It’s hard to relax when I have this much uncertainty in my life.  The offer pending from CenturyTel removed just enough stress that I took Friday “off”, just like I didn’t have a care in the world.  I played with games on the Xbox that I’d let get dusty, downloaded some new cars and tracks for Forza 2 and then raced and ran some time trials.  I was finally able to relax and enjoy my time without work.

The best news has been that I’m finally able to get some sleep.  The last three nights I’ve slept eight hours straight through, something I really haven’t done in a month.

I got word yesterday from [CenturyTel](http://centurytel.com) that my offer letter is being prepped and the company president (!) has to approve my salary. My new boss was nice enough to push for a little extra to help cover the fact that I’ll be driving 80 miles round trip each day.

What does this mean?

* My new job uses the best experience gained from the last two jobs–design and pre-sales work.
* My new company is *very* stable
* Healthcare will be $150 less per month and I’ll get to stay with our existing provider.
* My pay will stay the same and the paycheck will come every two weeks instead of twice a month.
* We won’t have to deplete our savings
* I’ll start next week if all of the paperwork gets done today or Monday.

Once I have the offer letter in hand, I’ll be able to breathe a sigh of relief. Thanks to everyone who has kept Tammy and I sane through all of this. We’re in the home stretch–keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Al Dente: “Yesterday, Serious Eats reported on the Hot Beef Sundae trend that’s sweeping the country. The dish can be found across the nation at state fairs from Florida to Nebraska. The Hot Beef Sundae is comprised of mashed potatoes, roast beef, more mashed potatoes, gravy, cheese, and a cherry tomato.”

click through for the hot beef action photo…

Lesson 1: Have six months salary in the bank at all times

This is lesson is easy to remember and easy to forget.  You’ve all been told for years now to keep plenty of money in the bank for emergencies and unemployment is the reason why.  I didn’t keep nearly this much and I’m paying a heavy price.

Lesson 2: Always maintain your social network.

For technology people, maintaining a local network of people both professionally and social is hard work.  Most folks like me would rather spend their off hours studying technology or working on tech gear, but working the room at a chamber of commerce mixer is worth it’s weight in gold when you’re out of a job.  Also, as people get older, the too easily dismiss modern methods of social networking.  For example, I have a [Twitter](http://twitter.com/houseofwarwick) account but most people my age wouldn’t likely know what it was, let alone how to use it effectively.  Worse, it would be dismissed as a ‘waste of time’.  That’s exactly the wrong attitude to have.  I spent 2 hours updating mutual contacts in [LinkedIn](http://linkedin.com/in/stevekirks/) and found three people in this area that have good job leads for me.

Lesson 3: Structure your time.

Each day without a job should be treated like a regular work day.  Get up on time and get to the gym like always.  Be sure to leave the house and head for a library, Barnes and Noble, Starbuck or something to keep you in the public and “be seen”.  Set appointments with friends to explain your situation and ask for ideas.  Keeping a schedule means you get to feel like you’ve accomplished something at the end of the day and that’s important because without a job, most people feel a loss of self worth.

Lesson 4: Be upfront about your job loss.

I spent a couple of days being ashamed that I lost a job.  I wondered about blame (mine? theirs? who’s?) and even tried to reconstruct events to figure out where I went wrong.  In my case, the situation was more clear than others, so it was easy to move past the “blame game” and move on to getting the word out.  Call everyone you can and let them know.  The more people that know about your job loss means better chances at finding a new job.  It also means more people to look at your resumé that can give good feedback, helping your chances with recruiters and HR staff.

That’s all for now.  I’ve got more to write, but I’ve got work to do here at the house and (hopefully) an appointment later today.

Not everyone would complain about a three week vacation, but considering the circumstances, I’m ready to call it quits and get back behind a desk.  I should know something permanent about the new job by the end of the week, so I’m filling my time with odd tasks, mainly centered around the prevention of insanity.