Once you've been kicked to the curb like a wet food stamp...

All kinds of possibilities open up. It's time for reinvention. Being single and having no one to impress or disappoint just makes you that much freer. I've been unemployed for a week now, and I'm trying to think in different directions - expand my employment horizons. In all my working life, I still have not found that perfect job - the one that makes getting out of bed in the morning tolerable. (Though I have to admit, working at Godiva in college comes close.)

So last week, I started thinking about what I like to do. I like to read, watch movies, play Scrabble, cook and act. Reading and watching movies is not likely to be lucrative. I mean - I guess I could read for the blind, but what if they wanted me to read nothing but science fiction or training manuals? Besides, that seems like more of a volunteer kind of thing anyway. Watching movies - I guess I could be a critic. Oh ...no way. I am so impressed when anyone does anything (I mean anything at all, let alone make a movie -) that I would be useless. I'd gush and gush. Scrabble - I'm not weird enough to devote my whole life to it. (Anybody happen to catch the movie "Word Wars?") Acting.... yeah, right. But hold on a minute! Baking - now there's something.

In fact - I have already parlayed baking skills into tangible goods. There was a time I was without health insurance, and traded cakes for antidepressants. ( I won't name names, but there is a certain sweet-toothed receptionist at a doctor's office not above taking a bribe.) I also made a friend's wedding cake as a gift, but believe me - buying the toaster would have been A LOT easier. And just last week I plied my physical therapist with cupcakes in the hopes that she would also help me get in shape. "Yes, my knee feels much better, but what are we going to do about these jiggly arms?"

Now I am older, wiser and riddled with experience. PLUS - I own a fancy kitchen aid mixer, thank you very much Gabe.

Perhaps now is the time I try and bake my way in the world.