Adventures in Unemployment

I had a whole topic that I wanted to write about today, but now I'm watching Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, and I forgot what that was. For anyone invested in the show, I just finished watching the reunion shows of Season 1, and I paused the first episode of Season 2 so I could write this. I'm not going to sit here and pretend that it was something life changing, and that the revelation I had would have illuminated something for you, but it was probably smart. If I had to guess, I probably wanted to talk about where I'm going next in this world. The real answer is that I don't know. Where am I going? Well, tomorrow I'm going to the grocery store with a list prepared so I don't overspend. I would already say that I'm a relatively good cook and baker, but I'm about to get better so we can eat in a bit more. OH! That's what I was going to talk about! Look at this, my brain does still work! Being frugal in December (ok, almost December) seems like an...

Today's blog post is dedicated to my cousin who hosted Thanksgiving today for 50+ people. Not only does she do that, but she reads this blog every day and I appreciate that. I hope you start one when you travel so I can return the favor 💜 Now, on a big holiday like this, I don't need to keep up this blog. It's for my unemployment journey, and today is not a workday. I want to be thankful today, not bitter. Plus, you don't need to hear from me every single day. But on Day 100?! I obviously couldn't pass this by! So, here is my day... numerically. Miles driven: 183.6 Gas price the day before: $2.95/gal How long my casserole was supposed to take in the oven: 40-55 minutes How long it actually took: 65 minutes Naps by passenger: 1 Expected number of people in attendance: 58 Actual number of people in attendance: Are you kidding? I didn't count that. Turkeys cooked: 4 Number of us who have been laid off this year: 4 Number of people I pissed off: 2 (honestly, a reco...

I am particularly annoyed by Marjorie Taylor Greene right now. Oh, to be sure, I have never been a fan of hers. She is, until recently, a cruel and selfish conspiracy theorist. I would venture to say she is one of the main reasons people think the political right are so over the top. But here we are, just a couple of weeks from her resigning on January 6, 2026, and we find out she is going to get a pension because of that. I'm sorry, what? A pension for life ? For 5 years of work? That can't be right. But it is. According to the Forbes article I'm staring at right now, she is 51 and she will get more than $260,000 over her lifetime. It works out to about $8700/year. I know that isn't a ton of money, but as someone who has been unemployed for nearly 100 days, unemployment benefits will run out after 26 weeks on them, and worked at UB for a combined 4 years, GEICO for a total of 7 years, and IH for a year and a half when the decision was made for me that I needed to go, a...

I thought I knew what I wanted to write about today, but nothing's coming out. I thought maybe I could talk about my pending trip to Wegmans, which is crazy the week of Thanksgiving. Then I thought I could talk about what I'm planning to make to bring to the family, but it's just corn casserole and brownies. Then I thought I could talk about my walk with the dogs today and our chat with my favorite old lady, but I just talked about her the other day. Then I thought I could talk about my mammogram this morning, but if you've had one, you know. So I'm out of ideas. I suspect part of it has to do with the fact that I wrote a blog post for my husband's business today, so maybe I used up all of my words for the day. Another part is probably because I'm laying on the couch, trying to ignore how comfy and cozy I am with the dogs and a blanket, and I keep yawning even though I need to go to Wegmans. I guess I started this blog to help me work out how I'm feeling...

Twas the week of Thanksgiving, when inside my head, I practiced conversation pieces that weren't my career dead end. The topics were chosen with the greatest of care, Since this Buffalo girl is worried about how the Bills will soon fare. So what is there to talk about at an event so big? Perhaps how the elections were too big to rig? On second thought, maybe that idea is not so smart, I'll just talk about this blog since it's a real work of art. I'll also prepare some book titles I've liked and recipes I've tried, And when I'm asked how it was, I'll say "well nobody died." I'm fairly certain the family is done asking me when I'll have a mini me, Which is good, since my surgery has rendered that question unnecessary. If all else fails and I'm still getting questions and pity eyes, I can always turn to the weather and say "check out those skies." Happy turkey day to all, and to all a Go Bills

I got to see some of my old ladies today. I got up the gumption to go to my nephew's flag football championship game today (they were undefeated going into the "Super Bowl" and won today), and I sat next to my MIL. As we were chatting, I mentioned that I miss the nice weather because I get to stop and chat with my old ladies when I take the dogs for a walk. It's been too cold lately, and sunset is now before 5pm, so none of us are heading out that late in the day now. She said "Oh yeah, I like your stories about them." Well, as luck would have it, on my drive home, I passed their street and saw a couple of them outside. I pulled a quick u-turn and got out to talk for a couple of minutes. None of us were really prepared to be in the cold for very long, but it was a nice conversation. Sorry, I should be specific. Talking to them was nice. I won't necessarily say they were nice. There was a house fire on their block a few days ago, and as I suspected, they ...

I think I've used this title before. I need to find a job soon before I run out of wit. I don't know what I was expecting from the networking I'm trying to do. I think I was hoping someone would be like "you're perfect, here's a salary!" But so far, that's not happening. It's just 2-hour events filled with me smiling like I'm so happy to tell everyone "Oh, it's so nice to meet you, and I'm job searching right now. What a weird market!" At least I applied to 2 jobs today, so that's something. I still need to figure out some trainings to take for starting my own business, and I'm waiting to be connected to a mentor. I think I can start the business now without getting a mentor and without starting the trainings, but I can't remember. Maybe it is time to read my acceptance paperwork again. That's it for today. I have nothing new to say. Maybe I'm boring. Maybe my mood is matching the gloomy weather in WNY. May...