Waiver Wire Times
How Six Weeks of Unemployment Felt
The week after Thanksgiving on Monday December 1st, 2025, at 2 pm my manager decided that my time had come and it was time to lay me off over a Microsoft Teams call. There’s more to the story, but it is not worth disparaging those who could not learn how to pronounce my name after a year of working for them. Although, it was rather comical when they asked me to interview for a different role roughly a month later after I had accepted a better job elsewhere. Back to the topic of what this is really about - how I spent that time off.
The first day was actually kind of fun, I went out with my roommates to an open mic comedy set downtown that we never would have gone to if I did not need a lil’ pick me up. We watched some local comics bomb and it lowkey made me feel better - I know that’s not right but alas I cannot change the part of me that enjoys the cringe, bad humor sometimes.
The next few days were a blur as I had been doing what I was doing prior to my release, perusing the job portals. This time I would focus 3-4 morning to midafternoon hours of the day on this while researching everything I could to the nth degree. I would quell my qualms by leaving a video version of a podcast on in the background to feel less alone. It was nothing that I felt the need to focus too intently on content wise, rather would hear/view as background noise.
That Friday I dropped my stuff off at the office for the last time, then had lunch with my work bestie which felt like the healthiest break up of my 20’s so far (we are still friends; you know what I mean it’s relative to proximity and bi-weekly work lunches). Again, not the point let’s move on here folks.
Walking was key for mental stability - not because I was having breakthroughs or breakdowns. Simply, it was a nice way to turn my mind off and just observe the world for what it is; nothing more, nothing less. I went on a date and she was nice; she even made a joke about me being between jobs when the check came (I still paid chivalry is not dead) and it helped disperse the rain cloud I felt stigmatizing around my head. That story does not go much beyond that… similar to my walks.
I went to a show I never would have thought to go to known as the SlutCracker in Somerville. It was really funny, and very well put together as I highly recommend you check it out when it comes back for its 19th season next year.
The only thing that really sucked was notifying family to be honest - mostly because I did not want people worrying about me (although it is completely valid to worry when someone is going through something like this). I decided not to really tell anyone for at least two weeks. The only people that knew were my roommates, best friends, and I told my sister after some time but told her not to tell anyone else in the family. It helped that in those two weeks I built a plethora of promising options and interviews, so when I did have the conversation, there was a beacon of hope and not a wake of despair.
Alas, back to the topic - when I was not walking or focusing on the job hunt, I would write and work on side projects. Having hobbies that are more than just working out are essential in preventing your mind from getting stale. I cannot tell you how many working people spend 9-5 typing away emails then, spend 5-9 lifting things up and putting them down just to offer nothing else to world other than that. Congrats (more like cuntgrats), I hope your epitaph reads “sent timely emails and PR’d that one workout that time”.
Additionally, I avoided doom scrolling or becoming hyperaware of every pollical drama the “news” networks provided. I watched Scandal over the summer and if it’s not Fitz and Olivia then who cares? I posted some TikTok’s which was cool because it got me a featured in an interview with the Washington Post.
I stayed active in seeing friends and making time for them when I could but not overreaching myself to burn out. I went to a concert that my brother was helping manage the tour for and it was electric. This band called the Happy Fits is definitely going to somewhere and I vibe with their music. Double Standard was also very good from that show as well.
Let’s see what else I did with this time; my cousin got engaged and threw a great party, I saw my family & home friends for Christmas, I threw a party for NYE and lastly saw Marty Supreme - pretty good but a little overhyped but I don’t blame Timmy C… that’s just the nature of the beast. Finished Rooster Bar after taking a year to read it (if my ex-work bestie read this far, I know you’re rolling your eyes, fluttering them, then laughing), finished what I had left in my comic book series Invincible, began reading a new book, watched Percy Jackson S2 and Fallout S2, then added some romcoms in there too.
On January 5th I received a formal job offer and gladly took it. The organization said it would take two weeks to formalize everything with background checks, emails, etc so I would start in two weeks. The day after MLK Jr day, so yesterday (yes, I am crazy and wrote this in advance knowing I would put it out on my second day while I am on my way home). So, I just made sure I did not risk my health over those two week and capped it off going to another engagement party to which I am the best man, Perfect end cap to a wild six-week ride that was not necessarily my choice but my life to live, and my god did I not fail in making sure I fucking lived.
Also, just because you need a job does not mean take the first one, I got offers and carefully considered each one. Do not let places jostle you around too with timing of their own decisions, live on your timeline not theirs. Much easier said than done but when you stick to that mindset you will be the cooler head that prevails.
Lastly for tax purposes I did not collect any unemployment until the new year. Which for cash flow was not beneficial but alas, I really do not care about money as much as I should. I chalk it up to 75% white privilege or the fact I used to be a billionaire’s private accountant and money to me now is just an object to get other objects. Anyway, I do not have much more to add to this, but I hope you enjoyed the read while I enjoy my life - it’s pretty fucking awesome.