WARNING: This may be my dullest post yet…because it’s not a very funny topic, but it’s perhaps a very timely topic for those in similar situation to me.

When my contract ended last October to go traveling and take a break over Christmas, I thought I would be back in a new job in the new year.  Given past experience, I figured the job market would be slow until late January/early February when people start to return to work from their summer breaks.  So I took it easy.  I talked to a couple of old contacts and told them I would be looking for work soon but didn’t give it too much thought.

I had updated my resumé and I was ready.  I started my online search.  I applied for jobs.  I talked to old colleagues.  I had interviews.  But then nothing happened.  Projects got canned; people got re-deployed (if they were lucky) or retrenched (if they were not); or there were simply more “suitable” candidates (or more desperate).

Whatever the case may be, it’s been a long, tough twelve months without income.

Australia has been pretty lucky that we have managed to avoid the worst of the global financial crisis for the last few years while the US and European countries have been hit hardest, primarily because our economy and financial sector are very highly regulated.  Unfortunately, the downturn has really started to affect us.

All around me, friends have either been laid off their jobs or are so fearful of losing their jobs that they are forced to stay in jobs they hate, especially if they have a family to support.  People always tell you that when you’re between jobs, that’s the best time to follow your dreams or passion, to do something you had always wanted to do but never had time to do before.

So I have tried to follow that advice.

I have been writing – not as much or as regularly as I should, but I am writing – on my blog, on my fanfiction, and for the last few months, I have been lucky enough to be asked to contribute to my friend, Lena Lamoray’s entertainment website.  It’s one thing to create your own blog and rant and rave to your heart’s content without giving any thought to whether anyone would actually read it, but quite another when someone likes your writing enough to ask you to write something for them…and that is exactly how my review of Whole Day Down came about last week.

Someone once wisely told me: “you don’t need a hundred offers, you just need the one.”  Well, I am still waiting for that one (OMG did that sound like I’m looking for Mr. Right? Lol)

And so, my search for a job continues.  And in the meantime, I am (or would like to think that I am) honing my skills as a writer.  I thank each and every one of  you who have been following me on Twitter and reading my writing and showing me your support.  Believe me, it makes a difference when I see a sweet comment or even just seeing the stats go up on my posts.  Know that you all matter to me!

Now feel free to hit the comments and let me know how you would make the most of a bad situation!  So for now, I leave you with some great wisdom from the Pythons – this version is from a wonderful musical opera which I saw a few years ago called Not The Messiah – He’s A Very Naughty Boy! Enjoy!