Top Ten Reasons to keep track of what day of the week it is, even when your husband is unemployed and no longer bound to the M-F work week:
1) American Idol - As Paige knows: "Eight o'clock! Idol!" Gotta know when it's Tuesday.
2) Birth control pills - Um, kind of more important now than ever. Labelled by day.
3) CVS coupons - Keeping track of when they expire might make the $5 difference in which brand of "bathroom tissue" you get. Example: soft vs. sandpaper.
4) Scheduling job interviews. Self-explanatory.
5) Still need semi-weekly showers for Mommie. Oops, make that daily, now that Daddy is home to watch the kids for 10 consecutive minutes. So, this is just to mark your calendar as "SUCCESS" for every day you get a shower, rather than pining and strategizing for one like you used to.
6) Unemployment payments - Apparently husband will be calling in and collecting a paltry but exceptionally appreciated check on certain days. More research to be done on this, but I'm certain day of the week matters.
7) Upcoming birthday - I plan to send husband around town for whatever free meals he can get on his birthday. Who serves breakfast? PS. Has a four-year-old ever faked an i.d., changing their birthdate (year immaterial)?
8) Severance pay - Need to tick off the weeks, watch the settlement package dwindle, weigh options about job offers. The dicey offers, if any, are going to start looking more appealing in about 8 weeks.
9) Craigslist - Pay attention to when I post items-and believe me, I am posting like a crazy woman, while trying not to feel frantic. Fridays are ideal posting days on craigslist, since a lot of potential buyers are on there Saturday mornings. Anyone need a convertible carseat in very good condition?
10) Therapy appointment - Oh, right, no money for therapy to deal with all of the feelings that accompany having two small children, one mortgaged house, four people who eat, four cats who eat, such extravagances as electricity, heat, water, gas, that damn expensive food again...and no income stream.... Keeping stress, panic, and anxiety at bay will just have to happen by reaching out for moral support from my friends, like you. Thanks for listening.
Carrie, while this was a cute and funny post I so understand the fear of going through this. My husband has been unemployed almost a year. He finally got a job in Saudi Arabia and started this past Monday. But he will be gone a year.
ReplyDeleteI send good thoughts to you. You will find therapy in your blog. I know I have. The friends out there in blogland are wonderful and supportive.
And you have a wonderful mom out there that I know is there for you during this difficult time.
Jeanette, thank you for reaching out and for sharing your story, too!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I am certainly grateful for Mom's love and support!