(Ed.Note) Welcome to our journey into the world of recession blogs! The 405 Club wants to get personal via a handful of questions with our favorite fellow bloggers who are documenting the recession and unemployment firsthand.

Today we have the honor of enjoying a lovely brunch with our friends from Smart Unemployment.

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Before we chat about the blog, what will you be having for brunch?

* 7 egg omelet please!

1. When were you laid off and what did you do? Or are you employed/self-employed? If so, what do you do now?

* I am a Human Resources consultant.

2. When and why did you start your site?

* I started Smart Unemployment after seeing a number of friends lose their jobs during the recession. Many were frustrated with the process of applying for unemployment benefits.

Two friends of mine were laid off from the same company and immediately planned to start a business. As such, the unemployment office in their state (NY) deemed them to be “self-employed” and therefore ineligible to receive benefits.

In addition, friends and acquaintances were frequently asking me about how to go about getting health insurance on their own. Having spent many hours researching individual health insurance for myself and my family a couple of years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to share this information with others.

3. What is your motivation to continue blogging and/or running the site?

* My goal is to help people through the transition period of unemployment. My motivation comes from the positive feedback I receive from readers.

Whether it’s help with filing for unemployment insurance, finding an affordable health insurance alternative, or searching for a new career, I hope that readers come away with the knowledge they need to take action in their lives.

4. Do you think blogging or running your site has helped you keep your job?

* Blogging has definitely helped educate me about the Internet as a communication medium. The power to reach so many people is tremendous.

5. What do you want to do next professionally?

* I plan to continue in my current field, helping small and medium sized businesses with their human resources needs. In addition, I anticipate getting more involved with new media.

6. How will your blog has changed since rejoining the workforce?

* To the extent that there are other demands on my time, Smart Unemployment will still contain the information already in place. In addition, readers are able to search the site for any topic that may be relevant to them.

7. What’s new at your site and where does it go from here?

* The plan for Smart Unemployment is to continue adding information that readers can use to take action.

The most popular information at the moment (October 2009) has to do with extensions of unemployment benefits.

As there is more clarity around the new government healthcare plans, I hope to incorporate that as well.

In addition, I continue to added new links to the Career Resources page.

Bonus Questions: Any final thoughts or words of wisdom for members of The 405 Club?

* Persistence is the key. Whenever you begin to doubt yourself, think of Thomas Edison - he experimented with his light bulb over 1,000 times before he got it to work!

Last but certainly not least, what is your favorite series/feature on The 405 Club?

* Living With The Recession - Great money saving tips and inspirational stories!

Thanks so much for joining us and sharing all of your valuable information with fellow 405ers!