I find myself in a situation I’ve never encountered before. I’m not only unemployed (which has only happened to me twice in the past), but I’m unable to work. Through a quirk of immigration law, I’m allowed to stay in Canada, but not allowed to work until I get some paperwork approved, which is likely to take a couple of months.

So I find myself thinking about what I should do during that time. The first priority is of course my family. I’m fortunate enough to have enough savings that we won’t be homeless or starving, so that’s the main worry out of the way. I’ll get to spend a lot of quality time with my kids, which is also great. However, I have to look at this as a period in which I can do something and maybe come out the other end of this time with something to show for it.

Some ideas that have been on my to-do list for a long time:

• Write something, fiction, comic book, or maybe roleplaying related
• Get Status: Refugee off the ground
• Make a short film
• Learn a new skill (maybe how to cook )
• Develop a game for the iPhone
• Start a company

Of those that look like work, I wouldn’t be able to make any money doing them (at least not until after my residency issues are resolved). My only alternative to this situation is to leave Canada.

So I’m trying to view this as an opportunity. I just don’t know for what, yet.