The LA Times article was released today. “For the ‘funemployed,’ unemployment is welcome”

It’s not really what I was expecting. I’d like to hear your thoughts about it.

For now….I’m still working on Project: Today (Day 4). Today’s challenge? Get to bed before midnight. So…goodnight!

I’m not a morning person. Not even by a long shot. 7:30am is early. Very early. Yet that’s when I received a phone call this morning.

I’ll admit it…at first I sent the unknown,  interrupter of my beauty sleep to voice mail. Even when they called back, I tried to do the same thing…except I accidentally pressed the wrong part of my iPhone screen and answered it. I could hear someone on the other end saying, “hello…helloooo…?” Oops. Then while trying to hang up real quick, I couldn’t quite comprehend what was going on. (Have I mentioned that I’m not a morning person…and am almost completely incoherent when I wake up?) So, while trying to sound wide awake, said “helllooo?”

From the other end came this cheery, loud morning wake up song. (Don’t ask me what it was…I totally can’t remember.) I struggled through the song and tried to figure out what was going on. Then finally the voice said something I could understand. “Aubrey, get up…I have an amazing opportunity for you.” (one eye opens up) “Do you want to come to Curb Studio in Nashville and shoot some photos.” (other eye opens up) “So-and-so (famous music producer) should be there and we’ll also introduce you to so-and-so (famous) and so-and-so (super famous).” By now I’m sitting up in bed. I didn’t need to hear anything else. “I’ll be there!”

I’m a little embarrassed to admit that although living in Nashville for almost 2 years, I don’t know my way around music row. I passed the recording studio 4 times before finally getting in touch with the beauty sleep interrupter and getting directions. Once inside…I was like a kid in a candy store. Eyes and mouth wide open. Pure awesomeness! (Have I mentioned that I’m a musician too?) The music equiptment was amazing and the recording equiptment was straight out of my dreams. I think I might have even drooled a little bit.

Everyone there was super nice. I find that I’m always more creative when I feel comfortable in an environment. They sure provided that. The only problem? I realized very quickly the limitations of the equiptment I have. Don’t get me wrong, I have a great camera, but I learned that recording studios can be dark. It’s hard to take pictures in the dark with no flash. Especially when the subjects are moving around really fast. So…I didn’t get very many good, usable pictures today. Thankfully, I have a few more days to research and find the best way of making due with what I have. Awesome!

As I think back over the day, I can’t help but laugh. When I went to bed last night (ok, it was this morning at 3:30am), I had nothing on my schedule. I was going to sleep in late and enjoy a day of nothing. The phone call came first. Then someone twittered me about lunch. Next came an email for a tea time talk. Followed by a text asking about dinner. And finally an after dinner photo editing time with a friend.

What a day! But you know what? I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’m so thankful and fortunate to have this amazing opportunity of life. Time for friends. Conversations with strangers. Crazy, busy “unscheduled” days. A chance to learn and grow…day by day. What can I say? This is awesome! Who knows what tomorrow may bring? Life is such a precious gift.

I had an amazing opportunity this weekend. I was interview by a LA Times reporter.

Now let me start about by saying…never in my WILDEST dreams did I think anything like that would happen to me. I mean, seriously. I’m just a small town Florida beach girl living in Tennessee. So, saying that I was shocked when she contacted me, is an understatement. I actually thought it was a joke. So naturally, I went online to check out her credentials. Sure enough, she was legit.

So…how did she find me? Through Twitter. Yup, that’s right. The very thing that so many of my friends (irl) make fun of me for. I am a passionate evangelist for Twitter, and now this only makes my case stronger. It’s a powerful networking tool. Period.

Ok, enough of all that. Why did she contact me? Well…she’s doing a story on people who are unemployed and making the most of it. In some of my tweets (Twitter “posts” for all you non-twitterers) I made reference to finally having time for  friends and family. Being free to have coffee and great conversations with friends. Learning new things. Instead of calling it unemployment, I called it “funemployment.” And that’s what caught her attention.

Funemployment

(Gotta say…thanks Natalie Dee for this image and idea)

While chatting with her, she told me I’m not alone in the many things that I am experiencing. Such as learning to live with less, feeling like I have more freedom, my health improving due to less stress and actually wanting to be intentional about helping those less fortunate then myself. Also, placing greater value on my relationships. My friends and family are way more important then a job.

More then anything, I felt the interview motivated me. It caused me to reflect on how my perspective has changed in this relatively short time (almost 2 months). What are my priorities? What do I want to do? What do I want to be known for? What can I do to help those around me? I can choose to be positive or negative. I can choose to see opportunity or failure. I can choose help or hurt. It’s my choice. My future is laid out…one choice at a time.

I have realized how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family (both immediate and extended -to me it’s all the same). I have a wonderful Church family. A big eye opener to me, has been my friends who I have met online. They have been there for me with words of encouragement, prayer and a listening ear. They take time to check in on me, even if it’s just a quick message. I don’t care what anyone says…online community can be more real then those we encounter in our daily lives. For that, I am truly thankful.

I’ll keep you all updated and let you know when the story runs.

Enough about me. What about you? What opportunities have you had lately?