Those of you who know me on a personal level, besides just following my posts here, or on facebook, are well aware that I have been out of the work force for about fourteen months now. When I did the math myself, I was shocked to even believe that that much time has flown by. It doesn’t seem like more than a few weeks, let alone months. I think it probably took me quite some time to de-stress after spending so many years doing a job that stopped being fun, and started eating me alive as a person. I think it took longer to overcome the total exhaustion I felt, at the end. My intention, today, isn’t to bash or complain about where I was, but to explore where I am going.

I have always been a strong believer, that everything happens for a reason, and people come into our lives for the same. We are very often not aware of the why, at the time, and I think, that is OK. Having no employment for all of last year, was actually a huge blessing, in many many ways. It allowed me the luxury of going back East to help out when my father had major back surgery. It gave me the privilege and thrill, to be there, in New Brunswick, the day my granddaughter was born. It let me go to Cold Lake, and help out when my son and daughter-in-law needed child care for my grandsons. All of these things would not have been possible if I had been in any job, of that I am certain. For those things, I am eternally grateful, to whomever, in their infinite wisdom, I need to be grateful to.

I also “met”, online, some fabulous people, I have established some great relationships with, mainly because I have had so much time to spend cultivating and nurturing them. It truly is an amazing time in technological history, we are currently experiencing. I am a huge people person, and I can remember, when we moved from the east coast of Canada, out to the vastly different climate and atmosphere of the west, crying every single day, because I was so lonely, all day, every day, until I went back to work. The friends I have made in the last year, have definitely made this experience entirely more pleasant, and positive, and have staved off the loneliness in a huge and notable way.

I have been given the opportunity to reacquaint myself with a few of my great passions, this past year. It has been an absolute joy to throw myself into reading books, voraciously, at times, and have been introduced to some remarkable authors, through the exploration of social networking, largely. I am thankful to each and every person who has suggested, or raved about, the works of someone I would otherwise likely not have been exposed to. I think that is absolute magic! I hope I have been able to do the same. I hope I have inspired, at least a few people, to explore some of these great writers, with me. As I have said before, and bears repeating, I have a big mouth when I find things I like, or become impassioned about. I don’t think there is anything wrong with that! If I love what you do, chances are, everyone is going to know. If I don’t, the same might just be true.

I have always loved to cook, and bake, and the past six months for sure, I have been scouring the internet on a very frequent basis, for new recipes. OK, so I always modify whatever recipe I find, but it has been so much fun experimenting and playing in the kitchen again. I get especially excited, when I post a new status about what’s on the menu, only to have a friend, who is a professional chef, comment about how good it sounds, or how much he wants to try my creations. It seriously makes me beam a little, and giggle too. I am generally a pretty modest person, but I definitely list cooking as one of my strengths.

I have also started to exercise. Although this is absolutely NOT one of my passions, or usually even anything I like, I have been establishing a pattern, to get it done. I have made a great deal of promises, to a lot of people who care about me, that I will look after myself, and my diabetes, and I am, finally, make a concentrated effort, to do it. I have so much to live for, and I see it in the eyes of my grandchildren every time they smile at me. I have to be here for them, and I also have loads of things I still want to be, and do, when I grow up.

And, then there is this, right here. WOW, has this blog been a blessing to me, and, if I can be so bold as to say, others as well. The feedback has been incredible, to say the least. I am touched every single time someone takes a couple minutes to read my ramblings, as I so often call them, and even more indebted, when they take the time to make a comment or two. It fascinates me that I can plunk my butt on a chair in my dining room, or wherever, take some time out of my day, lose myself in words, feelings, and emotions, and strike deep nerves within some of the people who read. It awes me sometimes, truly. I appreciate that people have said I make it easy for them to read, and that I talk about topics, that matter. I have gotten so much out of expressing a lot of different scenarios, and it is very cathartic for me to excise some of my demons here. Thank you for letting me get some of this stuff out!

So, here we are at the reason I sat down on this particular day. It is time for this people person to jump back into the business of getting out of the house, and back in to the world of the employed. I have enjoyed my time home, with few commitments to anyone but me, mostly, but I am ready. I have freshened up the resume, which I was recently told by an interviewer, is very impressively done. Yay me! I didn’t have it professionally created, I just know how to sell. I have had some calls, and some interviews. I have thought hard about my strengths and my weaknesses, so I have well thought out responses to that, inevitable question. I also think that may well be my very next topic for “discussion” here. I love when I start writing, and topics spiral out of each other. And there is some of my randomness that you may have come to recognize, and hopefully love. I often seem to digress.

Anyway, to sum it all up, a new chapter in my life is about to reveal itself. That being said, I am going to make a very conscious decision to continue with my renewed passions. Be it reading, cooking, writing, heaven forbid, exercising or maintaining the important relationships I have formed, I am going to do my best, and work my damnedest to continue with them all. These things and people have enhanced my life so generously this past year, that it would be a total travesty and extremely ungrateful of me, to not give them the attention, and the time, they so rightly deserve.

Stay tuned!