Unemployment is frustrating. Jobs don’t just jump into your arms these days. Into February, I’m still looking for a day time job–random tutoring is not enough. Uplifting news: I have an upcoming job interview.

The unsettling thing about not being in school or working is that clocks become so loud. It’s not extra time anymore, but this extreme awareness that my minutes are hours turned into days, turned into weeks, turned into months.

When the clock isn’t nagging me, I accomplish household chores and leisure reading. Hey, even time to stop by DC and introduce slam poetry to someone who’s never experienced the joy of performance poetry.

…

I’ve also had time to look into scholarships, creative ones too. Today, I came across DoSomething.org’s Love Letters lottery scholarship. No… I’m not the luckiest person. I do, however, believe in taking chances for the right causes. Sending a little love in the form of hand-made cards to an unknown grandma or grandpa is how I roll.

I’m also expecting a Valentine’s Day card. It’s part of Andrea Gibson’s side project, Stay Here With Me. Andrea and her partner in the lovely endeavor, Kelsey, have set up a campaign to keep people alive, free from depression and shame. Of course, there are people who need the Valentine’s much more than me, but the possibility that my absolutely favorite spoken word artist (ANDREA) might decorate a card that comes my way is, well, absolutely thrilling.

And honestly, when I get around to them, I make some awesome hand-made cards. I splatter my time and heart on those things. I often believe, I’m among the endangered species of youth who love snail mail and postage stamps.