I am a statistic. “Chronically Unemployed” – I have been out of work for over four years and have given up looking for a “real” job…I would be happy finding something that I can do from home..my commuting days are over. I have looked at “work from home” job posts but you have to really filter through them to make sure they are legitimate. I like being around people and have thought about going into retail again…but even that has changed so much since I did it. I am appalled when I go into a store and the customers can’t get off their cell phones for a moment to look at the cashier or sales person and engage in a conversation. I am shocked at how rude people can be and at this stage of the game, frankly don’t want to be part of it.

I will somehow try to reinvent myself once again. What I have done in my 50+ years?…high school = supermarket cashier/college = support staff at a college club/Newly minted BA = cruise line sales staff/hotel sales manager/then part-time cosmetic salesperson when my kids were young/then, in an odd twist (long story, another days blog) a College Administrator/then back for my Masters degree and finally Community Relations Manager for a bookstore.

My unexpected sabbatical at home is not without its merits. I have gladly shrugged off the stresses of working for a big corporation and am enjoying the freedom of designing my own day – each and every day. I do wish I had all this time off when my children were younger and I was taking care of my elderly parents AND working full-time.

So today I say thank you Facebook! I know I am on-line way too much – but I love checking what other people are doing – oh, and of course, letting friends and family know what is going on in my little world. I know Facebook has been slammed for creating a narcissistic culture where we feel compelled to let the world know what we had for breakfast or who we ran into at the store – but my take is that it opens the world to people – your own world and the world around you. I enjoy the links that my “friends” …all 186 of them – who knew? – post. I love the fact that I have reconnected with cousins in England to share pictures with and family stories. Even thinking about what to write in your status update can be thought-provoking. When there is nothing to post, that can be a downer…after all, I must have done something today!