A Note to the Recently Unemployed Reader.

So you lost your job, eh? Yeah, you and hundreds of thousands just like ya. That sucks, because now you’ve got a really, really slim chance of finding another job that pays as well or makes you as miserable happy as that one did.

Dang.

So anyway, what are you doing next? Because I seem to remember you, maybe six months ago, talking about all the things you would do if you didn’t have such high rent and that stupid life-sucking job. Remember? You were all like, “I would love to go live off the land, someday.” You even said “Dude, I wish I could tell my stupid F-ing boss to F off*, and then just travel for a while.” I know you remember saying that.

Well guess what, my friend? Now is the time. If you ever wanted an opportunity to change your scene, it’s this moment of forced relaxation and (if you’re lucky) steady government checks.

And what are you really waiting for? You think if you just stay home in your overpriced apartment and play Wii enough, a job will eventually show up? It might, it totally might. But it probably won’t. So hey, how about considering another type of opportunity?

For example. Did you know that there are ecovillages all over the world? I mean everywhere. Lots of them look quite a bit like urban apartment buildings, but with some obligatory gardening/housework time; others, like the Laytonville EcoVillage, offer you the opportunity to live on communal land in your own “house” (read: converted trailer) for just a few hundred dollars a month in rent. Still others are hardcore hippie oases, full of yoga & yogurt. Whatever their story, many ecovillages let you live there for FREE, in exchange for a few hours’ work each day. So do lots of intentional communities, like the one I’m staying in now outside of LA.

Imagine it: waking up each morning to sunlight and birdsong, going out to work in the field for a bit, then maybe sharing some food with your friends. Sounds overly idyllic to you? Funny, because that’s what I did today.

Okay, another example. Did you know that there are organic farms around the world that need volunteers? Were you aware that, if you can fork over the cash for a ticket, you could find yourself living expense-free in some distant paradise, WWOOFing for your dinner?

It’s for real. You can do it. Maybe it won’t be forever, but it’s a damn good way to weather the current economic storm. No electric bill, no food bill, no gas bill. Some places even pay a stipend, so you can sock a bit of cash away.

And unless you’re headed to some crazy-remote cabin in BFE, you can just bring your Wii with you.

Other options? Oh yes, plenty. Americorps, or the Peace Corps. Doctors Without Borders. Burners Without Borders. Or any one of a thousand organizations that need help urgently. So go, I tell ya! See the world! Stop waiting for unemployment checks and just DO something. You won’t regret it, and you might even thank me someday.

Or you can just sit there and refresh the Craigslist job board every 30 seconds, that’s good too.

*You cuss a lot.