Six Weeks.

It's been six weeks now that I've lived with my parents, or 5 if I subtract the week that I was at my sister's in Seattle for an interview. Fortunately, I started to receive my unemployment insurance checks from the State a few weeks ago, so I have been able to relax a little about bills and my future.  I must admit that I am very glad to live in country where the government has a program for employers to pay into it and then give back to workers in their time of need.  I was really stressed before when I was just living off of my savings. Now I just have to secure some type of employment and move out to my own place.

Once you're out of work for a while, it's hard to maintain a routine that gets you out of bed every morning for a reason.  I started going to the library or employment office everyday so that I have that routine. The library is better because I don't get kicked out after an hour like at the employment office.  The homeless guys take advantage of the policy all the time.  I can't blame them.  It's a free, warm space with plenty of reading material and free, clean bathrooms.

I've got my usual spot in the back in between the geneaology section and nonfiction. There's plenty of space to spread out my bags, computer, books and DVDs.  And I've got free reign of all the books in the library.  Sometimes I stay there for 4 - 5 hours, applying for jobs, watching TV programs, e-mailing people, etc.  I make all of my phone calls out in the parking lot inside my car because I can't get reception up at my parents'. Basically, it's my office.  Now I tell my mom that I'm going to "the office" when I head out to the library. 

Today's Monday so I'm not at the library, which is closed on Sundays and Mondays. So I am at my favorite coffee shop, C-Note Coffee and Blues Cafe, a really homely little place run by some kooky guys with beards and glasses.  It's located inside Hemet's old train depot.  The museum is in the depot, too.  There's free wifi so people come here to work or study.  And there are people who come here to play board games as well.