Start having a great life... Immediately!

I've been thoroughly enjoying not working so far. Seriously. It's awesome.

I spent Thanksgiving with some former co-workers. That was really good for me. I didn't want to go because of the questions I might have to answer about my sudden dismissal and I also didn't want to bring everyone down on the holiday. But, it wasn't a big deal. I made it clear that I wasn't going to talk about it and that was good enough. They did ask me what the hell I'm going to do now.

I don't fucking know and that's the truth.

Until I figure out something, I'm going to take the ACT next month and send the scores to a number of educational institutions. I'll be forwarding the results to campuses in West Virginia, Ohio, and South Dakota. South Dakota? Yes, my mother lives there. I'm not deciding anything until I know what my actual options are. I do want to go to school and I'm about done with customer service and/or management. I may have to continue to do either/both until I get a degree, but at least I'll have a very defined goal of getting away from it as soon as I possibly can. I even know my major and possible minors, but that will just have to be a surprise.

You'll laugh. Trust me. It's insane, especially for me. But, it's what I want and it's something I'd like to pursue. I continue to surprise myself.

I've been actively reducing the bulk of my possessions in case I do have to move - which seems incredibly likely in the event I am unsuccessful at finding reasonable work here. I have bills to pay, you know? If I don't have to move, at least the apartment will be far less cluttered. I don't want to end up on Hoarders, although I hear it's a fascinating program. Anyway, I may have to make yet another trip to Goodwill to unload stuff that I've never used and most likely never will.

I'm also going to Charleston on Monday to apply for unemployment. That will ease alot of the financial stress of my situation while I try to find a more permanent solution. I'm currently browsing job ads in three states and have submitted e-mails of intent and interest to a few promising prospects. There are even a few offering a competitive salary to my former one. Very exciting. I paid the rent with my most recent (final is still pending) paycheck, so I'm good until the new year. That gives me a month to figure things out and try to get back on track before I have to seriously consider my alternative options. We shall see.

I haven't sold anything off yet. I don't think it'll come to it, but if I need to liquidate my possessions... The first item to go will be my television. Then the exercise bike and/or weight bench. Then the Wii. Then multimedia. Then... I'm keeping the computer. I don't care. I'll sell my Jeep and buy a bicycle before I give up my computer. It's that simple. I'll just have to limit my job search to this town proper or possibly move into the city and rely on public transportation. There are alot of apartments that are much cheaper but are probably in terrible neighborhoods... I don't even want to think about it. That's last resort. I'd move home before I considered that a viable option. No way.

I need to send out my Christmas gift boxes when I get my final paycheck. I have them basically completed. I need to fill them with bubble wrap and get them addressed and shipped off. It's actually a really good thing that I bought everything weeks ago before this happened or it'd be another low budget, seriously crappy holiday.

Anyway, I'm not freaking out yet. I have confidence that I'll figure this out and it won't even be the big deal it could have been. I'm not giving up and I'm fairly optimistic about everything. Weird, but true.