Have you ever been unemployed...and enjoyed it?

[earllogjam]

I was having a conversation with a friend who has been unemployed for about 6 months now and I was expecting him to be downtrodden and somewhat ashamed that he is still not gainfully employed but instead he is really enjoying his time off work. He started writing, and just is pursuing things he has always wanted to do but didn't have the time to do before. He is following his bliss so to speak. He's absolutely beaming and happy. He had a good paying job before yet he says he is fortunate to have the luxury of having so much free time for selfish pursuits.

He says people call being without work now "FUNEMPLOYEMENT". I can relate somewhat since I took a leave from my steady employment to do some desperately needed house renovation for a rental house and honestly, I am greatly enjoying the time doing something different and being away from work.

Has anyone else had the experience of being unemployed and actually enjoyed being unemployed?

 

[B_dxjnorto]

I've been unemployed for six months too. It was okay at first, but I am not so sanguine about it anymore because I have been genuinely trying to find new work. It seems like I'm never going to get a job again. I'm on the "emergency" unemployment benefits Obama authorized now. I've got 18 weeks of benefits left. I'm a little fit to be tied because I honestly haven't been able to find work. I've never been unemployed for more than six or eight weeks in my life. It's like an unearned retirement that can't last. I've got at least 20 years left in the workforce and I need to make them count.

I'm glad you and your friend are enjoying your time off. If I had enough money to enjoy it, it might be a different story. Unemployment compensation is barely keeping my head above water. Like many people, I depend on a regular salary.

 

[stronxo_doctord]

i am unemployed i am not happy with that but i enjoyed and hope i have job as soon as possible any help ??? hahaha

 

[crescendo69]

I need a job, not time off. Depressed as hell.

 

[killerb]

only once...one year i had a contract end in may and i just enjoyed the spring & summer & didn't even begin to look for work until October...

i wouldn't find it enjoyable these days.

 

[Mr Ed in Mass]

No

 

[blg3floor3]

Only when I was a student and living just fine off the financial aid. Being unemployed was a godsend.

But being out of school and jobless with no income was not fun. At all. Ever. I imagine that if I had no bills and no rent and no real expenses, with lots of cash sitting in the bank to screw off for a couple of years or more...yeah, I imagine I'd be having lots of fun too.

 

[StraightDave]

Uncle Sam is always hiring. Join the air force, won't be in any danger and won't have to shoot anybody or do any of that hard stuff. Pays for shit, unless you stay with it and rise in ranks, but the benefits are fanfuckintastic regardless.

 

[blg3floor3]

Uncle Sam is always hiring. Join the air force, won't be in any danger and won't have to shoot anybody or do any of that hard stuff. Pays for shit, unless you stay with it and rise in ranks, but the benefits are fanfuckintastic regardless.

Or go the ROTC route or are otherwise eligible for Officer Candidate School :tongue:. My college roommate went the ROTC route for the Air Force while we were in school. Got his commission back in 2005 and now he's about to make Captain. Pay is pretty good, all things considered (various allowances, his cheap location, etc).

 

[D_Kay_Sarah_Sarah]

When i left school i didn't work for a long time (to long) The first few months were a great break, sleeping in, doing nothing all day. After a while it got boring and then after that it had been so long i had no confidence and felt unemployable which felt like crap.

 

[hud01]

Uncle Sam is always hiring. Join the air force, won't be in any danger and won't have to shoot anybody or do any of that hard stuff. Pays for shit, unless you stay with it and rise in ranks, but the benefits are fanfuckintastic regardless.

The one post said he has 20 years left, that would put him in his mid 40's, so the air force would be a little out of the question.

 

[hud01]

I was having a conversation with a friend who has been unemployed for about 6 months now and I was expecting him to be downtrodden and somewhat ashamed that he is still not gainfully employed but instead he is really enjoying his time off work. He started writing, and just is pursuing things he has always wanted to do but didn't have the time to do before. He is following his bliss so to speak. He's absolutely beaming and happy. He had a good paying job before yet he says he is fortunate to have the luxury of having so much free time for selfish pursuits.

He says people call being without work now "FUNEMPLOYEMENT". I can relate somewhat since I took a leave from my steady employment to do some desperately needed house renovation for a rental house and honestly, I am greatly enjoying the time doing something different and being away from work.

Has anyone else had the experience of being unemployed and actually enjoyed being unemployed?

I am fine financially, at the moment, but I am beginning to wonder if my skills might be getting rusty. I was very motivated the first couple of months, then I hit a wall. Had all these grand plans, but family matters derailed those.

I'd say I have been about one third productive, one third unproductive and the last third somewhere in the middle.

 

[nudeyorker]

About 19 years ago, I was sick of my job and life so I quit and rented my apartment out for three years and moved to the Caribbean and lived in a friends guest house...I had a blast!

 

[B_625girth]

back in the 70's I was unemployed, got $46 a week, woo hoo!!! met a gal, she became my gf, then she got laid off. we did not have much money and not much to do, so we fucked all day long. cheap entertainment. then I got a job, she got a job, then we fucked all weekend. then we got married. now we hardly fuck at all. sigh

 

[D_Maurice Mountlilly]

FUCK NO!!!! sorry for yellin' i lost my relationship,my home,my car,my great credit...and for a few months my mind..i learned alot about myself though,and my "friends" and family...i'm slowly rebuilding my life,but i'm stronger now than i've ever beeen.

 

[B_dxjnorto]

How'd you do that? Tell us more.

 

[earllogjam]

About 19 years ago, I was sick of my job and life so I quit and rented my apartment out for three years and moved to the Caribbean and lived in a friends guest house...I had a blast!

Was Jimmy Buffet living there too?

FUCK NO!!!! sorry for yellin' i lost my relationship,my home,my car,my great credit...and for a few months my mind..i learned alot about myself though,and my "friends" and family...i'm slowly rebuilding my life,but i'm stronger now than i've ever beeen.

You think your job defines who you are and it's something that is required for mental health? Does having a job make one feel "needed" and necessary in this world? - Do you need a job to maintain a certain degree of self esteem?

 

[SpeedoGuy]

Has anyone else had the experience of being unemployed and actually enjoyed being unemployed?

I can't even imagine unemployment. I've been at school full time or work full time (or both) for 30 years. The most time I've ever had off is 3 weeks.

 

[gjorg]

Over the past 30 years I have been unemployed twice but because I had good paying jobs I always got the maximum. They were nice mini vacations and I got a lot of things around the house done. I will always have ajob because I am VERY good at anything I set out to do.

 

[lucky8]

Being unemployed for awhile rocks...as long you still have money or an alternate source of income. If I had a choice to work or not work, I would definately not work. No one really wants to work, but everyone has to at some point. If they truly did enjoy working, they'd do it for free...