Sorry to read that. Years ago I was "down-sized", took a year off and became a consultant which was better all around - a blessing in disguise. However, I was fortunate it wasn't during the Greater Depression. Good luck with finding something better!
Karen and Andy: Thanks for your concerned comments. I'm actually in a pretty good situation. If I stay on for another two months to help "transition" my responsibilities to a remote office, there's a huge cash incentive. On the other hand, I'd already made contact with some people at another company and they seem quite interested.