10:00.000-05:002008-12-20T13:10:00.000-05:00excellent post guys!a print a dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139950044168441003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-44609091993593806432008-12-20T12:07:00.000-05:002008-12-20T12:07:00.000-05:00Hi Sparklemag! Well, I'm going to answer your question with a question—do you know what it is that you want to do? Based on your response, my advice would fall into one of three categories...<BR/><BR/>YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL<BR/>If the career change you're looking to make involves going back to school, now might be the perfect time to go, given the state of the job market. This, of course, is a big financial investment and emotional commitment, so it's not something I would consider lightly. <BR/><BR/>YOU WANT TO SWITCH CAREERS, BUT DON'T NEED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL<BR/>My advice here would be to stay at your job and try to line up an internship for the summer. You are at an advantage in that you have your entire summer off, so why not take that time to test-drive a new career? Do a ton of research on the field you think you're interested in, and then start looking into internships where you can learn about the industry for free. But start NOW. Magazines begin interviewing for their summer internships around February, and I'm sure other industries are on a similar timeline. You will undoubtedly be working for free, but it will give you a very good idea of what to prepare for if you were to work in that industry full-time. **Let us know what field you're interested in—if you have figured that out, of course—and we can weigh in more specifically.<BR/><BR/>YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, BUT YOU WANT OUT OF YOUR CURRENT JOB<BR/>This was the category I fell into four years ago, right before I quit my job to travel cross-country with my now-husband and our dog. And while my motto has always been that it's better to do something and regret it, than regret never trying, I'm going to have to make an exception here. Unless you absolutely know for certain that you would be financially stable enough to leave your job and start fresh, I'd suggest you try and stick it out for another year. You have job security that most people don't have, even after 10, 20 years of service. (And I know you know that.) The nice thing about a job like yours is that you are done with your day before the rest of the world, so you can take that time to research potential careers or start a new hobby that will give you a creative outlet and could lead to bigger things. <BR/><BR/>Whew! If that wasn't a windbag answer, I don't know what is!! Best of luck to you, and feel free to write back or email me personally with more specifics. <BR/><BR/>And, in closing, let me just tell you that Paulie (my husband) is a teacher and I have the utmost respect for what you do, day in and day out. "Overworked and underpaid" is just the tip of the iceberg. Thankfully you have off next week, so take that time to relax and think about your future!!The Lil Beehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12271310136010979584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-89756461287107933852008-12-20T11:23:00.000-05:002008-12-20T11:23:00.000-05:00OK question for both of you. I really want to leave my job as a teacher. I love it but it is too stressful and demanding. Overworked and underpaid does not even describe. But I am hesitant considering the job situation and the fact that my job is one of the safest jobs right now as far as security. What is your opinion?sparklemaghttp://sparklemag.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-72742316189845551772008-12-20T07:15:00.000-05:002008-12-20T07:15:00.000-05:00Love this! Great advice too!Abbey Goes Design Scoutinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15306561357367118457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-37642603755586039492008-12-19T23:00:00.000-05:002008-12-19T23:00:00.000-05:00I just started a six-month leave of absence and was just about to put up a post on my own blog about creating a new routine for myself! I left my job in Sweden for half a year to work more on my writing and screenplay here in the States, which will require a little more discipline than the past few days of MTV and Food Network viewing have allowed. Thanks for the extra encouragement!Vanessahttp://thevoyageofv.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-22678666106112736542008-12-19T11:01:00.000-05:002008-12-19T11:01:00.000-05:00Loves it. Rules are good, even better to be broken. But perhaps that's just me and my indie spirit bucking the system (as demented and sad as the system now is...limping along and hoping everything will magically fix itself after Bush gets booted from his purty white house.) I digress. Good post.The Curateurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17482555329732473295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-4258415018850326152008-12-19T08:39:00.000-05:002008-12-19T08:39:00.000-05:00This post was fun! Dennis is in my name too so I knew this would be good! Too bad I've already broken a couple of those rules! But, it felt good to read such a positive post. The unemployed love yoU!Femme Starhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11261906639152712080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-52169438175617672132008-12-19T06:43:00.000-05:002008-12-19T06:43:00.000-05:00Good to keep it positive and hope for something better. Making the most of your freedom is probably the number 1 key. Good advice.Cicada Studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16219482020450093441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-53960590604634134892008-12-18T23:59:00.000-05:002008-12-18T23:59:00.000-05:00Such a fun post!! LOVED it. Great entertainment, and if I'm unemployed in the near future (probably), I'll read and follow the rules.Vivianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11360202895003317227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-92147213912029812852008-12-18T22:33:00.000-05:002008-12-18T22:33:00.000-05:00Great post. Bee, your stimulus package is so brilliant. It's good to have smart friends! Dennis, I completely enjoyed this. Love the list.jaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10377887136710630792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-52331114324592583742008-12-18T21:51:00.000-05:002008-12-18T21:51:00.000-05:00Great post! You're definitely not alone, although I'm sure if you have a tv or listen to the radio you're well aware of that. My husband just received a letter informing him that his last day was the 30th of this month. "Merry Freakin' Christmas," I replied![J]http://www.blogger.com/profile/08212796262869782658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-40077717621061719672008-12-18T18:04:00.000-05:002008-12-18T18:04:00.000-05:00dennis, i am in my pj's, it's 5:00, and i'm just about ready to pour my first glass of wine for the day. you pretty much wrote everything i would have written about newfound unemployment (going on 4 weeks now)... the only other advice i'd add is file for unemployment bennies! you'll be able to booze up for a few weeks...painted fish studiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01888396609676707356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-6461349586531312082008-12-18T16:54:00.000-05:002008-12-18T16:54:00.000-05:00Thanks D and Bee! I needed this. Just quit Corporate America (and LA) to hightail it sans employment to London. I don't have a job "sorted" yet and everything is double what it is in US but I don't mind. Avoiding TV isn't a problem...they still play Sally Jessy over here (no joke).Jill Rosennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-26590878068066976912008-12-18T15:47:00.000-05:002008-12-18T15:47:00.000-05:00This is awesome. <BR/><BR/>And Family Feud is the best game show ever.zakaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17050000234750719978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-62826305435981522992008-12-18T14:55:00.000-05:002008-12-18T14:55:00.000-05:00You make it look so easy, but how do you pass this one over on the ladies? "I'm great at being unemployed" doesn't seem to be the most effective way to get laid. Although whatever I'm doing doesn't seem to work that great either.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-2646663166979249032008-12-18T14:45:00.000-05:002008-12-18T14:45:00.000-05:00Great post - you are too funny. Those are great rules to live by!please sirhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18399057388828998855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-53770315603120339792008-12-18T14:39:00.000-05:002008-12-18T14:39:00.000-05:00I am loving the guest bloggers, Bee! I'm getting a little nervous for mine...how can I live up to all your fabulous friends?! :)<BR/><BR/>Dennis, I loved this! Melisa told me that you'd be guest blogging and I couldn't wait to read it...you did not disappoint. Your rules are fantastic. I found myself making (and trying to follow) the same rules when I quit my job over a year ago...it's still difficult some days and I often find myself craaaving structure. Rule #1 is the most difficult for me since I am very easily side-tracked until suddenly it's 2pm and I'm still in my pa-jams with a cup of cold coffee next to my computer...mostly I wish that I could get my work done during the day so that I don't find myself awake at 1am doing the things that I should have been doing at 1pm! <BR/><BR/>oh, and the CNN in the background definitely doesn't count - I definitely feel like I need the noise and I need to feel connected (although...how annoying that they just loop the same thing all day?!)<BR/><BR/>It was great to "meet" you here...I live near your neighborhood so if you ever need some company at the galleries/museums/wifi testing...holla at me! Melisa can tell you that I'm not completely crazy (although some days it is debatable) since she and I met in person the other day...well, my hair is pretty crazy but does that really count?<BR/><BR/>:)Chessahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14619953390847121652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-21540423212531807142008-12-18T14:08:00.000-05:002008-12-18T14:08:00.000-05:00Awesome. I want to get laid off and break all the rules ;)Shelbyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05514296401724811035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-81670816452524109902008-12-18T13:35:00.000-05:002008-12-18T13:35:00.000-05:00Btw, I would be doing the internets a dis-service if I didn't quote Milton Glaser's "<A HREF="http://www.miltonglaser.com/pages/milton/essays/es3.html" REL="nofollow">If you have a choice, never have a job</A>" here. (#2) :)dpstyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11037534053082985171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-88581854664373930222008-12-18T13:32:00.000-05:002008-12-18T13:32:00.000-05:00Excellent post. <BR/><BR/>Although I&#39;m lucky enough to be currently employed in a job I enjoy (for the most part) the hubs has his master&#39;s graduation tomorrow &amp; has spent most of this last week (his first week of &quot;nothing&quot;) searching for a job. <BR/><BR/>I&#39;m sending this post along to him, I know he&#39;ll enjoy : ) Thanks!Arlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06201718517263059368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-16126876069944761562008-12-18T13:28:00.000-05:002008-12-18T13:28:00.000-05:00that is the best advice, dennis! i would add to have hope. lack of it might force you to settle for the first available opportunity, which might not be the best. having hope will allow you to make the best of the transition and take advantage of the extra time. and, keep it in perspective. this period is probably just a grain of sand on the beach of your life.cindy : quainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10658384183783157441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-64459132814626074232008-12-18T13:22:00.000-05:002008-12-18T13:22:00.000-05:00very rarely do i actually hit a link on twitter and have been turning that s.o.b. off during the day (except for now - i need to check into that) but i'm happy that i did. i'm thinking of starting martial arts again (brown belt in kajukenbo - what?) which probably can be paid by adhering to point number three, subsection whiskey.BOB THE BUTCHERhttp://www.bobthebutcherofbliss.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4656426566021916969.post-3592794305676087042008-12-18T13:02:00.000-05:002008-12-18T13:02:00.000-05:00hey, you forgot to mention your stint at MTV.com in your about me section. It wasn't that bad, was it? I'm still there. :)sioushienoreply@blogger.com