The Good Thing About Being Unemployed
Time. That’s what.
As a consultant, I’m frequently unemployed. It’s the nature of my business. I sell bits and pieces of my time for good money, then use the time I don’t sell to get better ideas. Today I’m going to learn how to use a cool tool I just found called Processing. I want to use it to create some visualizations of learning processes.
I remember the dot com bust, in 2001. I had a stretch of almost six weeks without work. Yes, I was worried and depressed, but I also decided it would be fun to learn about network security– something very easy to learn online. I downloaded and played with security tools and read tutorials on how network protocols work. That knowledge allowed me to get several projects, later on, including two gigs doing security testing, and one stint as an expert witness on a networking-related court case.
If you are out of work, then start learning like your future depends on it.
Among my browser categories are “Fun” and “Learning”. I have added your Buccaneer Scholar site to both of them.
I’m currently employed, but have been out and looking many times. One of the poisons of unemployment is the damage it does to confidence. And certainly one of the most effective ways to restore confidence is to learn. So it serves a dual purpose – we learn about topics we need for various alternate futures, and we boost the self esteem so critical for interviews that land positions and consulting gigs.
And, somehow, there are so many happy coincidences where the Learning has prepared us for the Future that materializes. (I am reminded of Steve Jobs studying calligraphy, just because he found it beautiful – then later this was an inspiration for the Mac’s proportional fonts).
Something really appeals to me about the concept of a gig. Like a musician, you come for a time, exercise your gifts, and then move on.
All jobs are temporary anyway. We do our best, then move on. And when in transition, we have Time for learning. I suppose that this is the way a Buccaneer must view Hard Times. He learns much more about his ship in a storm than on quiet seas.
Wishing you great success with the book, James. I feel like that scene in the movie ‘Contact’.
“Who do we tell now?”
“Everybody.”
Comment by John Baxter — January 31, 2009 @ 10:11 am
James,
Yes, I have learned to put my not working time to good use. Ongoing learning is important to me.
You might want to look into the book, Visualizing Data. The book focuses on the Processing tool. I had hopes the book would be something else at the time.
[James' Reply: Yes I have that book!]
Another tool you might want to look into is Tableau, on my current radar for data analysis.
[James' Reply: I'll check it out.]
Karen
Comment by Karen N. Johnson — February 5, 2009 @ 1:28 pm
Often I was asked by people “when you will go on your own” (considering that I have been working for someone all these years (full time employment). I gave them illusive answer as I don’t know when I will do that.
The part of consultant job that scares me is “unemployment”. In my 12 years of “employed” career – I have been without job for exactly 6 days that too I took a forced rest between two jobs. This is that “something” that is keeping me from jumping into independent test consulting role.
[James' Reply: Yes, that part is frightening. But I love being independent.]
I am often surprised when people without job are advised to “invest (mostly in monetory terms)” and “learning”. While learning should be “on” all the time, when you lose the job (especially someone like me who is mostly on full-time employment with organizations), your top priority should be to get job quickly while spending as least as possible on learning (that too by paying from savings). I also feel that when you are out of job, the mind may not be in right frame of mind to learn.
[James' Reply: Learning is a survival tactic, for me. I want to survive, so I need to learn.]
Similarly, I am surprised when jobless people get advices on “spending time with family” or “joining for charity work/social work” or “following a hobby that they wanted to pursue” … How can one do all such things, when a jobless person carries heavy burden of unemployment ….
[James' Reply: Unemployment means you have time to do things other than being at an office working for someone else. Make good use of that time!]
One should be proactive and invest in learning even when things are going fine and no job loss fear.
Shrini
Comment by Shrini K — February 7, 2009 @ 5:49 am
Processing is an interesting tool for visualization artists. I first heard about Robert Hodgin (flight404) when he presentend himself at OFFF 2007 in Barcelona. Check out is work on vimeo.com (“Robert Hodgin” or “flight404″).
[James' Reply: Cool!]
Comment by Dennis Riedel — February 12, 2009 @ 2:58 am
After working for 24 years since the age of 20 and from being an accountant to software professional to PM to quality assurance to testing to home it has been one heck of a roller coaster ride for myself. I tend to think of myself as a simple minded human driven by logic and passion in choosing what I like to do and going beyond what is expected in a 9 to 5 job.
I used to think like Shrini at times but when I said enough is enough I knew even before I started my stint at home that time will have to be spent wisely while I find a better job or try something on my own… (see my blog post – http://bugmaniac.wordpress.com/2009/03/20/liberation/)
Well I am still at it but I am doing what I want to. Independence is liberating but this is a period of hibernation mean to rejuvenate. As I reinvent myself and clear the cobwebs I know I would need to be much more wiser come next assignment and even if I advance a notch it would help. Learning has to simply carry on…
[James' Reply: Tell us what you've been studying. I want to see a list of at least ten things.]
Comment by Sandeep Maher — April 4, 2009 @ 7:33 am
- Learning Ruby, plan to pick up Watir after that.
- I continue to learn reading up on blogs and forums on testing and responding to some of them. Yesterday I heard James Whittaker on his video ‘5 ways to revolutionise QA’. The insights were not rocket science material but definitely worth listening & implementing…
- I want to learn mind mapping technique enough to probably start implementing it. I have poor retention ability or maybe my mind is helpless with all the reading I do these days.
- I need to do up my blog & will learn anything to do that – design aspects, CSS et al. I find blogs in general have a plain Jane look.
- I am also taking my learning of Photoshop ahead by picking up on what is new in CS4. Reading the “Missing Manual” book by Lesa Snider King. I have a huge collection of photos & am currently scanning old photos using my Canon MFD and restoring them. I love to read up on tips & tricks to make photos sparkle. Maybe I will start a photoblog someday.
- I am learning some Yoga asanas to help my back ease up further. I have had good results with them and some breathing exercises (Pranayama) have had a positive impact.
Any suggestions?
[James' Reply: That sounds like a good spread of subjects, to me. Wow!]
Comment by Sandeep Maher — April 6, 2009 @ 12:11 am
found these pirate jokes, and thought of you…
http://www.piratejokes.net/jokes/12
Comment by kristin — April 6, 2009 @ 10:39 pm