A new season
Monday, February 23rd, 2009I am sitting in my pajamas in our gigantic den, basking in the sunlight that is shining through the windows. I have coffee. My feet are in my old wool socks, and I can hear the whir of the washing machine in the basement. I have done the dishes, started the laundry, put the mail in the mailbox, and am about to get going on some serious job applications.
I think that I might love being unemployed.
But let’s be real. There’s always the money thing. I am broke as a joke.
So on Saturday, the Running Club gave me the inspiration to attempt going an entire week – 7 whole days – without spending a single penny. In preparation, I took out my car and gassed it up (with the $20 bill my mom sent me in a Valentine’s Day card – thanks Mom!), picked up my prescription at Wal-Mart ($4 for the generic drugs), and went home to hunker down.
Actually, I didn’t “hunker down.” I told PZC that I was “girding up my loins”… after which I had to ask him
a) What are loins? and
b) Do I have them?
I wrote checks for the bills that are due (including my rent, and a monstrosity of a heating bill… what on EARTH, February?), and organized my pantry, taking stock of the food that I have. If my cupboard is any indication, it appears that this week, I will be eating diced tomatoes, raisins, and a small packet of peanuts from my last Southwest flight.
Good thing we had a housewarming party on Friday night, and have tons of leftover beer! If Yuengling doesn’t count as sustenance, I don’t know what does.
Truly, this will be an experiment of epic proportions. I cannot remember a time that I went an entire week without spending any money. But I am confident that I can do it – and I am going to do it with panache.
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By the way…
I am still not scared. I know that I will survive this season of unemployment, however long it lasts. I am hopeful that this is the beginning of something good – and although I do not believe that “everything happens for a reason,” I want to believe that “nothing is ever wasted.”
Including those Southwest peanuts.
