Good afternoon,

There are several disadvantages that come with unemployment. But their are some great pleasures, too. Time, for instance.

A working newspaper editor has time for little more than the job, a 24/7 pressure cooker with no place to release the steam. It’s a daily battle for institutional and even personal survival. There is little time to think creatively, to read, to watch fun TV or to write, which is what I most missed while on the job.

Unemployment, whatever the cause, brings with it the gift of time. Admittedly, I have squandered too much, at least in terms of my intentions. The daily workouts, for example, lasted only a few weeks. On the other hand, I am cooking a great deal. You can imagine the consequences of that tradeoff.

I am thinking more. That is I am spending time reflecting on my career, on the paths I chose, the jobs I’ve held, the people I’ve known, the triumphs, tragedies, the smart decisions and the mistakes so obvious now I am mortified they were ever made. For better or worse, it has been a long career and so there is a great deal