Things I can and can't do while being furloughed

So I've been furloughed. You folks in Congress, revenge is mine come next voting season. It's on and poppin. Bammas.
So now that I'm forced on unpaid vacation what can I not do that I was planning to do and what can I do (or read: should be doing) with this "free time".

Let's start with the can't:

1. Can't start buying my new work wardrobe based on what Olivia Pope wears on Scandal- seriously I was going to have my pen and paper ready to write down the outfits she wears and look for affordable versions as I work my wardrobe way to the top. Scratch that!
2. Celebrate my birthday diva style- had to cancel my plans (cause a sista celebrates her birthday over a few days, that's how I do) because who knows how long this foolishness will last. I get heartburn every time a work hour passes and I think how much money I just lost
3. Get my gel manicure and deluxe pedi- and a girl NEEDS one (first world problems, I know). My boss suggested I start wearing closed toed shoes. Should I be offended?
4. Get my color and blowout at the salon- at 100 plus I just can't justify this if I'll be without a job for a long time (let us pray that it doesn't last long). Guess I'll be coloring my hair curtsy of Miss Clairol
5. No random happy hours after a long workday- since I won't be having any long workdays (in fact we were told if we attempted to work we'd be disciplined) no drinks for me at my U St spots (on the plus, didn't need the calories anyway)
6. No eating out as much...or at all- There goes my bday brunch plans and dinner plans, le sigh. On the plus I've been aiming to cook more so this will force me to while hopefully allowing me to eat healthier and thus lose weight. PS, some places were giving discounts to gov't workers. I wore my badge to Panera Bread today as a last treat but I got no discount...
7. Visit my family, they live an hour a way so unless they come in a caravan to see me, I need to reserve my gas. I said my goodbyes today until we meet again. My sister, who is also a gov't worker told me she would not be coming to see me either and gave me an extra hug. Kind of felt like Celey and her sister in The Color Purple.
8. Take advantage of those many emails I get for discount to Vegas hotels. Oh who am I kidding I wasn't going to anyway.

Things I can do:

1. Work out...everyday, what else do I have to do.
2. Work on putting together my self publishing plan...which I'll have to defer since well, I gots to conserve.
3. Catch up on Dexter and Homeland series which folks were talking about while I can still afford Showtime.
4. Do my own dang nails and toes so I don't have to wear mittens and closed toed shoes in this 80 degree weather.
5. Visit free museums with the left over money on my smart card on the metro- oh snap, no I can't museums will be closed. Guess I'll get my cooking on.
6. Volunteer to places with in walking distance cause a girls got to conserve her gas.
7. Find a temp job if times get rough in tough like leather. Trying my best not to have to say "welcome to mcdonalds may I help you" or twerk on a pole anywhere as one of my coworkers joked. Seriously, this girl ain't twerky no wheres.
8. Read! I gots lots o books and am in walking distance from the library where books are free!
9. Go to free bar trivia nights since I don't have to work the next day, I can hang late. I'll just have a soda and make some friends who'll feel sorry for me.
10. Continue my improve classes, heck I already paid for them.

In the end, I just have to pray that this forced unpaid vacation will end sooner rather than later. I recognize that I am very blessed and can hold out comfortably longer than a lot of other folks so I won't take that for granted. I'm grumbling about not getting my hair and nails done where others may have real life or death payments that might not be made. For not just my sake but my fellow government works as well, I pray Congress gets its act together and we get back to our business. But revenge, dear Senators and Congressmen, is a dish best served cold and you will get yours, enjoy your jobs while you have them!...Bammas