I have been out of work since Sept. 1.  My old office has been stripped and shut down, all of us laid off and left to fend for ourselves in the worst job market since the Depression.  I am loving every minute of it.  I love not working.  So hard.

So it seemed rather serendipitous that I stumbled upon Mark Slouka’s old essay “Quitting the Paint Factory,” (reposted from the Nov. 2004 issue of Harper’s on what appears to be a now-defunct personal blog) which only served to strengthen my resolve never to work again.  Provided we’re not in danger of starving to death.  Regardless of your views of the rat race, this is a beautifully written essay and bears reading.