My last post wasn’t written at the best time. I (and around 10 others at my company) had just been laid off, and I was pretty deep in the well of self-pity.

Two weeks on, I’m doing far better. The day after writing that post, I got a couple phone calls from some recruiting agencies, and have continued receiving calls and emails since then. I didn’t believe it, but the six months at my old company really have made a difference in my job prospects. I also learned, the day after that post, that I still had two and… 1/6 paychecks coming to me over the next month. So I’ll be able to make rent and pay all my bills at least through July, and that isn’t counting unemployment (which I need to file soon…)

Learning that, and the constant contact with recruiters, has obviously brightened my outlook. It now feels like I can actually fulfill “The Summer of Andrew” in a way more faithful to its inspiration from Seinfeld; in the original episode, George Costanza had been put on a three-month paid leave. I’m pretty much free to do the same.

Of course, I intend to get a job before July ends. However, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying the R&R right now. I was sort of dreading this being the first summer I didn’t have “off” ever, and was wondering how I was going to “cope” with that. Being back home in Connecticut for the past two weeks to “lick my wounds,” it’s like nothing’s changed. And in fact, it’s starting to really feel like summer 2006 — back then, I just had my laptop and was upstairs all the time at night, posting on G4. Well now I’m using my mom’s Chromebook I bought her just before this all happened, upstairs posting on NeoGAF and Project Gforum. And Toonami’s back; random thing to say, but I really am looking forwards to Saturday nights now because of that.

It’s actually been kind of hard, because these recruiters are gunning for me to get a job ASAP — because they make a commission if they land me a job. And I know it’s the height of arrogance to think I can get a job anytime I want, and should snap at the first opportunity… any opportunity. But I know what I feel, and I know I don’t want to return to the working force just yet. I feel like I’ve been burned, and I’m not all too eager to put my hand back on the stove.

Naturally of course, my ambition will triumph over my innate “workshyness” (which I mentioned in “Prelude.”) I have big plans for my future, and the money I made was very nice. It’s just, right now I want to focus on some of my own projects, you know? Since I started working in February, I haven’t touched Project Gforum — literally the last thing I did was launch Version 4. I’ve been building up all these upgrades I want to do in my head, but haven’t been able to execute because work completely dominated my weekdays, and my weekends basically consisted of me sleeping in and maybe watching a movie or TV show. I’ve probably played less than 5 hours of videogames total since February, as well.

I’ve been presented with an unprecedented opportunity — an actual summer break from work, not school. The Summer of Andrew, Part 2. And as I’ve said, it’s still early days for me. I can still do this sort of thing, because of how young I am. But don’t think this means I’ve lost my ambition, far from it. I actually intend for the projects I work on in this time to grow into something worth doing, full time. Eventually. I know that at least until January, I need another job to make the rent. And whatever I do next, I’ll likely do for longer than that. But January is the minimum, because of my lease.

My honest dream is that, eventually I’ll move into the other house my family owns (currently in a state of mid-repair), basically neighboring my parents, while working remotely or at my own business. Making as much or more than I made at my first job. That’s the dream I have for my 20′s. In my 30′s… well, I’m a bit more ambitious. But one thing at a time.

I was originally going to title this “Resurrected,” but I’m kind of getting hyped for The Dark Knight Rises. Considering some of the posts I made about The Dark Knight, I think I can afford this inclusion.
-Andrew