My observation for the day: I am a human being. The only thing that distinguishes me from my fellow human beings is that I am unemployed. I'm not lazy. I'm not a slacker. I'm not a taker. I'm not a moocher. I am a human being. I am a human being dealing with an extensive poison ivy rash having spent the past weekend tearing down a poison ivy infested picket fence and erecting a replacement. It's not much, and it certainly isn't going to change the world, but it helps restore my faith and confidence in myself.
As the days pass into weeks, and weeks into months, we, the long-term unemployed, get on with our lives despite our daily struggles and rejections. Only a few moments ago I was turned down from another volunteer position due to my inability to provide my own transportation. I can't afford it so, this time, the lack of money was at my end. I can't win for losing.
More long-term unemployment cheer beneath the jovial squiggly.
By the overwhelming lack of responses to my applications and resumes, I can only guess that corporate America wants all of us long-term unemployed to just disappear. Well, we're not going anywhere. Although the cards may be stacked against us, we're still in the game. We still cling to the hope of finding decent, respectable, and regular work. Work that we are trained to do. Work that allows us to live normal lives. Work that will, once again, return us to respectability in the eyes of our friends and family. But until that day, we will continue to be as well-received and appreciated in this nation as the rash currently swelling and spreading across my forearms.
It's very apparent, at least from my perspective down here at the bottom, that the answer to the widespread unemployment in this country is not a catastrophic sequester which is already responsible for the layoffs and furloughs of hundreds of hard-working Americans. We will gladly welcome them to our ranks because we're already there. We know how they are feeling right now. We lived through the shock and eventual acceptance of our fate, and we wish them well in their quest for new employment. Every success story brightens our own hopes.
All the best,
Teej
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On Fri, Mar 8, 2013 at 10:49 AM:
Happy Friday! It is Friday, right? I lose track of the days sometimes. Anyway, I'm expecting a phone call for a volunteer position with the National Park Service, so today I wait. I wait for a phone interview to be considered for a non-paying, volunteer job. Is this what has become of my life? Is this the best I can do?
I'm at a loss for words today. I think my sentiment has not change over the past month. I've seen the "good" news that unemployment is down to 7.7% (hooray!) and I wonder if I'll ever be a statistical contributor toward bringing it down to 7.6%. Not with a volunteer "job". Still, I hope for it if only for something constructive to do with my life and for another entry on my resume to prove I'm not sitting on my @$$ surfing the internet all day.
Enough of how I feel about being long-term unemployed. I've covered plenty of that ground. I just want this to turn around and be granted an opportunity to prove, once again, I am capable of great things. America, give me the opportunity to start paying back those who have supported me instead of being a further burden upon them. Show me that my skills and experience are still worth something. I want to be a contributor to the beauty and greatness of this nation - my nation - not proof of its decline. Is that too much to ask?
So I wait to be considered for a volunteer opty because that's all I got.
Hopeful,
Teej
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On Fri, Mar 8, 2013 at 5:57 PM:
Just checking in to let you know the sequester took away my volunteer opportunity. I got the word about a half an hour ago. I have all the right qualifications, but the money isn't there. This probably doesn't matter to anybody who thinks hard sacrifices are necessary, but it's very, very important to those of us at the bottom who expect to get hit hard by the looming cuts. So the brass ring has been moved a tad further from my reach. America, f--- yeah.
For what it's worth,
Teej