Being Laid off Gives You Lots of Free Time

So, since being laid off I've been able to travel, read, organize and have house guests. It turns out that it totally rocks to be paid to stay at home. For the recap: Their was a "Reduction In Force" at Myriad on January 5th. Yours truly was on the list. I just remember thinking "I'm not old enough to get laid off." It turns out that I am. For the first week I worked on my resume like a mad woman and turned it in to everyone. Then Ryan and I had the opportunity to travel to Washington DC with the Marching Band for Obama's Inauguration. I know, I know.....I deserved a little luck after the beginning of the year. It was a wonderful trip. We hung out at the National Mall, visited Gettysburg and waved at Barack & Michelle from about 30 feet away.

Ryan & I in front of the MSNBC trailer, calling our families and telling them to watch for us.

Ryan with a Gettysburg drum. All of the kids on his drumline had to take a picture with the drum.

By the time the Utes actually started the parade, the sun was setting (as you can see) and it was getting a little chilly. Luckily Obama was still in his bullet proof booth waving and smiling until the bitter end.

Then I came back to a flurry of interviews and one long, disgusting cold. The only wonderful part about getting sick while laid off is that you don't have to worry at all about missing work and using vacation time. I got caught up on a lot of movies and suckered into reading the Twilight saga.

Just as I was getting over my cold Ashley and I both had a wonderful idea. Since I'm just hanging out here in Salt Lake and she's just hanging out in St. Louis, why don't we hang out together in the same state? So we found a cheap flight and voila...Ashley and Chloe are at my house! I had so much fun while they were here, I really didn't want them to leave. Alas, all things come to an end and they had to go back to a lonely Jeremy. The end of their trip also signaled the end of my freedom from corporate tyranny. But not before I could throw a baby shower for my very pregnant friend Betsy. All in all I would have to say that it was a wonderfully fun break from the rat race. (Besides the initial stress of finding a job, of course.) Today I started my new job at ARUP, where my cousin works and whom I plan to bug relentlessly. More to come on the job later. Now I wanted to close with incredibly adorable pictures of my super cute niece.

Of course Ryan had to teach her how to drum, she loved it....along with coloring and Ikea.

PS Cort I expect my present in the mail very soon!