Laid Off and Crazy Happy

Author Andy Weisberg chronicles his transformation from corporate executive to “Houseband”, detailing the ups and downs of the journey and his unique perspective for dealing with it all. Chapters range from routine housekeeping tasks to the nature of time and space, with some especially valuable ideas on work and play. With plenty of exercises for readers to experiment with, anyone that does any kind of work can benefit from Andy’s useful advice and celebrated example. And for those who find themselves spending more and more time at home, either as a result of a layoff or by choice, this is the quintessential commentary on enjoying it to the fullest.

This book was written on a dare and a lark. One Summer day, while sitting in the shallow end of a public pool and extolling the merits of my unique approach to housework, my wife turned and said to me, “Why don’t you write about this stuff?” So I did. And my intent was to just capture some of that “uniqueness” which makes up my surprisingly enjoyable daily routine. It was just going to be a fun, diary-like thing that would perhaps preserve my uncanny strategies for posterity. Little did I know that several months later I would be involved in actual book writing, and considering publishers and marketing campaigns. And while it was indeed fun, it became something of an obsession and accrued a life of its own. As I started to get feedback from friends, it turned into an authentic endeavor to describe not only my present activities but my whole life, and the way it has defined me and brought me to where I am now. As of July 1, 2013, I have been out of the corporate workforce for exactly three years. The struggles and the joys of being home all the time drive the content of this book, but the real story is the way I do the things I do. My thinking, shaped by my experiences and my relentless optimism, guides my approach. And for all its peculiarity I honestly believe that others can benefit from a good dose of quirk in their work. So for those that are recently out of work, and those that have been so for much longer than they expected, this is for you. But it’s also for those that find it hard to enjoy their situation in any situation. If the simple, everyday tasks of housekeeping can become the vehicle for the best parts of us -- and they can -- then that’s true for anything we do. The upshot of this book is that it offers a way to help others see things differently and live their lives with more playful joy than they might imagine possible. Which is what I think everyone wants. So, logically, everyone will like this book.

ANDY WEISBERG is an author, professional speaker and life change coach. Andy spent 20 years as a successful actor, director and teacher at multiple universities, and then spent another 20 years going from corporate trainer to Director of Talent Development. He now helps businesses and individuals transform their efforts to improve performance, create more inspired work environments or transition from the workplace altogether.