With the recession a reality now for most of us who struggle to hold down increasingly insecure jobs, I’ve often wondered what I would do if I got laid off tomorrow. I could probably go about a month before I start to struggle financially and I know that my parents and my in-laws would help us out with mortgage payments for another couple of months after that but I would still need to either get another job or give up my house eventually.

Of course it could also be the golden opportunity to try out some of the things I have only dreamed about doing up till now. It’s so easy when you are in steady employment to snuggle down into a comfortable rut and just muddle along blindly in a trance like state knowing that your bills are being met even though you are bored to tears with your current state of affairs. The real reason I am not a full time writer is because it is easier to go and drive trucks for a living and I never seem to find the time to actually get off my backside and work on setting up a blog or publishing any of my stories. Then there is the dream of maybe being an extra in a tv show or a movie. Well, even though I have several casting agencies in my bookmarks, I always find an excuse to not call them: I am too busy at work, my days off are full of family stuff….well, you know the excuses!!

Also there is the old excuse, my age. It is considered immature for a 44 year old father of two to dream of being a writer or an actor or a water skiier., or a professional geek!! These are the things you should get out of your system in your 20’s and then settle down to a sensible life with a proper job and bills etc. screw that!! I want to live a little before I am too old physically to to these things.

Actually, maybe my blog title is a bit misleading, it should not be “what would I do if I were laid off tomorrow,” but “what do I still want to do with my life that is exciting but slightly irresponsible”

Tags: dreams, midlife-crisis, redundancy

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Comment by Andy on September 14, 2009 at 8:41am: Hi iThomasina. I wonder what type of business would you start up? I have often thought of doing the same but I worry that it may not succeed and I might end up having to sell my house etc.

I think with me, my limiting factor is my self-confidence. talking about it is easy but actually doing it is another matter entirely. I have always written throughout my whole life, even during the dark days of my 1st marriage I managed to write. Most of what I have written no longer exists and much of it is way too personal to publish!! But in amongst it all are ideas that, If I had the motivation or the time, could be developed into short stories, articles or even novels!! I just need to convince myself that what I want to write about is what the world wants to hear.

Anyway, I've just took the plunge in the work feild and applied to a driving agency for work, ironically, at one of my old workplaces although this time it would be for the agency, not as a direct employee. Let's just see how this pans out!!

Comment by iThomasina on September 13, 2009 at 7:12pm: I think would actually be a bit relieved to be laid off. It would give me exactly the excuse I need to jump right in starting my own business.

I actually have the opposite view of writing, that it's actually a career choice that can be made later in life. I'm a writer at heart myself, but keep putting it off because I figure I should do now that which can only be done when you're young!

Comment by Andy on September 11, 2009 at 11:23pm: I'm loving all your replies. esp the one about not getting laid off because he hasn't got a job!!

I used to know an artist who set up his own business but got disillusioned because hed had to rely on commisions to make ends meet. "There are only so many paintings of rich people's pets and houses one can do before you get bored" he used to say.

i like the idea of the computer repair business, I build pc's as a hobby and am studying for my mcse/a a+ and something else i can't remember lol!!

The longest I held a job was 20 years and the shortest 1 day!! I think my job is safeish although the contract is up for renewal in November so who knows what will happen then.

My inspiration for the blog post was that I am one of the few people I know who hasn't been laid off in the last 5 years and I can't help thinking my time must be up soon.

I've always harboured a desire to be a vioce actor, you know, the ones who do the audiobooks etc or a newsreader on radio. But my real talent, apparently, lies in writing.

Anyway, I hope that everything works out for us all. I think that if we have the capability of posting on geeks then we are capable of holding down employment of some description.

Comment by TerryT on September 11, 2009 at 8:20pm: Having been laid off 3 years ago I started a small company repairing computers, and doing networking for small companies.
I started with a few flyers in local grocery stores, and it just blossomed... I don't make as much as I used to but I do pretty well and I can pretty much set my own hours.
I haven't advertised since the first round of flyers; word of mouth has done it. Just lucky I guess...

Comment by NeferSif on September 11, 2009 at 8:10am: I am going through that now. My position at my company will be deleted at the end of this month. I am now scrambling to find another way to make ends meet. I am hoping to find a way to work from my house. But there are so many scams out there for this kind of work.

If i didn't have to worry about income, I would peruse my art career. My media is sculpture. I use to be a starving artist before I had to take on many financial responsibilities. It is relaxing and fulfilling work. But making a living at it is hard. You get more money in this field if you die.

If I had a lot of money to invest in a career, I would open an Animal rescue center. Buy a couple acres, have all the comforts for the animals and spend my time promoting how important animals can be in our lives. I would keep a couple vets and many attendants on staff.

Comment by JFK on September 11, 2009 at 7:56am: Take some advice from a freelancer
Change is good
If you make the leap of faith, leave the 401k in place no matter what. Penalties are murder.
Make new friends and get to now your neighbors.
Try a part time job in the middle of pursuing your goals.
Don't fret if you don't make money every single day - use that as an opportunity to learn new things.
Join a local trade organization like a PC computer users group.
Have fun and learn to laugh as you work toward having your dream become a reality.

Comment by TechJohnson on September 10, 2009 at 3:52pm: I probably would just go about my normal life considering I don't have a job to get laid off of lol.

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