Last week I tried texting one of my girlfriends “we are all going to hell in a handbasket”. Except my phone autocorrected “handbasket” to “handbag” and honestly, how relatable is that? It’s 2020, we’ve all traded in our handbaskets for handbags. So this is me officially announcing to the world that I am coining the term “to hell in a handbag”. Ya’ll heard it here first!
To Hell in a handbag...
So what exactly is the definition of Furlough? “A temporary leave from work that is not paid and is often for a set period of time” (Merriam-Webster).
A word I had never heard of before about a month ago and a word I never imagined would impact my life. Recently I began hearing the word tossed around during COVID-19 press reports and on the nightly news. I found myself feeling so sorry for the individuals affected but thankful I had a chosen a career path in healthcare. I had a warped perception that because I had a clinical doctorate, I was immune from the economic hardships. Some would argue that my “privilege” was showing. I am not here to agree or disagree with that statement but I would say, after the year of hell 2019 was for my family (my father passed away after a 7 year battle with Head & Neck Cancer), I thought God would catch me a break in 2020… and maybe that’s exactly what has happened now. This brief pause in my professional career is allowing me time to slow down, something I haven’t been able to do since my sweet daddy’s passing. We do not always understand, but as Christians we must trust that despite our circumstances, God is in control. If God brings us into a valley of darkness, he will see us through it!
Allow me be totally transparent. I did not come to this “glass half full” conclusion immediately. Oh no, no. Last Thursday, April 2nd at around 12:05pm when my company blindsided several of us with the news, I was red hot mad. I experienced so many emotions: anger, hurt, disbelief, frustration, you name it, I felt it. There were curse words muttered, yelling, some more yelling and then came the tears. As the day progressed, my chest felt tight, I had a pounding headache and it almost felt like it was getting harder to breath. My initial thought? “Oh great! On top of this sh*t show I now have also contracted COVID-19! Yay me!” [disclaimer: I do not have COVID-19]. After an evening walk, some much needed Skyline Chili, a few White Claws and a night of crying myself to sleep, I made the decision to let myself sulk through the weekend but come Monday morning, I needed an attitude adjustment.
So what did week one of furlough life look like?
1. I applied for Ohio unemployment : cue additional curse words muttered during the entire application process. Did I do the application right? What should I expect to be paid? When will I get paid? Who knows! [Ohio why do you have to make the process so dang confusing?]
2. I traded out my hearing aids and audiology zoom conference calls: for my Nintendo Switch and Zoom happy hours with other furloughed coworkers and friends. [In a time of physical isolation, I highly encourage you to reach out to friends and loved ones via virtual calls. I have had some incredible conversations and giggles over the past week. It can also be helpful to commiserate with others who may be going through a similar situation]
3. I’ve re-ignited my love for hard seltzers. The weather is getting nicer which means I need something cool and refreshing in my hand!
Highly recommend the new White Claw flavors: lemon, watermelon and tangerine.
*also if you are a Cincinnati tri-state resident, I highly recommend trying out Vive. It is from Braxton Brewing Company in Covington, Kentucky!
4. I am avoiding the “Furlough 15”. My routine now consists of going on daily walks and doing online workout videos a few times a week.
5. Spending more time with my dog, Kirby! Due to my usual travel schedule, my sweet pup spends most of her time at my parents’ house. I have throughly enjoyed spending more time outside with her and throwing the frisbee in the backyard.
6. Upping my skincare routine. I’ve mentioned Tula several times on the blog, seriously my holy grail! But I am also looking to implement more face masks, serums, etc. Finally putting all of those samples from Ulta and Sephora to good use! This also includes consistently taking collagen peptides daily.
7. Expanding my culinary skills. As someone who travels weekly, I am throughly enjoying the ability to cook at home and not rely on carryout as often. Of course, I am still supporting local restaurants on the weekend 😉
8. Working on the science of baking. So far this week I’ve made banana bread and brownies. I imagine heading into Easter weekend this list will continue to grow.
9. Playing games – Yahtzee, Battleship, Twister, Uno, you name it! When was the last time you played one of your favorite childhood games with your significant other or family?
10. Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc binging. This should probably be #1 on this list! Have a show you’ve been meaning to catch up on or start? Now is your chance!
What’s on the agenda for week two of furlough?
1. Spring cleaning! As someone who is usually always on the go, I often put off organizational projects. I am looking forward to using this time to declutter several closets and drawers.
2. Spring cleaning 2.0 at my parents house. My mom has been asking me for months to help with decluttering the basement, my childhood bedroom and the garage. Looks like I no longer have an excuse… 😉
3. More walks! If you are tired of walking around your neighborhood or community, consider hitting the local bike trail – but please keep your social distancing! Seeing a different friend every other day is NOT social distancing.
4. Read a book. I hate to admit it but ever since finishing graduate school, I have acquired several books but never seem to find the time to start any of them.
5. Discover or cultivate a hobby: We all have something we’ve wanted to try but never seem to find the time. Here are a few hobbies I have expressed an interest in:
– Devote more time to growing my blog – thank you all for joining me on this journey!
–Hand lettering/ calligraphy
–Crochet and/or Knitting – my grandmother hand-knitted all our Christmas stockings with our names on it. I would love to be able to continue this tradition with my family one day.
At the end of the day, there is no right or wrong way to navigate your furlough period. We are all doing the best we can and we will all get through this together!
You’re doing great sweetie!
Happy Easter weekend everyone! Stay healthy, stay safe, stay sane!
-Ronnie
