1) I haven’t traveled further than 50 miles from our home in the Chicago suburbs since my business trip to California in February 2009.  That was cut short because my husband landed in the hospital with a serious infection. After fracturing his leg. Two months after getting laid off.

2) 2 1/2 years with zero income.

3) My business could not sustain us. In fact, the biz remains in debt, if you must know. We were able to keep the roof over our heads and put food on the table because of a settlement from my husband’s 2007 car accident. Of course, without the accident and all the work absences for follow-up doctor’s appointments and wrist surgeries,* would he have survived the layoffs? Not everyone in his department got axed. I digress! This is about me and my (call-it-selfish) need to get the hell outta here.

4) My husband was underfoot all the time. No offense to him–I love the guy. But, fellow married women… you know what I’m talking about, right? Not only was he unemployed, his hobbies were limited to looking for a job, reading and doing crossword puzzles. Oh, and napping.

5) For 2-1/2 years+ we couldn’t spend money (a slight repeat of #2). We constantly worried. Still paying off medical bills. What if his layoff dragged on after the settlement evaporated?

6) Plus a bunch of other stuff that certain people don’t think I should ‘put out on the internet’.

There’s Good News!

1) Our son (now 10) had his daddy home for 2 1/2 years! They’d play basketball and hockey. They wrestled and tossed the football. Watched silly shoot-em-up shows and the History Channel and sports. Oh, and Avatar, the Last Air Bender.

2) A few months ago, my hubby landed a job. I am so so soooooo grateful. But after 2-1/2 years of zero income and still in debt, we’re not exactly in a position to splurge. Oops! Back to the good news. We finally bought our son some new clothes of his own (thanks to all who have given hand-me-downs over the years). I got to replace my sunglasses (and, wouldn’t you know, the new pair broke today!) and we went out for dinner.

3) A couple months ago, we visited my brother and his family in Lake Geneva for an overnight. Ethan (my 10-year old son) was so excited. “This is our first road trip in years!” Lake Geneva is less than an hour away.

4) I have a chance in November 2012! If I get 10 people to sign up (mention my name!) for this amazing retreat in Mexico, I get to go free!

You want to get outta here, too?  Check this out below….

[If you do, I need to repeat: please be sure to mention my name (otherwise, they’ll never know I had anything to do with it and I won’t get my free trip). Not only will you be helping me get the hell outta Dodge (and not soon enough), you’ll enjoy a week of relaxation at the Maya Tulum Resort and Spa. I know you want it!]

I know there are many more pressing issues in the world that dwarf my need for a relaxing retreat. Call me selfish. I want to do something relaxing and fun and carefree. The opposite  of what I look like in  this picture. So…. sue me.

Oh, and remember: mention my name if and when you book your spot. Spaces are going fast!

* This will never be proven and was not pursued because a) we were already in the middle of a lawsuit from the accident and b) it’s not like nobody else from Citigroup got laid off.

Rewritten from a post from my blog, Putting It Out There.