World of Unemployment: Part II

About three years ago exactly, I was laid off from my job of five years, during the worst of the recession here in Utah. Despite what seems to be a recovering economy, coupled with the massive expenditure of money in this state in the past three years on infrastructure and construction, especially in the Provo area, growth is still sluggish in many areas. There are two foreclosed houses in my neighborhood, and another three for sale--destroying any chance of selling our own in the near future. And what's worse, for the second time in three years, I have been laid off from my job in what is normally a predictable, cyclical industry.
This is probably the worst possible time for me to lose my job, not that there is a 'good' time for that to happen. I'm on the very cusp of finally graduating with my BS in English, down to a few weeks of final papers, assignments, readings, etc. I have day classes, which my employer had thankfully worked around, allowing me to come and go as necessary to attend class. Any possible new employer would likely take a look at my class schedule and balk at hiring someone we needs to leave constantly. Unemployment compensation will barely cover the bills, now that I have a mortgage and the impending end of my student loan deferment. My options are few; I either wait it out for a few weeks while I finish school, hoping that I start getting my unemployment, or find some kind of temporary employment situation that can work around my schedule, and might pay my bills. Another anxiety-intensifying aspect is the probability of jumping into the world that I have educating myself for, far sooner than I expected. I had planned on transitioning into a new line of work during the slow summer months, a more gradual and effective method for me. Being laid off again may force my hand, and I'll have to drop all my cards on the table now, without even an official degree on my wall and nothing to fall back on. The idea is a little frightening, to be honest. But, I'm an American; I'm expected to pick myself up and move on, and find gratifying, lifestyle-supporting work in one of the trickiest job markets in history. God Bless America.

P.S. The bright side, of course, is that I'll have much more time to blog--so there's that.

Welcome to the Land of Unemployment

Two weeks ago, I suffered a fate many other Americans have in the last two years, something I haven't had to deal with in nearly nine years. I became unemployed. I wasn't fired or 'let go' for my own failings in my job or anything serious like that, just laid off due to a lack of work. Although I was very capable at what I was doing, the lack of anything TO DO made me the most expendable. Another tech was laid off and the third went part time, something my boss had not had to do in about fifteen years. This dismal state was brought about by this dismal state, which lags behind the rest of the country in some sort of Lostian time bubble, which makes things that affect the country economically take about six months to get here. Weird, I know. This state has other properties that are suspiciously similar to the island in Lost, like this black-hole effect that causes many who think they have escaped it to inevitably be drawn back in. Enough about this land of Mormons and mystery.
I began my stint in unemployment with a dazed sort of deja vu, sending me back to the summer of 2001 when I first experienced being let go. I had much less experience back then, also quite a few less bills and responsibilities, but I had that same feeling of 'what do I do now?' Well, first things first, file for unemployment, which the internets have made much easier these days. Done the night I received the news. Next morning, I began my tedious search for work. The Workforce Service site was still quite handy in this, despite 99% of the jobs being far out of range of my qualifications. Next I went on to craigslist, one of the handiest sites out there, but quickly learned how much the site has become target to scam artists attempting to fool would-be applicants into giving up personal information. A landslide of useless emails and phone calls quickly followed, and I learned to differentiate the legit postings from the false ones. Careful out there on the Internet, I'm still just getting a handle on all these scam contacts.
It's not as easy to get a job as I had hoped it would be, picking up the occasional part-day work has filled in the time not spent on school or searching for a job. Utah's unemployment rate jumped 1.5% from Nov. 2009 to February of this year, right before I met my current fate. I'm not surprised it has been difficult finding work. To all those out there who are like me, keep up the search, and don't give up, something always comes around. I'll keep looking, and until I find what I'm looking for, I'll keep that fraction of my dignity that the unemployment office has decided to give me back.

Who wants seconds? I sure do.

There appears to be some good coming from this (sic) recession, aside from plummeting gas prices and the comeuppance received by companies like GM for poor business practices, people are eating at home again. Yes, this practice, which had been nearing extinction in America's immediate satisfaction, drive-through, let-someone-else-do-it society, seems to be returning home. When you're worried about foreclosing on your house, it doesn't seem as important to try that new Thai place downtown or pile your screaming brats in the car and head for the Golden Arches. As their wallets get lighter, people are starting to realize that yes, they can cook at home for less than a meal for five at your favorite Italian restaurant (Olive Garden for the white folks) with appetizer and unlimited refills. Dusting off the frying pan might also make some of us feel nostalgic, remembering when we were in college and actually had to figure out how to survive on forty bucks a week, and becoming creative again. Maybe this will also revitalize our love with food, and not just eating. I always feel a little bit of pride after I've prepared a meal and I hear nothing but utensils and chewing. It's not even necessary to hear the almost obligatory "That was awesome," from one of my comrades. I hope this lasts a few years, so kids can learn to appreciate what they have in life, and maybe even learn to cook a little, creating something instead of pulling it out of a grease stained wrapper. Optimism is hard for me, so just play along.