Today, I ran into two women from the Job That Sucked The Life Blood Out Of Me (not to over-dramatize) on the street.

"I almost didn't recognize you," said one of them. "You look so different."

I had almost forgotten that three months ago I was a Raging Bi-otch Web Producer who woke up at 4:00 am every morning and obsessed about banner campaigns...not the peaceful, caffeinated coffee shop dweller who wakes up at --- am.

"My friends tell me that job aged me by ten years," I said. "Only they didn't tell me till I got back from vacation and was looking slightly better...."

Both of the women, an Art Director and Production Designer were recently let go in a round of lay-offs.

"Congratulations," I said. "Welcome back to life."

They were both stressed about money, but much happier.

"It's like working for the mafia," I said. "I just felt...dirty..."

"That's exactly right!" said the Production Designer.

"It's just like Mad Men," I added.

"I can't watch that show," said the Art Director. "Because it's too real. We haven't advanced enough to appreciate the irony of the past. Anywhere you go there's still only one woman in creative The only difference is that nobody smokes in the office."

"It's still a frat house," I said. "Those guys hated me," I added.

I was so glad to have seen them and been reminded of my raging bitch days. None of us want to go back to working in advertising, but will if we have no choice...(which, we very well may not). I'm not sure who is getting killed (the consumer?), but it felt like I was earning blood money.

Just for today, I'm so grateful not to be working.