Unemployment bliss

It has been nearly a month since I quit my job and entered the great club of unemployment.

Am I supposed to be hating it by now?

(Checks her bank account).

Ok. Maybe I do just a little.

When I began entertaining the thought of quitting my job and moving to Alabama to cut down on those long distance phone calls, dreams of productivity danced in my head. I'll plan the wedding! Exercise for hours every day! Clean the house! Start my own freelancing business! Volunteer! Bake the neighbors cookies!

And then TLC started running "What Not To Wear" marathons. And Seth decided it would be a romantic thing to bring home the much coveted Beatles Rockband.

Don't get me started on the "Law & Order: SVU" marathons. Or the fact that I can finally watch Oprah again. Speaking of which...

Adventures at an Alabama pool party

Something tells me I should cross lounging by the city pool off of my list of things to do while unemployed...

Bittersweet home Alabama

** We now interrupt the ridiculous amount of unpacking for this special announcement... ***

One of the clearest memories I have from my first few weeks at Marquette University (most other memories were fogged by too many $5 bills donated to the Keg Brothers at 1435 Kilbourn) is coming home from my Intro to Communications discussion section, closing the door to my all too tiny dorm room, and bawling my eyes out.

Yes, I do realize this was quite the trend during my first semester at college.

A full two weeks into my career as a Southern Belle, today I recreated that scene from McCormick Hall. Twice.

I'm not going to pretend this is easy. It's not. As much as I love my Beatles, I'm not going to tell you that all you need is love to move across the country, away from your career, your best friends and your family. The promise of less snow isn't quite that great.

But seeing the same sight when I close my eyes at night as when I open them in the morning (Seth the Southern Charmer of course) sure makes it a little easier.

leaving, in the happy honda

All my bags are packed. (Well minus my blow dryer)

I'm ready to go. (Ok, I guess I probably should vacuum)

I'm standing here outside my door. (It's freezing! And you wonder why I'm moving south)

I hate to wake you up Wisconsin to say goodbye. (Because I realize after a Packer win, even in the pre-season, on Monday you could still be hungover)

But the Chicago traffic, it could be sheer torture

The Illinois drivers are waiting, they're blowing their horns,

Already, I'm so lonesome (only for the Spotted Cow, Von Stiehl wine and cheese curds) I could die.

So kiss me (no beer breath please)

And smile for me

Tell me that you'll wait for me (with a glass of Leinie's in hand)

Hold me like you'll never let me go (except at 1:30 p.m. you really must let me go. Southern Charmer's orders)

Cause I'm leavin

In the Happy Honda

Don't know when I'll be back again (perhaps when my Wisconsin wine supply runs)

Oh Wisconsin, I really am ridiculously excited to go....

Things I have discovered...

while packing up my life. A week from today it's goodbye cheese curds and beer, hello....

Well. I hope somewhere in Alabama there's still cheese curds and beer.

1. Our apartment is infested with spiders. Little ones, big ones, brown ones, black ones, even lime green ones. And they are scary.

2. Boxes attack. I mean, how else can I explain all these strange bruises? Surely I didn't run into them myself. I'm much more coordinated than that. (And for some reason, the boxes are only multiplying. Where did all this stuff come from?!)

3. No one needs that much mustard. And I mean no one.

4. Fievel has been sleeping in our storage closet for I'm not sure how many months. Last time I checked rent payments are not accepted in the form of mouse poop. Pay up my little rodent friend.

5. I still don't know if I'm entirely prepared to wake up to this every morning...