Riffing on Unemployment

Unemployment might suck, but it’s no excuse to lose your sense of humor. Case in point? Seattle resident Keri Robinson, a laid-off Microsoft employee who channeled all her new free time into something fun and fulfilling: a humorous blog called Lords and Ladies of Leisure that chronicles her jobless woes and helps fellow job-seekers connect, network or simply commiserate.

"When I got laid off from my job at Microsoft, I felt like a no-talent ass-clown wearing house pants and growing a muffin top" she told The Seattle Times. "Then, I did something crazy and started blogging about this experience and a funny thing happened: I discovered a new talent and a new passion — creative writing. And, thanks to my blog and my outgoing personality, I've also discovered that I really like networking and helping people who are jobless find themselves, find a job or when all else fails, to simply find humor in their house pants."

Robinson, 35, says her house pants provided the motivation needed to start her blog: She remembered thinking, "It's disgusting. I haven't done anything all day except email, and I'm in the same clothes I went to bed in. Do I shower or not shower? You don't have a reason to shower."

Actually, Robinson’s blog did give her a reason to clean up. It helped her get some face-time with a group of fellow job-seekers. During one get-together in March, about 15 people met at a coffeehouse to swap job tips and simply bitch. At another meeting, a professional resume-writer scrutinized their resumes for free.

Robinson has been blogging since Valentine’s Day and hasn’t found a job yet. But it’s often said laughter is good for the soul. Perhaps that will prove true for job-seeking as well.