lost another job.

[Iwantmyname]

Since unemployed people are so easy to find, getting fired is also very easy to those of us who have lost everything. Well, I lost another job. A hard won job that I waited 5 months for. A job that on the surface was a "good buy" but was a cheat when you actually got there. One year of unemployment and less than minimum wage.

Look.. .There is some mental stress here. I am -- yes-- very close to doing something that to mention it would be to bring the ambulance to the door. I probaby won't. I feel utterly worthless. I grew up in the American system and was born of money obsessed people. What you made was who you were.

I also feel that at this point I have become an untouchable. No one talks about the long term unemployed. I have 6 years of college and no skills that anyone would hire me for. I am intellegent, artistic and creative-- in other words, dead, unmarketable, a waste of human flesh. There is no market out there for my skills.

I can't lie. I hated the job. I have no money left. It is all gone.

What I have lost.

My house.
My car.
My savings.
My insurance.
My pension.
My credit rating.

Now, I feel they want me to lie. To say "I like my job" when it is a jerky, stupid, low paied job that no one who was not a total loser would take.

I am going to keep my self respect and I am not going to lie.
I will be unAmerican.

[HMT]

DO NOT GIVE UP! You are worth it.

From what you say "intelligent, artistic and creative" Have you thought about marketing? What is your degree in?

You are more than a fiscal portfolio and of all things we ALL need to take that away from this!

Who cares about a credit rating? That's how you got into this. Spend as much time as you can with friends and family who love you and stop stressing over this! If your job bites deal with it till the economy is getting better and try and see what you can go for!

Everyone feels like this if they let themselves but look at all the good in your life.

When I felt like this at the beginning of my journey through all of this, this quote brought me a bit of comfort:
Success: To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded! ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Life is only as bad as you let it be! I hope thing start to look up for you.

Heather

[Iwantmyname]

Okay feeling less sorry for myself. I went in for my last day. My landlord said that he was amazed I stuck in there that long. Only the worst kinds of survival jobs out there now if you loose a job and are not a "manager." I am doing some free-lance construction work. I also got a mural, and possibly a web site from a company in another country. I have spoken with some people who will help me get a grant to get my teaching license, and hopefully things will work out okay. I'l still need to get these survival jobs. I really pine for the days that I made 20K per year.

[HMT]

Glad you're feeling better! You had me worried!

[BigJohn]

Okay feeling less sorry for myself. I went in for my last day. My landlord said that he was amazed I stuck in there that long. Only the worst kinds of survival jobs out there now if you loose a job and are not a "manager." I am doing some free-lance construction work. I also got a mural, and possibly a web site from a company in another country. I have spoken with some people who will help me get a grant to get my teaching license, and hopefully things will work out okay. I'l still need to get these survival jobs. I really pine for the days that I made 20K per year.

Looks like things are looking up.

I went thru a period of time not being able to hold a job down. Tried working for myself and found out that would work.

The key to everything is trying.

[JRScott]

Don't give up.

The job market is very bad right now.

Right now there are many college graduates in your position. Folks for years told them get a college degree and you'll make big bucks.The truth is there are not enough high paying jobs. You know I know a guy who has been a janitor for probably 20 years. He has a master's in business. He doesn't make a lot, but he enjoys his work. (His wife is an English Teacher). When they moved here for her job he couldn't find anything else as this is a small town, so that's what he does and he has learned over time to enjoy it. Sometimes we have to lower our expectations to match our environment.

[Flamingo]

Losing a job and trying to recover or not being able to recover is devastating as my hubby went through it resulting in a loss of 70% of our household income which put us in the tailspin to file chapter 13 just over one year after his layoff. Hopefully you have a lot of family and friends around or near you that can help support you. When the dust settles from this for you, what you may need to investigate is changing careers and going back to school. Two year colleges, tech schools and even 4 year colleges are booming with older workforce people going back to school due to this economy and lots of educational help is available as to low cost student loans for those in bad financial need. You may want to start investigating this as a possibility if you can't find anything in your present field and don't want to relocate.

Best of luck to you...

[Iwantmyname]

Hopefully you have a lot of family and friends around or near you that can help support you.

I have no relatives -- my parents are dead, my closest siblings are on the street too (relitively), I never knew who I was related to so I never met anyone I was related to. I was also forced to move to another city in another state, so I do not know anyone around As far as the school. I brainstormed to find what I could do quickly without having to get rid of my 2 dogs. I decided to get a teaching certificate at the local state college using the "teach" grant, and as much acedemic aid as I can get. I am still worried about prejudice against hiring older workers. I would be devistated to go through the expense of school just to find I am unmarketable.

[backtoschool]

I have no relatives -- my parents are dead, my closest siblings are on the street too (relitively), I never knew who I was related to so I never met anyone I was related to. I was also forced to move to another city in another state, so I do not know anyone around As far as the school. I brainstormed to find what I could do quickly without having to get rid of my 2 dogs. I decided to get a teaching certificate at the local state college using the "teach" grant, and as much acedemic aid as I can get. I am still worried about prejudice against hiring older workers. I would be devistated to go through the expense of school just to find I am unmarketable.

I am going back to school after a ten year career as a wall street technologist earning a decent six figure income. I was laid off when wall street tanked, and I am filing chapter 7 and have nothing but what is listed on my schedule in my bankruptcy petition. All those years of working 80 hours a week and hating my life and what was it all for? Who knows, lol. Hopefully I learned something from it all.

So, given my situation, I totally understand where you are coming from. I have hope though, and that is getting me through this. I am hopeful that this time I can choose a career that I don't hate, and that maybe has some positive societal value. I hated my life when I had money, and ironically even though this bankruptcy is very stressful for me, I am MUCH happier as a person.

Good luck on your school path, I will be right there with you on my own back to school path.

[AngelinaCatHub]

Iwantmyname: We took a hit big time. Ten years ago, we were worth 10 mil but that was in land we donated for posterity. After a feud of nine years with a millionaire who could outspend me, we are now broke and 7. We are actually happier now than we have been in years. Older yes, but we have our health (relatively).

That is what is important. Become a survivor. Do not rely on anyone but yourself. All others and Government will let you down. You were not clear if you were married or with another, but if not, or if so, be creative. We now purchase at Goodwill for all clothing and get better deals than even Walmart. We purchase food at Angelfoodministries (not a commercial) and love it. We cannot get food stamps as SS and her UC disqualifies us, but we also cannot get her health insurance. That worries me as I have Medicare.

Not knowing your background, we helped a guy just like you by putting him up free for yard work and during the day he went to the day job place as a laborer. He was happy doing this and many of us will be doing such.

I remember my grandfather telling me of the Great Depression and he rode the rails and ate Mulligan stew (a brew of anything deposited by all). He sent his money back to his family and lived on the ground. He said, "it was the best time of his life" (looking back on it).

This too shall pass.

Look at what you do have, not what you lost. My credit rating once was 820. 850 is tops I believe. I do not know what it is now and I frankly care not at all. I shall not use credit again. Today, I needed some hardware for a repair. I had to put half of it back at Lowes as I did not have enough cash. Well, what I have I mine, what I left, I'll get later. Such is life.

Happiness is a state of mind. Whatever state we find our self in, the choice is yours to be happy under any circumstance, or depressed. What do you choose?

I wish you well my friend. Time will heal and things always get better with time. A little prayer of appreciation of what you have would do wonders. Try it. 'Hub