6.21.2009

per request and promise, a blog post! we are headed off to the Great Smokies this afternoon and won't be back till next Friday afternoon, so I figured I should write something before disappearing in order to not skip on a promise.

on unemployment...
i am finding that unemployment is an interesting place to be. granted, i've only been here a week, but hang with me. i was expecting a huge slow-down in life once i wasn't working 40 (or 50 or 60....) hours a week, but that hasn't really been the case. the last week has been almost as busy as life during the school year as an RD. it's a different kind of busy to be sure, but life definitely hasn't just been lazing around the pool. i've cleaned the apartment, applied for jobs, read books both for fun and professional development, gotten ready for a camping trip, and lots of other things. this week of camping is going to be my first real mental slow-down since leaving IL.

which is definitely not meant to be complaining. it's just different than i was expecting.

i've thoroughly enjoyed the last week. visiting family and friends, driving through beautiful parts of america, making plans.. it's good, fulfilling busy'ness.

this coming week is that rare combination of busy'ness and calm. hiking during the day and coming back to leisure by the campfire or cookstove. swimming in a creek to clean off (there are no showers anywhere in the park!) and keeping our food away from bears. i'm looking forward to the slow-down in a gorgeous place and will hopefully have some pictures and stories to share when we get back.