Today

So, I had this amazing precursor to unemployment today. I woke up at 9ish. (No different than any other day to be honest). But what came next gave me this amazing taste of what it might be like to *not* have a job. I had a 'To Do' list on the fridge, that contained the following:

• Fold laundry
• Make brownies
• Make bars
• Brine Chicken
• Clean house
• Lay around
• Watch movies

By noon, I could already cross off 'Fold laundry' and 'clean house'. I made bars and brownies around 3pm~ish. I definitely layed around and watched movies...but the amazing part was that I got to watch TV. Namely Judge Alex. A graphic designer from Florida somewhere designed cards, envelopes, etc for a motivational speaker who agreed to a $700 price tag. He didn't end up paying her of course, which was the reason for the lawsuit. But the interesting thing was that she put him on something like "rippedoff.com" and posted that he hadn't paid his bill. Once he googled himself and saw that he was on that website, he sent a lot of nasty f-word-laden emails to her, which of course were then posted on the website also. He claimed that he had lost $100,000 in income, because he was cancelled by 35 speaking engagements at $3500 a piece. He was countersuing for $5000. (Probably the max in small claims court.) I guess I sort of want my motivational speakers to pay their bills. He lost. Anyway! Then I watched Giada, and she made this amazing goat cheese/ricotta cheese with lemon zest and basil dip and crostini bread. Yum. After that there was a TLC special on people who won the lottery, you know the smart ones who don't blow the money? This woman on there bought herself a used Cadillac Escalade when she won $18.2 million. It made me cry.

After that I had this natural high of getting lots of stuff done and so I opened the front door, and I had to push it hard to get it open, due to the FOOT of snow that we got last night. I yelled, "MARRRRRYY CHRISSSSSSSSSSSSSsmas!!!" to no one, which is funny and ironic in MY mind, because I don't celebrate Christmas. But then when I realized that my neighbor across the street was shoveling her steps, and was now looking at me, I got embarrassed, and then yelled, a little more softly this time, just to her: "isn't this crazy?" and gestured to the snow. She not only did not reply, but just turned right back to the shoveling of her steps. Crabby.

Oh, and one of the movies I watched was Up. I haven't cried that hard at a movie in a long time. Spoiler: He saves the bird.

A very special Thanks to Darin Heller, co-owner of the company I work for until next Thursday, for suggesting that we should probably close the office today due to the impending snowstorm. Usually I think it's him that insists that we always stay open, so yay for him.