I hadn't written much last week, between the job search and getting myself hooked up with a new laptop. I'd meant to revise my initial post announcing my being laid of - but instead, I simply lost it when the iBook got doused.

So, to those of you who haven't heard my news: I was laid off a little over a week and a weekend ago. No hard feelings or fireworks, just typical bad economy reasons. Nevertheless, it took me by surprise. So now I'm shopping my resume around.

If you're interested, my resume is available here:

• http://www.decafbad.com/2003/03/l-m-orchard-resume.doc
• http://www.decafbad.com/2003/03/l-m-orchard-resume.pdf

Last week was strange. Having been let go on a Friday, I had a weekend to pretend things were all as usual. But, when Monday hit, things were different. I still got up at the usual time, did the usual morning things, and got out of the apartment as if I were going to work. But instead of heading for the highway, I headed for a coffee shop near campus with wireless internet. Trying to keep the old patterns as normal as possible, only now my job is finding a job and getting myself in shape for what's out there.

It wouldn't be news to anyone to hear that the job market, at least what I've seen of it so far, is nothing like the verdant plains and valleys of even 3 years ago - which is about the last time I took a serious look. After a first survey of a few job boards online, I fired off a handful of resumes and apps, and took notes on what's being asked for so as to prepare some semblance of a learning plan while I'm off.

So by the end of last week, I'd accomplished these various and sundry things:

• 5 cups of coffee consumed per day
• 1 resume updated and revised
• 6 resumes emailed and 4 online applications filled
• 5 profiles completed at online recruiting sites
• 1 application for unemployment filed
• 1 12" G4 ?PowerBook acquired and configured
• 3 Microsoft operating systems installed and configured under Virtual PC
• 1 .NET Framework installed and exploration begun
• 1 novel finished, Close to the Machine by Ellen Ullman
• 6 hours of Metroid Prime played

There's been more, but it's the amount of Metroid Prime play I'm most proud of - had I not gotten out of the apartment in the morning, the hours invested in that would have been immensely greater. Maybe after I've fired off a few more resumes, I'll feel better about actually taking a rest since my brane's been going full speed for months now at work.

Thought a bit about striking out on my own with freelance work, but the Ellen Ullman book has given me a bit of a strange mood. She makes working for oneself sound both promising and desolate at once - though the promising bits would seem to be the things that disappeared with the 90's. So that leaves it sounding pretty unpalatable. Who knows, though - I always wanted to work from (but not at) a coffee shop.

Well, back to searching and my first baby steps with .NET - wish me luck. And if you happen to be in town, stop by and say haloo.

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