Life flows in a prized 12 hours

What’s to say but it’s *amazing* to have a day off.

Even if it’s only one in a workweek … 32 degrees (freezing) and post-snowy gray … and all too short!

Sleep is miraculous, space glorious.

I accomplished most of my list of Things to Do, all that necessarily set aside by job demands.

The sense of accomplishment not for another (i.e., boss, job) but myself strikes a variety of inner chords. It invigorates and reminds, if but briefly, that there’s more to life than being at the merciful — or (more often) merciless — dictates of authorities.

So much accomplished in a span of several hours during my prized 12 hours. I wanna give kudos and a shout-out to the unemployment department in Washington state (western region).

I’ve had cause to communicate with ’em in the past couple days — as well as weekly during my three years without work, as longtime readers know.

That’s a long time and a fucking lotta interactions with a government body.

Never once in my many many many many many many dealings with the Tacoma (chiefly) or central (Olympia) unemployment office was the experience sour or marginally unpleasant.

Staff in both locations were always helpful, knowledgeable and above all cheerful.

I shared in today’s call with the unemployment lady the good news that after three years of looking for anything ANYTHING in (the appropriately named) Pierce County, I’d received nothing (and had exhausted benefits, with serious detrimental consequences) and that within four months in Colorado, I’d secured a job and means to pay rent.

She listened (I can tell when someone’s listening, even in the blogosphere 😉 ) and then thanked me genuinely for sharing the story.

It brightened her day, I could tell. It’s got to be hard to be in her position with so so so so so so so so many unable to secure work and then losing their benefits and then falling into homelessness and more.

Thrills to be the (rare) bearer of good news for the unemployment lady.

All told, it’s been a fabulous day off. All too brief but rejuvenating, restful and rewarding.

In a short 12 hours, back to the predawn grind. Ugh.