Archive for the ‘Work’ Category
May
22
Posted under
How I See It,
Work
I remember the day very well. It was a Friday and the sun was shining. I made my way to the office and grabbed a cup of coffee as I usually did. Started small talk with my work colleagues but there was a bit of melancholy in everyone’s voice. We all knew that for many of us, this was our last day at work. We all spent the day exchanging information, promising to stay in touch and wish each other good luck in our future job search. We signed our exit papers in Human Resources, collected our last check, and grabbed our boxes of personal belongs to head to our cars.
This anniversary is different from others. I have worked in and out of the high tech industry for years. My resume has had me in many different jobs for the last twenty years however; I’ve spent the last seven with my last employer.
We all knew the economy was tough and that it might take a little while to find the next job. Nevertheless, as the days continued, the jobs didn’t appear. How many resumes do you need to send out before your frustration begins to take its toll?
Today’s news that the jobless unemployment claims have risen again is not encouraging. It was hardly unexpected but still depressing. I don’t know the fix for this current situation we are experiencing. I don’t know if there is a fix at all. But, being the optimist I like to think I am, I believe that everything is cyclical and that we just need to wait for the upswing in the cycle.
Unlike many anniversaries, this one will be celebrated quietly. I will try to look at what I have and hope for better times ahead.
Apr
05
Posted under
Daughters,
Family,
How I See It,
Wife,
Work
6:30 - Awake to the sound of a shower going. Sounds like a little rainstorm, just inside the house. The wife is finishing up getting ready for work. I roll over and blissfully fall back asleep.
6:45 – The wife gently wakes me with a kiss goodbye and reminds me to have a great day. Got to love that woman who keeps me grounded. Got to remember her birthday this year…
7:30 – Begin to roll over in bed and contemplate the day. Not much excitment planned for the day. Stumble out of bed, head to the shower, inspect the soon to be 50 year old body for damage and aging. Soak my head for 10 minutes in the shower to shake the cobwebs.
8:00 – I get dressed in shorts and a t-shirt (this is Southern California) and head out the door with the dog to meet with my Coffee Consortium at the patio of the local shopping center. We all b.s. about the economy, jobs, money, how it was in the day, kids, grand kids (them) and drink our coffee.
9:00 – Head home with the dog after way too many stops. This dog needs check out every damn bush! Head upstairs and turn the computer on.
9:10 – 10:30 – Answer email, check cigar websites, update a Facebook status. Basically goofing around for about an hour. Then off to serious work. The job hunt. I’ve got about a dozen sites I check on to look for the latest in employment. So far not much luck.
11:00 – 12:00 – Head to the gym and try to work out my frustration that finding a “friggin” job is so difficult. Probably good for an additional couple of miles on the treadmill.
1:00 – 4:00 – Spend this time writing articles. It is amazing what you can write about if you put the effort in. Who knew I could write about allergies and dust mites?
5:00 – 10:00 – Family time. Dinner, time to talk with the wife and girls about their days of work and school. Eventually one of the girls will ask:
“What did you do today Dad?”
Feb
18
Posted under
How I See It,
Work
No, I don’t have a bad case of dandruff, or head lice. I’m scratching my head because I am truly confused. I warn you ahead of time, this is my little soap box I’m standing on today. Just need to bitch to the world wide Internet about things.
For those who may not know, I’ve currently been unemployed since last May. For those counting, that’s about 9 months on the payroll of California’s unemployed. Not a happy place for anyone. However, a couple of nights back, my wife and I went to see our tax preparer. Fortunately for us, the news was good. We don’t owe Uncle Sam this year.
However, she told us of a client she has who has been unemployed for as long as I have. This gentleman was offered a “temporary” job for about six weeks. The guy thinking this was a way to get off of unemployment for a time, took the job. While he had been on unemployment his previous salary allowed him to collect the highest amount which is $900 every two weeks. However, after taking the minimum wage job for six weeks, and then refiling for unemployment when it ended, he was told that the State of California looks at your last six weeks of salary and the last 3 months average of pay. He made minimum for those six weeks and because of unemployment the previous 3 months which is consider not a wage, he was offered unemployment of less than $200 every two weeks.
SOAP BOX: Where is the incentive to take a job, any job, when the state cuts your unemployment. It has me personally scared to take just any job at the moment. If the State of California can cut a small wage to even smaller, what is a family to do?
THE CAVEAT: Don’t get me wrong, I don’t wish to stay on the state’s payroll. I’ve always held a job since when disco was still popular (yeah, I’m that old) and not working is driving me (and the wife) a bit crazy. However, I’m not crazy enough to jump at the first job and risk what little I have right now. However, I also know the this won’t last forever and I will soon run out of benefits and need to take that McDonald’s job….
Would you like fries with that?
Jan
11
Posted under
How I See It,
Work
I’ve been contemplating this for some time now. During the holidays I met up with some friends who know of my situation. Out of work and living in the sunshine state. We talked about what I’ve been doing to keep myself out of trouble. I told them basically writing anywhere and everywhere. Of course suggestions of getting a job writing came up.
Again, I had to remind them that jobs are hard to come by at the moment and it’s not like I haven’t been trying. The conversation got onto other things when one of the guys said, why don’t you write about your time looking for a job this past year. Talk about the trials and tribulations of a late 40′s man looking to secure work in a really bad economy.
As a writer this struck me as something plausible. I’m not sure how I will put this together yet, but the wheels in my head are breaking the dust and rust off and it seems very interesting.
Now having the opportunity to live in Southern California and enjoying the sunshine most days, I thought of a title “A Year In Shorts.”
Anybody know a publisher out there?
Dec
23
Posted under
How I See It,
Work
Obviously being unemployed, this doesn’t refer to me. However, I have been in this situation myself (hating my job) and when I saw this I just needed to pass it on. Enjoy….
When you have an ‘I Hate My Job Day’ Try this out:
Stop at your pharmacy and go to the thermometer section and purchase a
rectal thermometer made by Johnson & Johnson. Be very sure you get this brand.
When you get home, lock your doors, draw the curtains and disconnect the phone so you will not be disturbed. Change into very comfortable clothing and sit in your favorite chair. Open the package and remove the thermometer.
Now, carefully place it on a table or a surface so that it will not become chipped or broken.
Take out the literature from the box and read it carefully. You will notice that in small print there is a statement:
“Every Rectal Thermometer made by Johnson & Johnson is personally tested and then sanitized.”
Now, close your eyes and repeat out loud five times,‘ I am so glad I do not work in the thermometer quality control department at Johnson & Johnson.’
HAVE A NICE DAY; AND REMEMBER, THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE ELSE WITH A JOB THAT
IS MORE OF A PAIN IN THE ASS THAN YOURS!
…Remember, if you haven’t got a smile on your face and laughter in your heart… Then maybe you should go and work for Johnson and Johnson
