Wednesday, April 28, 2010

I have a job!

This is old news to my close friends but news to the blog: I have a job! And it's a great one, in a dream work environment, with people who I want to hug when I see. Starting Monday I'll be an editor at Imagination, a custom publisher and content marketing agency in the city, right on the foodie street no less.

What I love about this position is that it combines my project management and editing skills with my multimedia background and interests. The client I'm working on is kick-ass, too.

It was a serendipitous series of events that I won't detail now, but it all worked out, and that's what's awesome.

Wish me luck!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

My rules for being unemployed

So you might have been able to tell that I'm a pretty happy camper thus far about my company's shuttering last Friday. Still the case! That said, the sun won't shine forever (this week's rays have brightened up the world even more), and I'm more than aware that all this free time that comes with freedom could potentially lead to boredom, laziness and bumminess. I don't want to get to that point! So I set a few personal guidelines for myself:

  • Don't stay up past 11 p.m. during the week. This is key in getting enough sleep while not overspending time in bed, part of my next goal;
  • Don't stay in bed mid-week past 8 a.m. I don't want to find my day out of whack and wasted. And the closer to normal my schedule is now, the easier it'll be for me to go back to work. 
  • No daytime TV! OK, there will be exceptions, I'm sure, but I don't want to become a couch potato. Too much of that, for me personally, is a slippery slope to unhealthiness. 
All that means that I will be keeping busy. Here's my list of what to do if I find myself waning on ideas:
  • Make a job contact or connection every weekday. Alternatively, do something proactive toward a new position every day. While covering a work/life conference for HR professionals, one speaker said she recommends job searchers "cast a pebble" each day, the theory being that pebbles that fall into water make ripples, and the more ripples, the more possibilities for a new job. I don't want to overstress myself -- there are plenty of sags in momentum that can leave you with downtime -- but I want to make sure my efforts are consistent and quality.
  • Work out every day (or at least 6 times a week). And if my muscles are recovering from a hard workout, do something light -- pilates, yoga, a walk -- instead of forgoing a workout altogether. I've got time to be healthy; gotta make the most of it!
  • Stop ordering takeout because we're lazy. I have a kitchen at my fingertips for lunch and time and energy to cook a healthy dinner instead of ordering out. We love to eat at restaurants socially, on our date night or at the end of a hard week. Those ocassions are fine, but takeout for laziness no more.
  • Eat organic. This and my previous goal force me to experiment with new foods and recipes. I'm all for it!
  • Work on my children's book. My recent trip to Virgin Gorda inspired new story developments to plug into my tale of Lucy the island chicken that couldn't get up the roost. Again, I've got the time; I should use it!
  • Connect with friends, take care of random shit (like switching my car title to my name), and everything else I feel time-crunched to do during a normal job schedule.
You might have noticed I didn't include any measures to promote my income. I have at most, if needed, four months of pay coming and savings, so I'm blessed to not feel panicky about that at the moment. 

I've already hit several on my checklist today and the other days, so so far, so good. Now, you'll have to excuse me, but it's time to make another recipe from www.eatbetteramerica.com. :)

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Great news! Who wants to meet me for lunch?

I know I'm on a blog diet, but every diet needs to be broken a little; I've got news!

Last Friday, they shuttered our company -- 23 trade magazine titles -- and gave us a few hours to wrap up business. The closing wasn't a shock internally -- we'd been for sale in some form or another for more than two years because our parent didn't want to operate advertising-based publications -- but the immediacy of it was. Externally, a media conglomerate like ours shuttering in this way rocks the publishing world. 

That said, I woke up the next day and felt great. And I still do! At work I had mustered as much enthusiasm and positivity as I could (and my colleagues did the same) day after day, rumor after rumor -- seemingly a new one every day for almost four months -- of the inevitable closure. Operating with that morale is horrible, even when you have wonderful people to work with.

I had taken the CEO's hint when he sent out a memo New Year's Eve that told us to prepare our resumes; I also began preparing for a job search before that when it was clear my new roles weren't in line with my career goals.

So I've been in a hard-core job search for months and even turned down a couple offers, realizing I have the luxury of being picky; the great part about being part of a huge company is that you're exposed to a lot of different forms of media. We weren't perfect by any means, but I can call myself a multimedia content strategist when other journalists and their companies are just scratching the surface. My point is, I've got talent, which gives me confidence in matching up with a sharp, innovative company.

I'm doing better than many of my colleages.

Many have been with my company for decades, many are brand-loyal and many were totally happy with their job other than the whole for-sale-limbo thing -- they made the commitment to stick it out until the end and hopefully get picked up "on the other side," the term that came around to describe whatever owner buys out the individual brands and needs to reassemble a team. Many of my coworkers are also ready to send kids off to college and have that huge expense to worry about.

As you can see, I'm the opposite: different career goals, no kids to support, already in a job search, mentally prepared for a change. Add that to 60-days pay including benefits plus two months of severance, and I'm good! 

So what will I do with my time off? There are a couple big ifs: I might be called back to help with a project, and I might get a job (I just had a second interview w/ an association that would be great to work for and simultaneously heard from a company I'd love to work, too). Two huge, big ifs.

If they don't pan out? I got a visa to visit friends in Austrlia, and I intend to continue to rebuild my immune system by cooking organic, working almost every day, revising my children's book, job searching, networking, taking care of random stuff such as getting my car's title transferred to my name (finally), volunteering again with Inspiration Corporation and sitting on my ass by the lakefront while taking in some sunshine. :D If I have more time, I might do some more travel.

I have a lot to look forward to and feel like I've been given a gift. I haven't decided if I'll update this blog regularly, but at some point I'm sure I will.

Now, who wants to meet for lunch?

Monday, April 5, 2010

The blog diet begins

 I want to be doing what he's doing!

Well, folks, it's time for a break. I'm going to give this blog a formal rest and come back to it later, kinda like what I do to a story when I have writer's block, although that's not an entirely accurate comparison. I know what I want to say; it's just when to say that gets me.

My story -- my life -- is actually quite busy, but I can't stand knowing that the few friends who check this blog know I don't update it. And that stresses me out (even if I know it makes no difference to them). Good thing I don't promote it and thus worry about SEO, tracking stats, etc., as I do with my professional work -- then I'd really have an audience to worry about leaving.

I have plenty to say, and I constantly think about how I want to say it! I still want to tell you about our L20 experience, and share my thoughts about New York, and update you on all the great food we had on vacation in Virgin Gorda.

I have yet to share with you my Health Action Plan of 2010, and fill you in on my still-unsuccessful triathlon training thanks to my still bothersome health, and describe my frustrations with going to work full-time while taking a class that actually requires reading, writing and homework (Marketing 201) while dealing with all of the above.

Yeah, and then there's the job search. I haven't told you about that yet.  That keeps me busy, too.

And the photos! I have tons of photos of new recipes and great meals to post -- all taken with a new camera. I haven't gotten around to that yet, have I?

Work. Class. Triathlon. Health. Job search. Relationships.

So I'm going to take this off my plate -- for now. You know how I love full plates; I always have to share. That time will come again soon, but until then, the blog diet begins. 

Keep me posted on you! And talk soon.

I feel better already.