The First Fifteen Minutes of Unemployment

Well, as of 4:30 I'm officially unemployed.

Here is what I know about it so far . . .

People feel bad for you and want to cheer you up and buy you lunch.  Not just people but friends. Friends are good. Thanks for the doughnuts Bonnie.  Friends give you good pep talks. Thanks Sue.

You might get an e-mail from a Fat Camp friend that makes you smile and feel better. Thanks Maureen!

Family sends you the sweetest card and makes you feel better. Thanks Cousin Peggy and Uncle Jim.  


Unemployment is scary.

I'm going to miss going to work and seeing said friends. I'm going to miss my paycheck and my insurance and my benefits. It's perfectly OK to grieve for those things.  But not forever. Suck it up cupcake and carry on!  Two weeks might be a little soon to suck it up, but I'm trying . . .

Unemployment is scary.

But my luck may be changing! This weekend I ran off to John's to lick my wounds and went to a fundraiser for Streator Unlimited, Food for Thought,  and had a great time! I felt it my civic duty to participate and vote in the Chili Cook Off, 6 different (and delicious!) chilis prepared by paramedics, firefighters and police officers. And I got my photo taken with 2 of John's clients!

Some people just got one bowl of chili at a time! Not the Mallaneys! Here I am with Anthony and Eric. And my chili.

And I won a door prize! Frankly I don't remember putting my little slip in this drawing for this basket, maybe it was adjacent to the candy bar flower pot I really wanted to win? Not sure. But I do like it and I certainly can use a hydrating facial masque (oh shut up, I know I can probably use more than one!) and some healthy energy drinks to balance and revitalize and do other good stuff to me!

And look, I was barely unemployed maybe 1 minute, when a parcel came to the door. Seems I won a prize in a Scotties Sweepstakes I entered on line! Wow. And good to replenish the old tissue stockpile, I went through quite a few last couple of weeks, I must admit.

Look at that! 8 boxes of Scotties! Woooo hoooo. I'm sure my good luck will continue.

Money will creep into your thoughts when you are unemployed. I shopped the clearance, and made some cheap, delicious food.

Clearance gnocchi. Who knew how good it could be!?

Love the clearance at John's Kroger! I'm told I'm Irish but I really wonder if there isn't some Italian in there too . . . ?

Scrapple, or scrapplin' as Dad called it. Boil up some pork neck bones, pick off the meat, and sift cornmeal into the broth and let it set. Dip it in flour and pan fry it. I hated it when I was a kid, what was I thinking! It's delicious. Dad said that Grandma Mallaney would make milkpans of the stuff after pig butchering on the farm during the depression. She probably did not fry it up in extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle on some clearance parmesan, and some Vulcan Fire Salt from The Spice House though.

Anyway, next on my unemployment list is to sign up for unemployment and check out Obama Care and update my resume.

In other news Mom turned 78! Happy Birthday Mom.

That's all for now.

Kathleen A.