Unemployed?
 

Seems to me we're mostly educated, not stupid people, and yet so many of us are unemployed right now. This recesion sucks. how many of us are in the same boat? Looking for work?

You forgot UNDER-employed. I have a part time job but desperately need/want more hours and better pay. Living in western Colorado, I run into a constant Catch 22. The towns that have an affordable standard of living have a high rate of unemployment. The town I live in and the next nearest town have pretty low costs of living, but unemployment runs around 13%. The towns with jobs tend to be ski/resort towns and the cost of living is in the stratosphere. Working people live 50 or 60 miles away from the resorts because they can't afford anything closer. Then the cost of gasoline decides to sky rocket. Can't win for losing. :(

Unemployedbutgettingbyafterafashion.

Wouldn't that be employed but need something better?

I would much rather be working right now, but were that the case, I couldn't be as present for crazynurse as I am right now.

So, in the lemons of my shitcanning, I am making extra-sugary lemonade (or perhaps some limoncello) by doing something good for someone who really needs it.

At the commonwealth's expense.

But I would like to do more than just get by.

Hi wolf.

In Washington unemployment benefits are paid for by taxes I paid in the first place, like any other insurance benefits supported by premiums of the subscribers. When I was working, I was paying, but not collecting. Is there a different structure where you live?

I'm 47. I've worked my whole life since leaving school with only a couple of brief periods of unemployment. The last while I was based fairly near where I live but before that I travelled about and could be away from home for days or weeks, mostly in the UK but also elsewhere in Western Europe, Africa and Asia. I (mostly) enjoyed it all.

Then I had a heart attack and suddenly work mattered less, particularly in comparison to the importance of the people I was closest to. Just over a year ago in May last year I made what at the time seemed like a huge and difficult decision but now seems so straightforward and obvious and gave up working entirely to look after, full time, my partner who has a long term, chronically debilitating, health issue.

So am I employed? No. Am I looking for work? No. I have as much of that as I can cope with. Am I happy? No, not really, but things could be worse. I don't know what box to check!

I'm employed. I have very seldom not been employed since I was about 13. Many years I had a second and even a third job.

I am employed. I'm happy, though often frustrated and stressed. But...yeah this job just may give me a heart attack. ;)

psssst: I found out that "following your bliss" is really only for those who can afford it, or who have someone who can fund them. Otherwise I'd be dog poo picking. Not that dog poo is bliss, it just doesn't gripe and crab at you, or threaten to kill you. :)

BigV ... it is really my money, but hey, it sounds more pitiful that way.

Absolutely. You earned your unemployment benefits!

:)

Rhianne - you got your priorities in order.

Filling out this poll - meh.

Our situation hasn't really changed but financially things are pretty tight lately. I am the home maker, so I only work for love, and that's ok, so I guess I'm employed and happy. Dazza is mostly happy in his work too although he gets stressed out from time to time, but much less than he used to when he was working in the mining industry.

Like that.

Haha, you just sound like a lazy scrounger to me Brianna!