I have been gleefully in between jobs for almost 1 month. Ive taken a side job or 2 since Ive gone “in between lives”, but as far as society and my 9-5 brethen judge me, I am out of work. This is by choice, completely. Let me tell you, I am not alone.
Some of my friends work 2nd shift, 4PM – 12AM. So I have been catching lunch, going to the mall, attending matinées, running errands with them, until 2PM or so, when they have to start getting to work. My other friends are in between tours rock and rollers and, at the moment, are out of work in the truest sense of the word. They prey on the non-worker, out of boredom and loneliness.
So what do we non-workers, or Day Walkers, as I like to call ourselves DO, whilest you work 9-5? Well, it is the summer, so there was plenty of beach going, eating lunch, watching movies, running various errands, going to the various malls and shopping plazas, there’s always nothing to do, hanging around, watching TV, playing cards, then of course there is always something to do, riding bikes, taking a walk, participating in various discussion groups and talks, attending various art and performances. Not to mention the sleeping one can catch up on.
Ive never been a late sleeper, but now, not having to be somewhere at 9AM, I am usually up by 930AM, not rising especially early, but not wasting away the day either. Getting a good night’s sleep is almost a cure all. Especially if the night’s sleep is not plagued with stress or worries about a job!
So in conclusion and in summation… This little vacation from the “real world” has been very fun, and I strongly recommend it to anyone who is in fear of burning out too young. And while I have had plenty of fun while being a Day Walker, I do enjoy some of the things a job can provide: intellectual stimulation, a steady paycheck, a sense of productivity, a sense of self worth. etc. etc. etc.
Don’t get me wrong though, I’ll still play the lottery in the hopes of winning and never having to work another day in my life. This has, without a doubt, been The Summer of Stickney, the first one in a long time. At the moment though, Ill be satisfied with a cool job at a kickass company, and whatever freedoms I can afford!
