Silver linings

Rather than being productive and actually finishing up my packing and cleaning, I just took a few moments to wonder how many calories I'm really burning with all of this activity.

Before unemployment (I haven't even been unemployed for a week, I realize, but it sounds dramatic to say it that way) I sat at a desk every day for eight hours. Granted there were moments where I was moving around or walking somewhere, but basically my job involved a lot of office work. For the past few days I've been doing a lot of box lifting, cleaning, and other activity.

So I decided to google "calories burned while moving." According to calorielab.com, on Saturday when I'm carrying boxes and furniture I'll burn roughly 340 calories per hour! Not bad. I'm all about the silver linings in this situation.

As such, I've compiled a list of other good things to come out of this:

1. I know exactly what I should do when someone is trying to kill me. Also, I can start conversations with, "This one time a guy tried to kill me, so I quit my job and became unemployed and homeless..." Not many people can do that, I'm guessing.

2. I'm crazy organized because I chose to throw out all kinds of junk rather than move it. I've been meaning to become more organized for a long time, so this is definitely a bonus.

3. A friend gave me two plastic pink flamingos for my birthday a couple years ago, and they will look soooo much better stationed outside a trailer than they do outside my little cottage.

4. I'll have plenty of spare time to play with my new Nike+ after I'm all moved. Also, the town I'm moving to has an awesome running trail right by the river that I'll be able to enjoy.

5. While I'll be farther away from some friends (I'm going to miss Shawna so much!) I'll be closer to others that I haven't seen in awhile.

6. My rent and utilities will be so much cheaper while living in my parent's RV in their driveway. My ego might take a beating, but my bank account will be happy... as happy as it can be without any income.

7. I might find a new job that I love even more than the one I just quit!

8. My parents have two adorable basset hounds, providing playmates for Suzy and quality puppy cuddling time for me.

9. I've always wondered what it would be like to live in an RV for an extended period of time. Plus, now when I say I'm trailer trash I won't just be referring to the past!

10. I've learned how many people I have that love and support me. The phone keeps ringing because people are worried about me, and it makes me happy to know that people care about me. I even have people coming to help me move on Saturday that I haven't seen in years! A few years ago while on summer break from college I worked in a mill with my father, and a couple of his co-workers offered to come help us move my stuff without even being asked. That rocks.

So I'm almost done feeling sorry for myself, and I'm starting to realize that this might not all be bad. And no matter what, I'm still alive! And that is the greatest silver lining of all.