Free at last; getting fired doesn't have to turn your world upside-down - Abstract

My brother Bryan was on break from college, so we reconnected, too, mainly on the golf course. One day I told my girlfriend about one of our outings. "I hung out with my brother again. We got some lunch and played a round of golf. Not a crowd in sight. I even birdied 17!"

"And you're not making any money," she said.

"What do you mean? I won five skins."

She feared I was wasting my savings, my potential, my life. I admit, there have been instances when I've felt I was squandering it all away. Usually, they occurred when I was sitting on the couch at 3 a.m., remote control in hand, watching Silk Stalkings. Mostly, though, I feel like I've traded some career time for relaxation and personal-growth time. It's a luxury most people in the middle of their climb up the career ladder can't afford. I could, and the benefits are many.

I have made plans to get back to work, though. Resumes have been sent, interviews secured. And now, relaxed and refreshed, I'm confident I'll be a little more savvy as I search for that perfect job. I've even prepared an important question for my prospective employers: "How many weeks do you offer for vacation?"

COPYRIGHT 1998 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group