singley.org > blog archives > Don't Call it Unemployment 06.15.2007

Something about "unemployment" sounds so negative. I guess because the only other time I've been unemployed was due to painful dot-com bust downsizing. So, since this break from official W2-and-health-insurance-style work was my decision, I'm going with "sabbatical." Or, to borrow from Seinfeld, The Summer of Eric (without the blocks of cheese and velvet).

The routine is simple, but awesome: wake up by 7:30 (discipline!), exercise, then read/study for about 3 hours. I've built a stack of books for years now and I am nearly-giddy about making a dent. Some of the reading will be purely recreational, but I will also geek out with books on Ruby, Rails, CSS, usability and entrepreneurialism. It will be fun, honest.

After a lunch break, it's on to the computer phase of the day. I'll work my way through a series of project I've tracked in a little brown notebook since college. Most of them have existed only in said notebook until now, but I'm hoping to change that for at least 3 or 4 educational and interesting endeavors.

When the time comes, I'll hit the kitchen and cook up a storm for my wonderful, supportive fiancee so dinner is waiting when she walks in the door. Look out summer organic vegetables; I have your number.