Unemployment

So, the time finally came, my extension at work came to an end, I had my last wages and my redundancy payment, and that's the end of that. Almost 11 years after I started and this will be the first time I've not been working since I left Uni.

Well, I'm the kind of girl who needs a plan. So my plan is this. I plan to have some time off. And I need to fill this time with things that need to be done, and with fun things, and with blogging a heck of a lot more often. But I know that I will need to go back to work because at some point boredom will set in and then it'll be either watching Jeremy Kyle and at that point Rob would probably kick me out of the house, or else I will have to start looking for work again.

When I found out I was being made redundant, I convinced myself that I wanted to do something completely different. I applied unsuccessfully for a few things. But, I've realised that actually, I'm pretty good at what I do. I can design a good database, I can use some standards and guidelines, and actually I've learnt a lot on the job over the past 8 years that I've been doing this role. A look on the internet suggested that there is still a demand for the type of work that I do, and that I was pretty badly underpaid where I was (that's what happens when you stick with a company out of loyalty... they tell you every year that things are tight and so there's not enough money for much of a pay rise).

So my actual plan is this - that I'll take up to 3 months off (but we'll see how this bit goes) - At this point I think that should be more than enough to do everything I NEED to do and then a whole bunch of things that I want to do.

The stuff that needs to happen is as follows:

Sort out my wardrobe - seriously, I have more clothes than the average shop and just because it still fits doesn't mean it shouldn't have gone into the bin/a charity shop a long time ago.

Read some of the books that I've had lying around that need to be read and handed back/taken to charity shops. Again, with the aim of tidying the flat... it feels like it's bursting at the seams at the moment.

Cook. Lots of cooking. I've got so many recipe books. I want to try new things. I've started making soups from Delia's Soup book and they've been really delicious. There's a heap of things in Jamie Oliver's 60 minute meals I want to try.

Catch up with the people I've neglected for the last 10 years. Yes, see more of my family, and my friends back home. When it's not a rushed weekend, I should be able to see them and their kids. I don't want the kids to get to 18 and I've only seen them grow up via facebook. That's pathetic (though still better than nothing).

The name change. Yes, I've still got to get everything changed into my married name. I've been putting this off because it seems like a neverending list.

Explore London. I know, I walk round London a lot. But there are loads of things that I've never done, like all the free museums. I feel like I'm missing out. I have the time now, so it's a great opportunity.

Finally, the stitching. The tiger needs to be finished. I've had enough of stitching in brown. I'd like a bit of pink or blue. So I want to finish the tiger and get another 3 designs started and finished by the end of the year. I also have a bunch of my Grandma's UFOs that I'd love to complete since she is no longer with us and I feel like they need to be done.

So, that all sounds quite ambitious for the next 3 months, but I'm excited about the time off and the summer and I'm very much looking forward to doing all this and then finding a really great job at the end of it all.