Just When I Thought I Was In... They Kick Me Back Out

It's the beginning of the new year and I'm starting it just like the last one: Unemployed. That's right folks! I was laid off... again. TODAY! It was the perfect complement to the 2 hour train ride in to work due to faulty electronics on the commuter rail train I was riding. And as I sit here writing this blog post, only one thought runs through my mind:

I should have seen it coming.

Thoughts On.... Unemployment

I started this year unemployed and depressed. The thing about unemployment that no one mentions is that after a little while, you get USED to being unemployed. And that's when the rot starts setting in.

Becoming unemployed is always unpleasant. Unless you're leaving work cause you won the lottery (which is a bonehead move anyway), you're gonna feel depressed, rejected, and despairing about your future. How will you survive? What will you do? This fuels a desperate, frantic job search. You email resumes everywhere, you become a master at writing in-depth cover letters in a blink of an eye, but your efforts are for naught. The vast machine of employment in the country responds to your actions with a deafening silence.

A little while after being laid off/fired (or quitting, if that's what you did), life starts to feel like a vacation. You get to sleep in. The pressure of overbearing bosses is gone. The stress of meeting deadlines evaporates. It feels so good you can almost convince yourself that you pulled the wool over everyone's eyes and have actually IMPROVED your life. As time passes, and your unemployment continues, that illusion fades.

Your friends have no time for you. They still have to get to work in the morning. Your severance pay is exhausted with the bills that you still have to pay. Unemployment insurance barely allows you to live. You spend the bulk of your days looking at job postings you don't have a prayer of qualifying for, but you apply anyway. Pandora's cruelest gift, Hope, driving you forward. You hope for a miracle. You hope that someone, somewhere wants to talk to you. You hope that you'll get a call, or get an appointment for an interview. And until then..

you wait.

The S*** Has Hit The Fan!!

Well folks, I'm sorry to say that I have to take my place on the long line of folks in UnEmploymentLand. Yes, I lost my job. Funny saying that... I know where the job is. The location of it hasn't changed... I'm just not charged with those duties any more.

Many people in my situation would be fuming, plotting evil schemes against the company, or whining in self-pity and sorrow. Crying "Woe is me!!" for all to hear. Crying for attention, pity and hand-holding from those around them. Well, F*** THAT! I'm too much of a realist to let that crap slow me down. Why I lost the job doesn't really matter. The company has to protect itself at all times, and especially in these tough times. They made a decision to protect themselves. That's it. It's not some conspiracy against me, or some evil cosmic being punishing me.

WHAT I DO NOW IS WHAT MATTERS.

The point is I need a steady source of income. Meaning, I NEED A JOB! So, instead of wasting time feeling sorry for myself or hosting a pity party, I'm going to get back on the band wagon, and start hunting down a new paying gig. Being the logical person that I am, I came up with a plan.

Step One: Figure out if unemployment benefits apply to me. If they do, get them started.

Step Two: Revise my resume and put it back in circulation

Step Three: Bring my development skill set up to current technology.

Step Four: Develop a demo project or three to show prospective employers

These particular steps should put me in a strong position to acquire a new job. If, dear reader, you wish to help me, then by all means, I welcome it. Just don't sympathize. "I'm so sorry..." doesn't help me. Giving me job leads, resume tips, or ideas on coding projects that I can do. That helps me.

As a parting thought, think on this:
Most of my life, the worst things that happened to me happened during the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday seasons. This event counts as a Bad Thing(tm). And I have a 20+ year backlog of this. Can you at least understand why I HATE this time of year?