One of those days...

Today is one of those days of being unemployed that feels like I'm unemployed and never going to find a job.  It hasn't been that long but it feels that long today.  So what is one to do when they're having a long unemployed day?

Here are a few of my tips in case we're in the same boat:

1. Change out of your pjs/workout clothes/sweats/college hoodie, comb your hair, put on a little makeup, some nice smelling lotion or perfume.   I find that making the effort to look like I have some place to go makes me feel less like I'm starting at the computer filling in endless job forms online. 
2. Update LinkedIn profile- I've been putting this one off for a while, but these days, it's a really important tool in the job search. It gives employers a quick snap shot of you without having to read your resume.  Also, add a picture, it makes you a person to them.  Also, I found that updating this made me feel like a person with a purpose, too.  As I apply for jobs it's easy to start to feel like I'm just an application number, but linked in lets you be a human and reminds you that you have skills, and people who endorse your skills.
3. Make a list of people you know well that you've worked with and contact them.  Odds are you have way more LinkedIn connections than people who could actually endorse your work, but the ones who know you well can not only endorse you, but can also keep their eyes and ears open for opportunities in their network. 
4. Do some research.  I find that by researching topics in my field, I can feel myself becoming more confident in myself as a candidate that someone should hire.  
5. Think about the benefits of being unemployed at this moment.  It's hard.  Being unemployed sucks, but for me, it allowed me to have a surplus of time with my family and friends over the holidays without the stress of work.  I try to keep this in mind when I'm feeling dragged down. 
6. If all else fails, take a break...which is what I'm doing here, lol

The Weather Outside is Frightful

But it's kind of beautiful and the perfect day for my last day of my job, and for kicking off an unemployed holiday season. I'm hoping I can keep my brain from worrying too much and just think of all of the extra time I'll have with family and friends.

Since it was cold and snowy I made soup. 

I really love Smitten Kitchen's Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe, so I more or less just followed that. She's right, the browning of the chicken in the pan really gives the soup another layer of flavor, and once you've tried it, you won't go back to the old just boil it method. The only change I started making was to cook noodles separately. Unfortunately, you do lose a little by not having those noodles soak up the broth directly, but we never finish the whole batch at once, and then our noodles get soggy sitting in it. So now I boil them separately until they're almost done before draining them, then adding the broth and veggies and finishing the cooking the rest of the way.

Ingredients:
Serves 4
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3-pound chicken, in parts or 3 pounds chicken pieces of your choice
8 cups water
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons table salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large carrot, diced (1/3-inch)
1 medium parsnip, diced (1/3-inch) (optional)
1 large celery stalk, diced (1/3-inch)
3 ounces dried egg noodles, I prefer wide ones
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley
 

Prepare broth: In a large (5-quart) heavy pot over medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil. Add the onion and saute it for 3 to 4 minutes, until beginning to take on color at edges. Add the chicken pieces (if too crowded, can do this in two batches), making little wells in the onions so that the parts can touch the bottom of the pan directly. Cook chicken parts until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Add water, bay leaf, table salt and some freshly ground black pepper and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and skim any the surface of the pot. Simmer pot gently, partially covered, for 20 minutes.

Transfer chicken parts to a plate to cool a bit before handling. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl (ideally, with a spout) and pour soup through it.

To finish and serve: Add diced vegetables and simmer them until they’re firm-tender, about 5 minutes. Add dried noodles and cook them according to package directions, usually 6 to 9 minutes. While these simmer, remove the skin and chop the flesh from a couple pieces of chicken, only what you’re going to use. You won’t need all of it in the soup. Save the surplus for another meal later in the week...tacos, salad, etc...

Once noodles have cooked, add chicken pieces just until they have rewarmed through (30 seconds) and ladle into serving bowls. Garnish with dill or parsley, dig in and let it fix everything that went wrong with your day.

MMMM...