Inhuman Swill : Unemployment saved my life

Unemployment saved my life

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01 August 2008 @ 08:44 am

Unemployment saved my life

I will have more thoughts to offer on this milestone later, but for now let me just say that my job has ended. Like a wounded deer it kept dragging on, but at long last, finally, my last day working steadily as the senior software developer and architect for (the fine and worthy) BenefitsCheckUp, my employers lo these past six and a half years, came yesterday. This has not quite sunk in yet (probably due to the fact that I'm a little punchy from working every day since mid-June—51 hours Monday to Thursday this week alone—which is also why you haven't seen much of me around these parts lately). I thought the day was never going to come.

Now I'm a full-time writer. (No pressure!) And as such, I'm of course going to procrastinate work on my novel for a three-day blowout with Laura at Lollapalooza. (Thanks, Shana!)

Tags: computers, employment, jobs, work, writing

Current Location: Chicago, IL

Current Music: Joan as Police Woman, "Sweet Thing"

22 comments | Leave a comment

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asphalteden on August 1st, 2008 01:08 pm (UTC)

Denvention?

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shunn on August 1st, 2008 01:28 pm (UTC)

Denvention!

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asphalteden on August 1st, 2008 01:30 pm (UTC)
no subs booth this year

I've already got our burlesques and roller derbies (not to mention steakhouses) mapped out.

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shunn on August 1st, 2008 01:57 pm (UTC)
Re: no subs booth this year

Excellent. Keep us informed. (We saw the Chicago Outfit v. the Bloomington Bleeding Heartland a few weeks back, ourselves.)

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asphalteden on August 1st, 2008 02:01 pm (UTC)

Sheila was already having a cow because we're going to have to be late to the Dell party in the SFWA suite to go. Like anyone gives a damn whether I'm there or not. I'm enjoying Worldcon "my way" this year.

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shunn on August 1st, 2008 02:07 pm (UTC)

Take back the night!

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scottedelman on August 1st, 2008 02:43 pm (UTC)

Really? If so, details, please! I didn't see you on the schedule, so I didn't bother checking with you about getting together.

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shunn on August 1st, 2008 02:45 pm (UTC)

I'm so exhausted from work, I didn't try to get on the program. But we'll be arriving there early Thursday afternoon. Any free time left?

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scottedelman on August 1st, 2008 03:01 pm (UTC)

Dinner Thursday is free. So is Sunday, depending on when you leave, because I won't be heading home until Monday morning.

Will the lovely Laura be with you?

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mightyshamrock on August 1st, 2008 01:40 pm (UTC)

Live the dream, baby!

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shunn on August 1st, 2008 01:56 pm (UTC)

Word.

(I mean it. The dream is the Word!)

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steelbrassnwood on August 1st, 2008 01:43 pm (UTC)

Congratulations, Bill! Unemployment is pretty damn wonderful, isn't it? :-)

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shunn on August 1st, 2008 01:56 pm (UTC)

It is a weight off my shoulders, that's for sure! Delighted to be joining you in the happy ranks!

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keikaimalu on August 1st, 2008 03:19 pm (UTC)

Hey, congratulations!! May the writing life be kind to you. Take good care of that Muse, and all.

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shunn on August 1st, 2008 04:34 pm (UTC)

Thanks! I will always strive to be kind to the Muse.

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gregvaneekhout on August 1st, 2008 04:20 pm (UTC)

Congratulations!!

See ya at Denvention. And Blue Heaven '09, baby!

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shunn on August 1st, 2008 04:34 pm (UTC)

See you at both!

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fjm on August 1st, 2008 04:58 pm (UTC)

Wheee!!!!

[Where and when are we meeting next Friday?]

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bobhowe on August 1st, 2008 07:50 pm (UTC)

Mazel Tov!

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karen_w_newton on August 2nd, 2008 03:09 am (UTC)

I'm confused. Is unemployment a good with or a bad witch? I hope it's the former. Although having worked at a company where the axe had started to fall with regularity, I do know what it means to say the certainty of no job is better than the maybe of it.

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