So apparently the recession is over. I tend to agree with this conclusion as I see signs of economic life all around me--i.e. new construction is visible on the road; lots of Christmas shopping and shipping in December; unemployment is nearing the "normal" 5% rate; friends and family are buying new or gently used cars; and there is an overall sense of optimism in the air. I, too, am experiencing this greater sense of optimism, but I'm not sure why. My monthly income hasn't exceeded $800 since 2010 when I worked for the Census Bureau. This in spite of the fact that I put in over 150 hours of work per month, mostly as a professional volunteer for local non-profits. I have a student debt of $50,000 (and growing) that I am unable to make the $700 per month payments on; my wife bitches at me daily about my not having secured a well-paid job as a result of my earning a master's degree in 2014; my landlord is tired of receiving the monthly rent in installments; I haven't purchased new underwear or socks (or anything else to wear for that matter) in three years; and the list goes on. I started a GoFundMe campaign in October 2015--www.gofundme.com/wendykincade--that has resulted in cash gifts of $425 from several concerned and/or generous loved ones. Unfortunately, I am so busy working for free, I haven't found time to really push the campaign; and at an average of $85 per month ($425/5 months), it's hard to get motivated. But things are looking up--we have received from community services, $760 toward our gas and electric bills over the past year; food stamps are coming in regularly at $174 a month; we have been recipients of free health care, courtesy of the Oregon Health Plan, since January 2014. I also received $5,000 in hearing aids and accessories in January 2015 from the State of Oregon Vocational Rehabilition Department, plus $200 in business clothing for job interviews. My coaching and mediation business finally made a profit--$500 in 2014 and $2,000 in 2015. At this rate, I should be netting $8,000 in 2016 and $32,000 in 2017. However, since 95% of my income is received from conducting foreclosure avoidance mediations, as the economy improves and the number of homeowners facing foreclosure is greatly reduced, my revenue from this source will all but go away. In other words, as others' boats begin to float, mine will sink to the bottom. But not to worry. The economy is getting better. At the age of 57 (soon to be 58), I should have no problem landing one of those $60,000 a year jobs that only graduates of a prestigious master's degree in conflict and dispute resolution can qualify for, right?
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Borders Books Bankruptcy
I wrote this in July 2011, but apparently never published it:
Just when I thought things were getting better, Borders Books announces the closing of 399 stores nationwide. Lots of new people are going to be unemployed.
Just when I thought things were getting better, Borders Books announces the closing of 399 stores nationwide. Lots of new people are going to be unemployed.
Another Year Bites the Dust
I can't believe it has been over a year since I posted anything here. Not that things have gotten much better, economically-wise. I've had a few paid contracts, which has kept us from eviction. I'm heading back to school in August, with no idea how to pay for it. I've got a year and half of mediation training and experience under my belt. And soon, I will be trained to mediate foreclosure abatements between lenders and homeowners. The irony of this amazes me.
While I will most likely be conducting these mediations as a volunteer, there is a slight possibility of actually getting paid. Once the details of this state mandate have been worked out, all will be revealed. Meanwhile, Karen and I continue to drive/share a $500 junker that could shut down anytime. We're almost current on our bills--we only get threatened every couple of months for making late payments.
While I will most likely be conducting these mediations as a volunteer, there is a slight possibility of actually getting paid. Once the details of this state mandate have been worked out, all will be revealed. Meanwhile, Karen and I continue to drive/share a $500 junker that could shut down anytime. We're almost current on our bills--we only get threatened every couple of months for making late payments.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Living on the Edge of Eviction
This evening, during our Friday "luxury" date-night meal at McDonald's, I mentioned something about currently "living on the edge of eviction." Karen laughed and said it sounded like a good name for a country western song. And while the whole idea was pretty funny at the time, the reality of our life right now is not so funny.
What started this conversation was the question of: which of my mother's three children should be stewards of her life's work--poetry, prose, watercolors, pastels, and oil paintings?
Before my mother passed away (in 2004), I boxed up all of her stuff and placed it safely into storage. At the time, Karen and I were residentially and economically stable, so it made the most sense for us to save and protect it. My sister would have been the second choice, but at the time, I don't think she really understood the value and significance of our mother's work. My brother was residentially and economically unstable at the time, so he wasn't even an option.
Several years later, when Karen and I knew that we would be losing our house to foreclosure (completed in 2009), my sister took most of Mom's paperwork, which included a lot of the poetry and prose, and placed it in her garage. I carefully boxed up Mom's artwork, and stored it at the home of a trustworthy friend, in a climate controlled environment, where it still is today. I also, in various boxes all over our apartment, have electronic versions of everything, including photographs of the artwork.
As the beginning of each month draws near, my stress levels start to rise as I wonder if we will be able to make the rent. And while I can't say that I'm not concerned about the prospect of being homeless, the majority of my stress is directly related to my concern over whether I will be able to protect my mother's work if I'm living on the street or sleeping on someone else's sofa. Just thinking about it makes me cry.
And I haven't even begun to list all of the sentimental treasures we have of Karen's parents that we are also the protectors of...
What started this conversation was the question of: which of my mother's three children should be stewards of her life's work--poetry, prose, watercolors, pastels, and oil paintings?
Before my mother passed away (in 2004), I boxed up all of her stuff and placed it safely into storage. At the time, Karen and I were residentially and economically stable, so it made the most sense for us to save and protect it. My sister would have been the second choice, but at the time, I don't think she really understood the value and significance of our mother's work. My brother was residentially and economically unstable at the time, so he wasn't even an option.
Several years later, when Karen and I knew that we would be losing our house to foreclosure (completed in 2009), my sister took most of Mom's paperwork, which included a lot of the poetry and prose, and placed it in her garage. I carefully boxed up Mom's artwork, and stored it at the home of a trustworthy friend, in a climate controlled environment, where it still is today. I also, in various boxes all over our apartment, have electronic versions of everything, including photographs of the artwork.
As the beginning of each month draws near, my stress levels start to rise as I wonder if we will be able to make the rent. And while I can't say that I'm not concerned about the prospect of being homeless, the majority of my stress is directly related to my concern over whether I will be able to protect my mother's work if I'm living on the street or sleeping on someone else's sofa. Just thinking about it makes me cry.
And I haven't even begun to list all of the sentimental treasures we have of Karen's parents that we are also the protectors of...
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Blogging or Crashing a Car?
I was watching House this evening and realized that I'm a lot like him. Not the brilliant part. The my life is so pathetic, I think I'll make everyone else miserable part. After creating Recession Rants, I've been having pangs of blogger's remorse, and frequently keep thinking I should run to my computer and delete it before anyone reads it. My first two posts were incredibly whiny and I'm not sure that's the image I want to project.
But back to House. So House keeps doing obnoxious things to the people he loves and needs. Every so often he stops to ponder why on earth he does these things. But then he continues doing them. So it got me wondering why, when I get frustrated, do I feel a need to publish all of my woes and sorrows, and strike out at everyone who hasn't made an effort to help me?
Well, like House, I feel hurt and I need someone to acknowledge that fact and help me feel better. In other words, my need for empathy is not being met. But that's not really true either. Lots of people feel bad for me right now, and they say so, but unless they have a paying job to offer me, they can't really help in the way that I need help.
But in truth, no one can help another person feel better. Or at least that's what the conventional wisdom says. It's all up to you, they say. Bullshit, is what I say. We are social beings, and we depend upon our society to provide us with meaning and a sense of community worth. Just watch the movie "As Good As It Gets," to see what I'm talking about.
Jack Nicholson's character completely changes the life of Helen Hunt's character. And she, in return, changes his. The things they do for each other are things they consider to be commonplace and easily achieved. For instance, she shows up to work every day, serves him his meals, and provides him with the obsessive sense of continuity he needs--things she does without thinking, but that greatly enhance his life.
Likewise, because he is financially comfortable and has easy access to any medical care he needs, it only seems natural to him that everyone should have the same access. So when she doesn't show up for work (because she has a sick kid), thus interfering with Jack's sense of continuity, he simply gets a doctor to treat the kid and pays all of the bills--something that takes little effort on his part, but has the effect of changing her life (and her son's) dramatically.
And then there are the simple comments that brighten the day, "you make me want to be a better man," and those that destroy, "they make me put on a jacket and tie, and they let you in wearing a house dress..." It's a great movie.
But again, back to House. In the next to last scene, House drives his car into Lisa Cuddy's house where she is having dinner with friends. We discover that this is his answer to her constant requests to tell her "how he feels" about their breaking up, when, as she and her guests look on in shock at the car sitting in the dining room, House shoves his way out of the car, flashes Lisa a smug look that says, "now you know how I feel," and leaves.
So I guess my blogging is sublimating for my need to drive a car (it couldn't be mine, since I don't have one that runs anymore), into any of the sources I might believe are causing me pain at any given time. And so, the blog stays. If no one reads it, at least I'll have a record of how miserable I am right now. And if others read it, maybe it will help someone who is also struggling.
But back to House. So House keeps doing obnoxious things to the people he loves and needs. Every so often he stops to ponder why on earth he does these things. But then he continues doing them. So it got me wondering why, when I get frustrated, do I feel a need to publish all of my woes and sorrows, and strike out at everyone who hasn't made an effort to help me?
Well, like House, I feel hurt and I need someone to acknowledge that fact and help me feel better. In other words, my need for empathy is not being met. But that's not really true either. Lots of people feel bad for me right now, and they say so, but unless they have a paying job to offer me, they can't really help in the way that I need help.
But in truth, no one can help another person feel better. Or at least that's what the conventional wisdom says. It's all up to you, they say. Bullshit, is what I say. We are social beings, and we depend upon our society to provide us with meaning and a sense of community worth. Just watch the movie "As Good As It Gets," to see what I'm talking about.
Jack Nicholson's character completely changes the life of Helen Hunt's character. And she, in return, changes his. The things they do for each other are things they consider to be commonplace and easily achieved. For instance, she shows up to work every day, serves him his meals, and provides him with the obsessive sense of continuity he needs--things she does without thinking, but that greatly enhance his life.
Likewise, because he is financially comfortable and has easy access to any medical care he needs, it only seems natural to him that everyone should have the same access. So when she doesn't show up for work (because she has a sick kid), thus interfering with Jack's sense of continuity, he simply gets a doctor to treat the kid and pays all of the bills--something that takes little effort on his part, but has the effect of changing her life (and her son's) dramatically.
And then there are the simple comments that brighten the day, "you make me want to be a better man," and those that destroy, "they make me put on a jacket and tie, and they let you in wearing a house dress..." It's a great movie.
But again, back to House. In the next to last scene, House drives his car into Lisa Cuddy's house where she is having dinner with friends. We discover that this is his answer to her constant requests to tell her "how he feels" about their breaking up, when, as she and her guests look on in shock at the car sitting in the dining room, House shoves his way out of the car, flashes Lisa a smug look that says, "now you know how I feel," and leaves.
So I guess my blogging is sublimating for my need to drive a car (it couldn't be mine, since I don't have one that runs anymore), into any of the sources I might believe are causing me pain at any given time. And so, the blog stays. If no one reads it, at least I'll have a record of how miserable I am right now. And if others read it, maybe it will help someone who is also struggling.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
How the Hell Do You Get Paid Employment in Oregon?
In 1989, I gave up a good paying job in California to move to the Coos Bay/North Bend area of Oregon to raise my son in a small, friendly community. I spent the next nine years going broke on $10 an hour jobs, in spite of my experience and knowledge as a controller in the construction industry. After my son graduated from high school in 1997, I was offered a well-paid job by my former California employer. Being desperately broke, I accepted the job and spent the next seven years financially stable, yet miserable in a job that I hated, in an environment that I hated even more. In 2006, I moved back to Oregon, and have been broke every since.
Upon my return to Oregon, I spent the first couple of years in the Philomath/Corvallis area focusing on my Business and Life Coaching consulting business. It didn't take long for me to realize that it was going to take a lot more time and resources to get this enterprise going than I had available. So I began splitting my time between life coaching and looking for viable employment.
While my lack of success at securing a paid job might be blamed on the bad economy, the fact is that there have been numerous jobs available, of which I am highly qualified, that I have applied for and received not even an offer for an interview.
So now I'm thinking about doing a survey of individuals in my area who have been hired into well-paid jobs over the past three or four years to find out how they went about it. What did they say in their cover letters? Did they already know somebody? Did they take a job that they were well suited for and are now enjoy? In short, I want to know how the hell to get a paid job in Oregon.
Now just to confirm that I am as qualified as I claim to be, I have lots of job offers to perform feats of greatness on a volunteer basis. For instance, I spent a year organizing and running a youth camp for teenagers in Oregon. I am at the end of a year as editor of a monthly online newsletter for my service club. I was a frequent contributor of photographs to my local paper until it went under. And I helped save an historic theatre in downtown Corvallis. And the list goes on. (Resume available upon request. LOL)
I thoroughly enjoy working and helping each of the organizations where I volunteer. And I will continue giving to my community and the world. But damnit, I need a little cash to pay the bills. In 2008, I sold my van for $10,000, trying to keep from losing our house. We lost it to foreclosure anyway. For several years, my partner and I shared a single vehicle until it broke down last winter. Now she walks and rides her bike, while I take the bus, which is not an easy feat in Philomath, since buses don't run all that often and there is no service on the weekends.
This is the point where people suggest that I leave the area and seek employment in Portland or Eugene. But again, I say "damnit." I know there are jobs in this areas. I have applied for many of them. I grew up in Los Angeles County, and I refuse to return to a life of living like a sardine. Even if it means not making mass quantities of money.
Upon my return to Oregon, I spent the first couple of years in the Philomath/Corvallis area focusing on my Business and Life Coaching consulting business. It didn't take long for me to realize that it was going to take a lot more time and resources to get this enterprise going than I had available. So I began splitting my time between life coaching and looking for viable employment.
While my lack of success at securing a paid job might be blamed on the bad economy, the fact is that there have been numerous jobs available, of which I am highly qualified, that I have applied for and received not even an offer for an interview.
So now I'm thinking about doing a survey of individuals in my area who have been hired into well-paid jobs over the past three or four years to find out how they went about it. What did they say in their cover letters? Did they already know somebody? Did they take a job that they were well suited for and are now enjoy? In short, I want to know how the hell to get a paid job in Oregon.
Now just to confirm that I am as qualified as I claim to be, I have lots of job offers to perform feats of greatness on a volunteer basis. For instance, I spent a year organizing and running a youth camp for teenagers in Oregon. I am at the end of a year as editor of a monthly online newsletter for my service club. I was a frequent contributor of photographs to my local paper until it went under. And I helped save an historic theatre in downtown Corvallis. And the list goes on. (Resume available upon request. LOL)
I thoroughly enjoy working and helping each of the organizations where I volunteer. And I will continue giving to my community and the world. But damnit, I need a little cash to pay the bills. In 2008, I sold my van for $10,000, trying to keep from losing our house. We lost it to foreclosure anyway. For several years, my partner and I shared a single vehicle until it broke down last winter. Now she walks and rides her bike, while I take the bus, which is not an easy feat in Philomath, since buses don't run all that often and there is no service on the weekends.
This is the point where people suggest that I leave the area and seek employment in Portland or Eugene. But again, I say "damnit." I know there are jobs in this areas. I have applied for many of them. I grew up in Los Angeles County, and I refuse to return to a life of living like a sardine. Even if it means not making mass quantities of money.
Recession Rants Life Expectancy
Welcome to my new blog, Recession Rants. My great hope is that the economy will recover quickly, and that this rant blog will therefore have a very short life. I keep getting advice that I should journal, but everytime I try, I just can't get motivated. I realize now that I need an audience, so I've decided to blog my thoughts instead. I tend to be pretty organized in how I present ideas, so if that is the style you like, check out my other blogs, as I intend to use this blog to provide random posts of a rant-type nature.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)