A bad rap.

Being unemployed has gotten a very bad wrap over the centuries (WOAH, taking it a bit too far back, I think you were either a slave or you weren’t back a couple of centuries ago?). But seriously there is nothing positive about the words being fired, retrenched, let-go, replaced, made redundant, will no longer be needing your services, canned, lay off, we’re resizing, we’re restructuring, walking the plank, given the ol heave-ho, we are terminating your contract or simply get out. I’m not saying you have to fired to be unemployed, you may have quit, taking an undetermined leave of absence, resign or simply walk, but even those words aren’t particularly pleasant are they? Clearly all you fired or quitters out there are doing it wrong.

Take me for example, I’m currently 2 days away from being into month 7 of being unemployed and I have to say…best decision of my life. I don’t particularly see why I should venture back to the world of work because I’m happy and isn’t that all we strive for in life – Do something that makes you happy, well I am and I’m loving it. I can already see the sceptics out there, raising a very “Pah-Lease” eyebrow at me. Well its true, sure there are aspects such as money to consider, but perhaps you should have thought of that before you decide to do what makes you happy forever (nothing). If you have to shovel the shit so to speak for a few months or years before taking a rather long holiday then why the hell not?

I have done some pretty nasty things in the last two years, and I mean nasty. I once nearly destroyed some rich billionaires luxury super yacht’s(that word just keeps popping up doesn’t it) entire plumbing system by almost loosing a rag down the loo. You read correctly. I had to clean the toilet bowls as scum had built up in them over the winter months (not to mention the birth place of some horrific, non-curable diseases) and was told explicitly not to put anything down them or else … (I know right, the drama). But as I was scrubbing while simultaneously flushing I just let it slip away from me and just like that it was gone. But this moment in my yachting career (a career … please.) didn’t crush me… no, in fact I crossed a whole new line of mind over matter moments and gloved up (protection is always important) and went about as far as the glove length allowed me to fish it out.

I guess I still got a job after that so it couldn’t have completely destroyed about a billion dollars, could it? But two years on the grind of being that slave-type of occupation I call Stu, and now the gorgeous life of unemployment. It’s been bliss. I rocked the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand with my fiancé, visited long lost sisters of mine in Australia for a crazy drunken blur, dabbled in a bit of Bali with one of my best friends (Jared), even got energetic and cycled throughout Cambodia – did about 60km a day (don’t worry I had a van with air-conditioning following us for when the butt gave out completely). Then we cruised up through Malaysia to Thailand were we haggled the living hell out of the Thai’s that I think even now they are wondering how we got it down to that price. And somehow ended up at a South African restaurant in Kuala Lumpur with some newfound friends. Nope that’s not all; we also spent the last 8 weeks in South Africa having the most amazing time in Plett and Cape Town with all the family, the booze room (yes we have one) and the fabulous cousins and friends.

I’m not saying it’s a permanent state of being as we are on the prowl for a new job but if doesn’t want to come, well then I’m taking a long weekend heading up the mountains for a little bit of snowboarding maybe? You see unemployment is more a state of mind, I’m unemployed – sure – but I am all kinds of happy. So to sum this up, unemployed is by far one of the most underrated “state of beings” one could be in. I am so disappointed that it wasn’t a subject at uni (note to university entrepreneurs – think about it); imagine being guided on how to take six months off a year? That lecture hall would be packed to the rafters (for the first six months).  Next time I see someone binge drinking due to being ‘let-go’ or someone’s Facebook status is an unhappy face for being unemployed, I’m going to smack them with a “Get out there and enjoy”. Life is too short, and how on earth will you tick off all the countries in the world if you’re working all year round? Madness I tell you.

Out-of-work-Stu… happily signing off :) 


A little something i just couldnt resist! Absolutely love these

http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/how-tuesday-mustache-drink-topper/