As I read through this e-book, I couldn’t help but draw parallels in my own life. Was I happy? What am I doing to change my situation so I AM happy? What is making me miserable?

Basically, all the stuff I’ve written about on this blog is covered in this e-book. But with step-by-step guides on how to get organized and maintain a healthy and happy life.

Its only $14.95 and worth every penny. Download it from here!

1.  Get thee to the unemployment office.
   Many people feel ashamed of getting unemployment compensation. When you step into that office, you feel like a failure. Like somehow it was your fault for getting laid off. But the truth is, you are entitled to that compensation. It generally does not even come close to making up for your lost salary, but its atleast something. As soon as you get those walking papers from your employer, make a bee-line to the Unemployment Office and file your claim. It usually takes a week or two before you start getting compensated, so it would be in your best interested to file as soon as possible. For example, the last time I got laid off, I was able to file all my forms online, and never even had to go down to the unemployment office. Of course, I was lucky, and got offered a job before the payments started coming in, but it certainly was easy.
2. Keep in contact with your co-workers.
   If you are being escorted off the premises, this might be difficult to do, but if you are lucky you’ll have a chance to exchange good-byes with your co-workers. Make sure they know how to contact you. You would be suprised on how many job opportunities get passed on by former co-workers and friends.
3. Take a few days off before getting into the job search.
   If you are lucky enough to have received a severance package, take a few days off to recharge your batteries. This is a stressful time, and it will take a few days to adjust to your new situation. Yes, the mortage and car payments are due, but taking a day or two to reassess your situation will make things easier down the road. 
4. View your layoff as an opportunity.
   Think of your layoff as an opportunity to get a better, higher paying job. In today’s job market, you have to jump jobs in order to move up. Look at this as an opportunity to search for a job upgrade. Either pay wise or responsibility wise. If you are desperate for a paycheck, feel free to take a job to make ends meet, but continue your job search.
5. Don’t forget temp agencies.
   You’d be surprised by how many temp agencies there are for just about every field imaginable. Sometimes a very lucrative, fulfilling job can be found if you get your foot in the door with a temp agency. The majority of temp agencies get paid from contracts they get from employers, so you shouldn’t have to pay anyone to find  you a job. 

1. Keep calm.
   As hard as it is to do when your world comes crashing down. Remember to stay calm. Its easy to let anger and worry cloud your judgement at this time. The company will be telling you a bunch of stuff related to your unemployment and it is important that you hear what they are saying. Yes, this is extremely upsetting, and emotionally draining, but blowing up is not going to help the situation.
2. Be attentive.
   I’ve been there, when you get laid off, you’re mind starts to wander. “What the heck am I going to do now?” This is the time to block those kind of thoughts out. You need to pay special attention on what the company is offering you and make sure you take every advantage. Are they giving you a severance package? How is your vacation and sick leave handled? How about health insurance coverage? Pay special attention to the details, as these are easy to miss when you are thinking of other things.
3. Get out as soon as you can.
   This is my personal view. If you aren’t escorted out of the building, don’t linger around the office. Get what you absolutely need, and try to make arrangements to come back later to clear out your desk. You should make a point of getting all your ex-co-workers contact information and give them yours. But don’t stick around to reminisce about old times. You are going to be emotional, and there is no reason for anyone to see it. This might be a “macho” thing, but never let them see you sweat.
4. Watch for other laid-off co-workers.
   Ok, here is a phenomenon that may be particular to me. But the times I’ve been laid off, there is generally a gathering of everyone that was just laid-off either in the parking lot, or a bar near-by. Find it. This will be your opportunity to gather everyone’s contact information and get some potential job information. This is the time where everyone starts talking about what their preliminary plans are. Sometimes a potential job opportunity, freelance gig or business venture will form from this meeting.
5. Never burn your bridges.
   As tempting as it is to get angry and burst from the doors bad-mouthing every executive in the office, or anyone that has ever pissed you off… Don’t do it. Again, you never know what the future brings.. One of those people you are “flaming” might end up being able to offer you a job somewhere else, or know someone looking for someone like you.

Its important to remain positive. Once you receive that pink slip, don’t fall into the trap of feeling ashamed and negative about your layoff. See this as an opportunity to find a better employer, get a better salary, or change careers all-together.

You get a few people that are just absolutely stunned, they believe that they don’t deserve to be laid off, and that there are others that were somehow more deserving of a termination. There are others that look at it as “heck, I was unhappy anyway… good riddance.” And then there are even others that look at it like its an opportunity to make a change in their lives.

I originally started this series of posts thinking about how you can prepare yourself for a layoff. But what I ended up writing about was a more of a set of tips for dealing with the entire layoff process, from preparing yourself before the layoff to dealing with things after the layoff.

What I’ve come to realize is that there really isn’t anything you can do to prepare yourself mentally for a layoff. It will always come as a shock no matter if you are given a month’s notice or you are told to leave now. I guess there is always something in the back of your mind that says, “It won’t be me” regardless of how much evidence there is to the contrary.

As pessimistic as this may sound, the best way to prepare yourself for a layoff, is to be ready for one at all times. Even if you have no clue a layoff is coming (and some companies are really good at disguising their layoff plans), here are a few things you can do to make getting laid off a little easier on yourself: 

1.  Have a nest-egg.
   Your parents probably have been telling you this for most of your life, but nothing makes getting laid off easier than having a savings. Most financial advisors suggest having enough money in savings to last 3-6 months without a  job. Losing your job is the reason why. You don’t have to put away huge chunks of money every month, but dedicate yourself to saving a few dollars here and there. Believe me, when you are laid off, you will appreciate that you have some money put away for emergencies like this.
2. Make sure you have an email address outside of work.
   There are many free email providers out there, like Google and Microsoft, that will give you a permanent web-based email address. Take advantage of these services before you are laid off. I’ve known a few people that only used their work email addresses, and when they got laid off, there was no way people could contact them via email. You don’t want this to ever happen.
3. Keep your network of friends active.
   Sometimes its easy to let work and family take priority over friendships. But if you ever get laid off, it will be your network of friends that could potentially make things easier on you. You don’t have to have constant contact with your network, just make sure that people don’t feel like you only talk to them when you need something from them. This only takes a few hours a month at the least. You never know when one of your friends might need someone with your skills to help them out.
4. Update your resume.
   The longer you work at a job, the more out of date your resume becomes. Unless you have been actively looking for a job, or you’ve been through this before, chances are your resume is stale. It might not even have your latest contact information or employment information in it. Freshen up your job skills and accomplishments.
5. Backup your files.
   Make sure you back up your files to a CD/DVD while you can. Because when the axe falls, you probably won’t get a chance to gather your contact lists and other personal files off your computer.

Rarely do these layoffs come as a complete suprise. Unless you go to work with blinders on, you’ll see signs of a company struggling. Has the company lost a couple of big clients recently? Are there senior staff members resigning unexpectedly? Has the company stopped replacing people that quit? Have they stopped or limited ordering office supplies? If these things are happening around your company, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to start preparing yourself for a layoff.

Not that you should live in fear of being laid off, but it never hurts to do like the Boy Scouts, and ”Be Prepared”. 

But how about the type of car? Does that say something about you? Does your choice of vehicle say more about you that you think? I believe it does. Just like pets, people resemble the type of car they drive.

For example, someone that drives a mini-van or suv cross-over probably has a family. I don’t know any single person that is saying, “oooo, did you see the new dodge caravan? I need that…” Behind the wheel you will see someone responsible and safety conscience. Probably wearing sweat-pants, a t-shirt, and baseball hat.. because they didn’t have time to shower before having to take the kids to school.

Someone that drives a Jeep Wrangler is more of an outdoorsy type. They will go camping or drive around with the top down on their way to the beach. They are generally friendly and willing to help when needed. They still have a wild streak in them, and are likely to ditch work at any time if the weather is nice and they heard about this really cool spot to have a beer and relax.

Someone that drives a Lexus/BMW/Mercedes is more of a flashy status person. They want everyone to know how successful they are. They like the “finer” things in life like 5-star hotels and wine-tasting. And will tell you all about their salary, and how important their job is. You won’t catch this person cutting out of work for anything. Need someone to pull an all-nighter… Find the guy driving one of these cars.

Someone that drives a sports car (like a Viper, Corvette, Mustang) is into speed. Fast and sort of reckless. Probably an adreneline junkie. Into power. The saying is that they are compensating for something… I believe this to be generally true. Maybe not for the size of their…. well, you know… But could be an unfullfilling marriage or a feeling of lost youth. They are sub-consciously saying, “Hey, Look at me, I’m still cool!”

Someone that drives a Ricer (souped up Honda/Acura/Toyota) is into speed and technology. Also very flashy.. they want everyone to know how fast their car is… The more blinking lights and stickers, the better. If they could push a button and have the whole thing transform into a robot, they would. They also tend to be a bit loopy from all the nitrous-oxide they are exposed to.

Someone that drives a jacked-up “monster” truck, is more than likely a redneck. Beer drinking (Budweiser Only), driving through the swamps redneck. Nascar on the weekends. They will try to say its for work, but most people that need their trucks for work, don’t put tires on them that keep you from hitching a trailer to it. Of course, if you need to find someone to help you rip a stump out of the ground or take down a small shed… This would be the person to ask. Just make sure your health insurance is up to date.

Someone that drives a plain stock Honda/Toyota/Chevy/Ford is someone that doesn’t really care what people think about their vehicle.. its a tool to get from one place to another. They don’t “enjoy” driving. As a matter of fact, if they didn’t have to drive, they wouldn’t.

Someone that drives a VW Bug or Mini Cooper is someone that is fun but a bit strange. They are joiners. They want to think they are part of something bigger than just owning a cute car. If they were to have a gang insignia, it would have rainbows and unicorns on it.

Someone that drives an older model Cadillac or Buick is someone built for comfort. They drive as slow as they want to, because they can. Nobody is going to tell them to hurry up, or slow down, or anything for that matter. They’ve done their time, now they are just going to relax.

Now, I’m not saying that these are completely accurate for every person… But it generally holds true. Can you all think of any others?

Well, right off the bat, I start researching for backup to my claim that when in a men’s restroom, it is always best to NOT TALK and get your business done in the most efficient way possible, then leave. That was when I found this video on YouTube. This pretty much illustrates my claim. There is basically no need for me to expound on this. Enjoy this instructional video:

I just found this blog article from the GourmetStation Blog about Dinner Party Etiquette for the 21st Century. Its got some great tips regarding table manners and such. If you are attending a dinner party, or have the pleasure of hosting your own, I would suggest taking a look at that article, as it has some great advice on dinner party etiquette for the new millenium.

 That all being said, I’m not THAT concerned about formal table etiquette, its great if you have it, but its not completely necessary that you know everything there is to know about it. Heck, I can’t say for certain what the proper order for a multi-course meal is, or which fork to use for sampling cheese. So it would be unfair of me to expect that from others. But, at the same time, there are a few basic table manners that should be learned, regardless of your upbringing and comfort level. Most of these items have been covered ad nauseum by your mother, but PLEASE try to remember them next time you sit down at the table.

1. When you sit down at the table, place the napkin on your lap. There really isn’t any time where its appropriate to use your sleeve to wipe your mouth… use the napkin that was placed there for a reason.

2. No matter how hungry you are, please be respectful of other people at the table. If you are passing platters around, please make sure that you take a fair share. It really sucks when you see a guy pile on 4 helpings of mash potatoes on their plate, and by the time the platter makes it around the table, there aren’t any left.  If there are leftovers after everyone else has a chance to get some. Then, you can go back for a second helping.

3. Try to be as quiet as you can while eating. Any extra noise making like slurping or belching just isn’t very polite. You might be comfortable, or think its funny… but generally it isn’t.

4. Chew with your mouth closed. This could possibly be the MOST IMPORTANT table manners tip I could possibly give. Nobody wants to see you chomping away like a cow.

5. Don’t talk with your mouth full.  Kind of goes along with #4. People don’t want to get splattered by chewed up food, plus its really hard to understand someone that is trying to speak while chewing on a piece of steak.

6. Don’t pick something out of your teeth. No matter how annoying it is, please wait until you go to the bathroom (make sure you excuse yourself) to start picking at your teeth. Asking someone for a matchbook so you can work that piece of meat our of your molars just isn’t appropriate at the dinner table.

7. When asked to pass something, only try to pass it if you are the one closest to the item asked for. DO NOT, under any circumstances, reach over someone else’s plate to grab something. Also, if asked to pass something, do not use that item before passing it on. For example, someone asks for you to pass the butter… Please, Please, Please… do not stop and put butter on your bread before passing it on. Once it’s reached its intended requestor, then you can ask for it back…

SIDE NOTE FOR PASSING THE SALT: When asked for the Salt, you should pass both the salt AND pepper together. Remember to keep them together.

8. Use the utensils that are on the table. Thats what they are there for. Which utensil you use and in what order are generally not that important. Nobody is looking over your shoulder to see if you are using the dinner fork instead of the salad fork. If you aren’t quite sure which utensil you should be using, just take a peek at your neighbor for a clue.

SIDE NOTE ON UTENSIL USAGE: If there is any question in your mind wether you should use your fingers, DON’T.  For example, it is generally acceptable to use your fingers to break bread and eat it. But while it might be ok at KFC to use your fingers to eat fried chicken, at a more formal restaurant, its probably not ok. Default to using your fork and knife.

9. Seasonings should only be used AFTER you have tried them, and it should only be used on your own plate! Its rather an insult to the person that cooked the food for you to start seasoning it before bothering to taste it first. 

10. Here is the biggest tip I can give regarding table etiquette.  Its just common sense really. Its better to be over-cautious than under-cautious when it comes to table manners. If you have any questions about wether you should be doing something, DON’T DO IT!

1) I hate when a person refuses to try something because they don’t like how it looks… If you’ve never tasted it, how do you know you won’t like it?

2) I hate when a person has to “special order” every menu item… Someone trained in the culinary arts created that menu item, its not up to you to make it better by adding and subtracting ingredients… take it as it comes. Its one thing if you are allergic, its another if you are just too damn picky.

3) I hate when a person doesn’t use table manners appropriate for what we are eating. If we’re eating ribs, feel free to use your fingers… if we are at a fancy french restuarant please don’t employ the same technique.

4) I hate when a person will send it back 100 times because its not EXACTLY to their liking. Sure, send it back if it is completely unacceptable, but sending back a steak because its got burn lines on it, is ridiculous.

5) This only happens after you’ve been with someone for awhile, but I hate it when a person does not eat what they orders but would rather pick off MY plate. If you wanted what I have, you should have ordered it… Now instead of me being able to enjoy my meal in peace, I have to stab your hand to protect my steak..

Anyone else have any pet peeves they would like to share? Feel free to share them by using the comment function!