FB: brief unemployment?

brief unemployment? it's starting to feel like forever...

23 September 2008 at 13:54


Regular readers of my "Notes" (now called "Ship's Log" on the new Pirate Facebook) will know that I was launched into unemployment on August 22. It was a pretty joyous day. My workmates gave me flowers - yellow flowers no less, as yellow is my favourite colour - chocolates, and a card. While this was hardly the most heartfelt display of gratitude the world has ever seen, I was beyond caring. I left work early, went and got my hair done, bought nail polish, got a facial... you know. I was pretty stoked.

Unfortunately for me, my job drought occurred when the Olympics FINISHED. Two weeks earlier would have been perfect, only now I'd be two weeks further into debt. Already? Okay, not quite, but I'm beginning to feel that way.

Since leaving my job, I've applied for all manner of new positions. These have included but are not limited to: postie, ward receptionist (on three different wards, no less), retail assistant... I did have that now infamous interview at Triathlon NZ for a job I had absolutely no hope of getting, but I had fun creating a new life for myself in my head, where I would no longer be roused at 4am to pick friends up from town, and the rest. Okay, now you see? My head is now full of ridiculous ideas, and I'm getting off the topic.

So, it's been one month since I left Campus Computers, and I'm still living off my final pay. Unfortunately for me, I'm not one of those people that adjusts their lifestyle to suit their income. Having no money hasn't stopped me getting my three-weekly pedicures, driving to Auckland to buy makeup from MAC, buying new cycling shoes online, or my daily juice.

Almost conveniently, my favourite juice bar has started advertising for a new juicemaker. Hello, CV sitting in the back of my car... I finally have a use for you. Juicemaking isn't exactly the best career path I can think of. I'm not good at standing up for long periods of time - especially given that I'm now training for the *Rotorua Half-Ironman*, and I love juice, so I will probably be tempted to eat/drink all the supplies. BUT I do consider myself to be friendly enough (on another wild tangent, I've recently come to the conclusion that my general air of hyperactivity is in fact caused by my craziness leaking out. Danielle prefers to call it "personality") to serve juice drinkers on a daily basis... and I'm a pedantic cleaner. Not that you'd know if you visited my house that time my family was in Noosa for a few weeks, but let me assure you, I scrubbed up the kitchen something special before they got home.

Unemployment still overshadows most of my days. It's handy, on days when I actually feel like a 200km ride (just to clarify, I go on those rides a LOT more often than I really want to), or a swim. Speaking of swimming, tomorrow is the four-year anniversary of my swim in Athens!! Scary stuff. I'm like, 15kg heavier. Doing nothing with my days has led to me dreaming up more grand plans (I can just see Pool rolling her eyes) and now I've got four completely viable (okay, the validity of this statement is... questionable) options for next year, and your input is most welcome. Of course, like everything else I ask for advice on, I probably won't listen, and this time in a year, I'll be writing another sombre Facebook note about how I hate my new university course.

1: Aviation. Probably sounds like something new and completely crazy, but in truth I've always had this at the back of my mind. I could be like Antoine de Saint-Exupery... though my stories won't be as good as "Le Petit Prince". I can study this at Massey University at Palmerston North, or at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, at one of like, twelve flying clubs in New Zealand. The obvious downsides of this are the fees - first-year aviation is more expensive than medical school; and the fact that I may end up sucking at it. And no-one wants a pilot who sucks.

2: Calgary. Ah yes, I know. You've heard it all before. Here in New Zealand, there is some organisation that jacks up lost souls like myself with Canadian visas, mostly so they can work in the skifields of Whistler and the like. Not being so much of a snowbunny myself, I'm hoping to use this opportunity to work at the Canada Olympic Park during the summer on the mountain bike trails. Of course, in my crazy mind, this will lead to me getting good enough at freeriding to win the Downhill title at the Sea Otter Classic (I'm not kidding, I've really written about this before...)Downsides? Um, Calgary has been known to get as cold as -45 in the winter, and the average summer temperature isn't what I'd call marvellous, at around 16. Of course then there's the, what if I hate it...

3: Osaka. Okay, I'm not going to lie. I haven't put any thought into this whatsoever. I just like Japan (my experience of which is limited to the three nights I spent there as a six-year-old), and I want to go back there!! It helps that one of the coolest guys on the planet, Nayuha <3, is Japanese. Life's all about taking risks right? Osaka is kind of a big jump into the unknown, AND I don't speak Japanese. Could be interesting.

4: Malmö. Uh yeah - again no real basis for this, other than the fact that a friend has a job, and as such a house there, and has suggested, quite forcefully if you will, on a number of occasions, that I head over there and live out my Swedish dream. Whatever that is. Personally, neighbouring Denmark is the bigger drawcard, which is literally within running distance (is that bridge from Malmö to Copenhagen pedestrian, anyone?). Again, I don't speak Swedish, but my sister's boyfriend does, and I'm sure he can teach me all I need to know. Right? I also happen to have a European Union passport... so I can stay as long as I like, go to wherever I like (hello, Romania), or I guess if things don't really go to plan, I can bugger off "home", to Norwich, England.

So those are the options. I know what you're thinking... Just shut the hell up and do SOMETHING, you loser. And on that note, I'm going for a 200km ride. Peace out, yo.