OT: Unexpected Peeps

It's nice that strangers care enough to contribute to the food pantry, and I'm grateful that the resource is there. But...

It sucks that I can't walk into a grocery store and buy the items I need when I need them.

It sucks that I have to choose between meds and food.

It sucks knowing that regardless of my choice, I *still* won't have enough money to pay rent at the end of the month.

It sucks to send out a bazillion resumes, and not get a single rejection letter -- nevermind an interview.

And it sucks, big time, that I don't have a shoulder to cry on when I'm tired of trying to be strong.

Arondelle

You can cry here! I feel like I've sent out a million resumes too. I'm (un)lucky enough to have a "wonderful" job where I spend 8 hours a day, working strange hours, checking people that have more money with me in to a hotel that thinks its far posher than it is and the new owners suck. Jeez, I'm a fresh, young 18 year old with four A levels and a very good background in computers! Someone must need me!

(Rant ended)

Charlie.

(P.S. I'm back!)

Welcome back Charlie. I am sure there must be something awaiting you around the corner. I used to say that to my eldest son when he was despairing and it eventually happened. He found his niche. Hugs to you Shirley

In article , Charlie writes

Charlie wrote: > You can cry here! I feel like I've sent out a million resumes too. > I'm (un)lucky enough to have a "wonderful" job where I spend 8 > hours a day, working strange hours, checking people that have more > money with me in to a hotel that thinks its far posher than it is > and the new owners suck. Jeez, I'm a fresh, young 18 year old with > four A levels and a very good background in computers! Someone > must need me!

I've seen it written that age doesn't matter, unless you're a cheese. You've got your whole life ahead of you yet, Charlie. I'm sure you'll find your spot sooner or later.

OTOH, old folks like me and the Professor are a drag on the market in the current economy. Prospective employers think twice before hiring someone over 50: it costs more to insure us, and we might ask for a higher wage or salary. The fact that older workers are more dependable (Sorry, Charlie: I'm sure you're dependable. Just sayin'.), and have plenty of useful experience just doesn't seem to matter any more. They seem to want people who would be happy to work at a "McJob."

I'm not old enough to retire, but not young enough to hire. What the hell am I supposed to do? Just die and get out of everybody's way?

Arondelle

gently snipped

" And it sucks, big time, that I don't have a shoulder to cry on when I'm tired of trying to be strong."

That's what RCB is for, sweetie.... being shoulders when we're needed.

b

Charlie -

Chances are you are still living at home. I've got 30 years on you, an excellent brain (that works quite well on most days), a mortgage, and a part-time job with NO benefits because the place I last worked closed at the end of March. Please understand when I say that I can't be overly sympathetic. It's nothing personal but remember that there are those of us out here who had established careers and are now looking a second mid-life career change thru no fault of my own.

I keep thinking it's a sad state of affairs when an intelligent woman who WANTS to work can't find a job that pays more than $7 an hour. I'm just grateful that my fiance is very supportive and has a good job.

(My rant has also ended.)

this is my shoulder to cry on, unless it is too painful and then I just keep it to myself (and God, amen). I never want to share the really bad things. Sometimes I make myself just so I can let go of it. It is easier that way.

Love you, girl.

Becki "In between the moon and you, the angels have a better view of the crumbling difference between wrong and right." -- Counting Crows

Try being 46 and looking for a job -- I was replaced by a cute little

29-year-old at the job that I thought I loved (I have kind of lost that loving feeling now).

Becki "In between the moon and you, the angels have a better view of the crumbling difference between wrong and right." -- Counting Crows

Agreed...Wish I was 18 and in Charlie's position. I may only be 22, but I have a house to run, bills to pay, debt to get out of... and chronic health problems that have put my career path back years. Heck, it put my housework back years! LOL! (plug:

Charlie, please don't feel attacked by these posts. Instead I hope you feel inspired because you have your whole life ahead of you to get where you want to be career-wise (as do I, just way later than I "should", if at all), and thankful because being in a good job at 18 is a great start and something to make the best of, even if it's not something you want to make your career.

H. x

Arondelle,

I know a virtual shoulder is not the real thing (and I miss the real thing sometimes, too), but you can have my shoulder (and ear) any time you need it.

[[[[[[[[[[[[Arondelle]]]]]]]]]]]

Linda2

On Thu, 13 Nov 2003 22:24:34 GMT, Arondelle

Not a chance. Don't even start to go there! There are places/people who can help you. Contact the drug mfg. directly for the drugs you need. Many give free or reduced price drugs to people in your position. Also call the city, county and state govt.s where you live. There may be programs out there that can help you. The last time I needed assistance with medical bills, I called a county number and was referred to a single worker, in some office somewhere, that does nothing but negotiate with hospitals to get bills reduced for people who can't afford to pay. Who'd a thunk it? You're down right now. Don't allow yourself to stay there. Yes, it sucks. No, you don't deserve it. Contact every charity, volunteer group, govt. office, etc. you have to until you get the help you need. Find someone who cares enough to be strong for you, when you're too tired to be strong. And write often. I have a feeling that nobody here will get upset if you need to vent a little (or a lot).... Hang in there and enjoy the peeps...and the leaves changing color....and all that stuff. Contact a group that helps older people find jobs. The jobs are out there. Find someone willing to polish your resume so that you can stand out. Focus on the positive (there has to be something out there!). You're worth it. Barbara Dream Master

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~~ Albert Camus

of trying to be strong.<

You've got us, Anne.

Carol in SLC My latest creation (11/12):

Thank you for the hugs. My name is JoAnn (one word, capital A, no e - Mom had to be difficult)

(I remember being 18. I was making $2.40 an hour and was thrilled to have that job. Minimum was was $1.70. Gas was being rationed - remember having to wait until your inspection sticker read a certain number to buy gas on a particular day? I got laid off and enlisted!)

On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 16:02:08 -0500, JL Amerson wrote (in message ):

JoAnn, you must be a teeny bit older than me. That happened when I was a younger teen. But the money figure sounds about right. I remember my first job out of college, working at a bank, and dreaming of the day I would make $200 a week. The bank called us "professionals," worked us a million hours a week, and I would bring home $100. Half of that went to Mom as my room and board payment. Once I filled the tank, I was lucky to have pocket money for the week.

My other job at the time was working as a short order cook. I always worked at least a full time and a part time job until DD was born. Working at a grill was physically very hard, but it paid well (about $5/hour), and I didn't have to talk to anyone. My bank job was in customer service, and I had to answer phone calls from mean people all day long. Of course, part of the reason they were all so mean was because I was too young and inexperienced to defuse their anger, and because the bank never gave us training/staff/support so we would care for their customers in a better manner.

Starting out with nothing is hard. Re-starting from scratch with nothing is even harder. Charlie, I know exactly where you've been -- I think most of us have been there, too. Oh yes, about the hotel folk: traveling for work is terrible, no matter how much you make or how nice the hotel might be. You are away from your family, you end up dreadfully lonely (because clients or cow orkers never think of you when they go home from their offices), and you know that the desk at your "home" office is piling up. It's awfully hard not to be cranky under the circumstances. I managed by making a bunch of friends in the cities where I had to be, so I could have a life. But not everyone ends up in the same cities all the time, and they don't have that luxury.

But stick around. We're mostly a friendly bunch, and we only bite sometimes.

Kathy N-V

Obligatory Bead Reference: Tired of stabbing yourself with a beading needle and having a sharp point split your thread? An emery board works well to blunt the needle just a little. A blunt needle is much less pokey when you make a mistake, and emery boards are dirt cheap. (American Scientific sells them by the hundred for about $2)

My first job was working at the new and only mall here in town. There was a burger/ice cream joint called the Purple Cow. Mom was the manager so I was hired, at 14. I made a whopping $1.40 an hour. I'd get my paycheck (usually about $17 clear) and walk down to Bookland at the other end of the mall. I'd buy two paperback baooks. One for 75¢ and one for 95¢ for a total of $1.81 with tax. If you figure 10% of your paycheck for books........nowadays I'm not spending quite that on books but books/beads/needlework...........it all adds up. I think I'm over that 10% point now. :-)

As for my age, I reluctantly admit to having turned 48 last week but usually tell people I'm 19.

I'm feeling a little bit less depressed today, at least good enough to start another bead project which I haven't had the heart to do lately.

And, I'm going to swallow my pride, collect all my paperwork and trot my butt down to the local Department of Health and Human Services on Monday. I've already applied for and received fuel assistance which will pay my electric bill for me through March, and I put in applications for certain prescription medicine benefits from the drug manufacturers. (Jeez -- if they just cut the cost of meds in general, maybe they wouldn't need to do that, huh?)

The State of New Hampshire has a program on its DHHS website that figures out which assistance programs for which an applicant might be eligible. We might be able to get food stamps and housing vouchers -- and breast cancer screening.

Too bad they don't offer heart attack screening, 'cause I'm sure I'm about to have one. CNN Headline News did a story last week about how the warning signs of an impending attack are different for women than for men -- and I've experienced all of them in the past few weeks -- on top of the normal risk factors of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and a family history.

Tense? I'm not tense -- just terribly alert!

Arondelle

I've been dealing with that lately, myself. No fewer than three times in the last six months I was CERTAIN that I was having a heart attack. Well, the first time I just figured I felt weird. Then I happened to see something on the news that described it to a T, and said it was a heart attack. I just blew it off, and now it's happened two more times, most recently last weekend.

Tell me about yours... :-)