Heading to NYC for the Weekend

There really isn't any place in the world quite like New York City. It is the place that you love or you hate. I love that simplicity, love or hate, like or dislike. It is very clean and simple.

Either you are the person who loves the nonstop rush of activity or you feel overwhelmed and dirty. I am the person who get energized by the people, the traffic, the buildings, the food, the air; I love it all. I feel like I become alive again the minute I step foot on the concrete or the cobblestone.

The City will be a very surreal place this weekend. After all, this is the weekend of 9/11/01 and how can you NOT think and remember that tragic day. It will be a somber weekend, and a chance to look back and pray once again for the families that lost so much as well as the firefighters, police officers and emergency workers that gave so much.

This has and will always be a bittersweet date for me. 9/11/01 was the most shocking, scary and eye-opening event that I have ever experienced. It marked the last time I felt completely safe in my own home. This date is also my wedding anniversary. A day that I will always cherish as one of the happiest in my life. So, it is ironic - funny how that happens.

I do have plans for the weekend that are far removed from the tragedies of 2001. I do this to remind myself that we are a city of people that will not be stopped. Oh, yes; we may have slowed down, but we keep plugging along.

So after a visit to Ground Zero, it will be a fun-filled day. Just like the day will always be for me, good with the bad.

Back at it...but what exatly is it.

So, I am feeling better after the many months since I began this blog...well, at least I am telling myself that. You know, the way your friends and family try to offer support, to let you know they "understand what you are going through" and junk. That is what I am telling myself today.

"Get out there and do something," I say to myself, daily

I started the blog and just gave up out of sheer depression.

I am feeling better.

OK - to recap, I was going to write about this amazing journey of dealing with unemployment; about keeping my head up and taking the bull by the horns and making the best of the situation. I wanted to share what I found out on this journey with others. To make it as simple as possible, the journey sucked. It still sucks and I don't see much of and end in sight, even though I am taking steps to change my "near" future.

I started my website; or should I say I am "tinkering" with a website as a precursor to the "real" website I want to start. Just getting my feet wet, A. The website is pitching a freelance consultancy I am hoping to start. Oh, just baby-steps at this point. The website is really there to make me feel better. If I get any traction from it, that will just be gravy. Check out the site and give me some feedback, be please be kind - I am still in a very delicate state: http://millissatessier.yolasite.com/.

I plan to spend my days learning more about the social media I love so much. I was lucky enough to have spent a few years learning all about digital media, new media and the new PR platform that social media and blogging has offered to the world. I love the relaxed nature of this type of approach. The only scary bit is that it changes so quickly, as soon as you have wrapped your arms around a technique or a style, it changes. Exciting, but scary, too.

I hope to try and carve out a new niche for myself, making me more valuable instead of less valuable and attractive to clients and companies. I know that is a loaded statement; but when you have been unemployed for over eight months and your are the type of person that almost wholly attaches her self-worth to the work she does, that speaks volumes.

Well, there you go for a start...or re-launch...."I got out there and did something."

The Job Search - Starting the Journey

Why is searching for employment such a challenge. Why does looking for a job create such anxiety, depression and negative emotions? 

I never could understand why doing something to better yourself and to challenge yourself gave one such a complex and creates such a black cloud. My black cloud has been following me for three years. Of course, there have been good stretches but really nothing has made me really happy for a very long time. 

I consider myself to be a straight-forward, honest, competent professional. I have had many jobs in many industries and have really like most of them. The ones I did not like, I left very quickly. I have a ton of experiences, and have a very open mind. This seems to be a disadvantage. 

Is anyone else so tired of hearing, "Why do you have so many gaps," or "Why did you leave after only six months." I am sick of it and if it were reversed, I think it would be very pleasing to know that if you are not committed and happy, you look for something else. Why suck it up doing something that you will spend more than half your life doing - can't work be fun and inspirational? 

So, now that I have thrown myself into the job search head first I thought I would begin my blog about this journey. I will admit that I have not really tried as hard as I should have over the past five months, been too depressed, but now I am putting my best foot forward and actually taking control of my future. Here we go....

See if my experiences match your own and please offer any suggestions.