Man Down

It's The Little Things

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 10:27:00 +0000

Having been out of work for over a year and a half I've had to make a lot of cut backs, not the least of which is shopping. I've grown accustomed to it but it seems my wardrobe hasn't. I can handle wearing things that aren't the latest style but some things just grow old and must be replaced. The place I've been hit the hardest are my underwear and sock drawers. Over time I usually purchase a bit here and there but after a year and a half of non-replacement, well, they've gone into a state of disrepair. There are holes and places where the fabrics have worn, not to mention a loss in elasticity. I'm not that far down that I'm willing to buy used underwear though I am more than willing to go the swap meet. It's just that even to make these small purchases I have to take the money from something else.

What Is The Process For Getting A Government Job?

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 12:42:00 +0000

It takes a while to get a government job, even when there isn't a recession. I've watched the message boards and filled out my share of applications. I've even tested for a few openings and have scored very well. Being a Veteran helps in these cases. Recently I've even interviewed for such a job. I'd filled out the application nearly a year ago and took the test a month after that. I scored well enough to be in the top 5 applicants. It wasn't until the end of the interview that they let me know that even if they choose me, they can only offer me the job if the hiring freeze gets lifted. While they had high hopes that it would be, they could not guarantee that the position would be filled.

Another thing that came up is that while I tested well and met all of the qualifications on paper, I had no real experience in the actual field. I just figured that many government jobs had no such requirements. Perhaps naively I figured that as long as you weren't a criminal and didn't lie on your application that they hired pretty much everyone in the order they applied. What was the use of me scoring so high on the test? I guess it doesn't matter anyway. I called back a few weeks ago and the position still hasn't been filled.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 08:14:00 +0000

I've been having an ongoing conversation with friends and family about leaving California. The main reason is really the cost of living, more specifically, the cost of housing. As I add up the list of reasons to stay only two stick in my head; the weather and the beautiful women. The list that tells me to leave all stem from how hard you have to work for so little.

The idea is to move to the midwest. I could sell my home and make enough from it to purchase a larger one outright in say, Atlanta. My car is already paid off so if my home were paid off I'd have little to no overhead. I could concentrate on building a business and/or simply building the kind of life I have worked to maintain but have been unable to.

When I think about the future and retiring, I don't see how I could possibly have much. If I stayed in Southern California, the house I'm in would probably be the one I retire in and while I'm happy enough here for now, I really want more for my future. It just seems that no matter how hard I work, all I seem to be able to do is maintain. The future isn't bleak, it just isn't amazing enough.

If my home and car were paid off, I could live on next to nothing. All the money I would make would go towards actual change to make my life better. I could even buy a second home and rent it out. I could travel more. I could work at something I love to do instead of something I had to do. If you had the option of having owning a nice home free and clear in a city with decent sized city, would you move?

De-powered & Disenfranchised

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 04:41:00 +0000

I haven't really done anything politically to deal with my lack of employment. The truth is I don't believe that anything I do in that arena would help. What am I supposed to contact my congressman and ask him for a job or another year of unemployment? What power do I really have over them. I could threaten not to vote for him or her but no matter what, someone will be in the office whether I like them or not. I'm angry just like the next person about to lose their home but what can I expect the legislative branch of the government to do and how can I possibly make them do it?

Special Programs

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 09:35:00 +0000

Knowing my days of receiving unemployment funds are numbered, I've been exploring other options. More specifically, I've been researching programs that might help a person in my situation. Recently I found out that there was a Federally funded program to help people get mortgage adjustments if they are on unemployment. Every single agency I spoke to wanted to go over my budget first despite the fact that my mortgage payment alone is nearly the same amount as my unemployment income. It was frustrating. After multiple days of wasted phone calls I found out that I don't qualify for the program because I didn't purchase my home before January 1st, 2009. Since that is the case, the only thing out there for me is budgeting help which I don't need. Of course all my problems would be solved if I had a job.

Nick Of Time Extension

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:46:00 +0000

After keeping me in the dark for weeks, EDD has finally acted on my unemployment extension. It seems I will have unemployment benefits for at least another 90 days (actually another 60). They will pay me for the past few weeks I have been waiting but are unapologetic for their lack of communication about that fact. Nevertheless I am thankful for the reprieve. On the day I finally received notification I was on my way to a temp agency to beg for some work. I can at least put that off for a few more weeks.

One Step Forward and Two Steps Back

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 00:36:00 +0000

There have been a lot of new developments since my last post but at the end of it all I am still without employment so does any of it matter?

I took on a roommate that pays in cash but truthfully his rent money merely covers the gap that unemployment didn't.
I got approved for additional unemployment money but it's much less and will run out soon.
I passed all the requirements for a State job. In fact I'm number two on the list. The problem is I found out they won't consider filling it, despite the need, until the State budget is passed. So California and I are both broke.

When my unemployment runs out which is likely a matter of a few weeks, I'll have no choice but to look for temp work and hope it will be enough to pay my bills. I also have to hope there's enough temp work out there.

Suffering Internally

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 11:08:00 +0000

No matter what anyone says to me, it still feels like it's my fault that I don't have a job. I've been unemployed for over a year, a shameful personal record. I feel like my failure to find work means that I have not been trying hard enough, that I should be doing more. The trouble is, I'm not sure what more I can do.

Some people tell me that it's not me it's the economy, that there are people more intelligent, more capable, more qualified to work that have been unemployed even longer than I have. This is a recession, all are effected, and I am not so special that I should be the one to escape it. This, of course, does not make me feel any better and certainly does not provide a clue to the avenue that I should pursue.

There are days that go by when I do little to nothing constructive. It is for these days that I feel the most guilty. How can I relax when I am earning no income to support the roof over my head or the food in my refrigerator. I know full well that there are people suffering worse than me for in truth my suffering only exists in my head because thanks to unemployment and a few odd jobs I have been able to keep the debtors at bay, though just barely.

I want to do more than just survive. I want to work and earn a better life. I want to actually be able to save money and maybe even pay off a debt or two. Is that too much to ask?

The End of Unemployment?

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:27:00 +0000

I knew my 1st year of unemployment would end this month. I just didn't know it would be the last. Truth is I'm not sure. On the California government website it says it's over for everybody wanting an extension but it also says they would let me know in a letter. I haven't gotten that letter so I'm not sure. I called but of course I am unable to get through or even leave a message. I sent an email but I've done that before and it took weeks for them to reply last time. So here I am in limbo, worrying about next month's mortgage payment.

It would seem some drastic action on my part is in order but only if there is truly no more unemployment coming in. I suppose I will know for sure within a couple of weeks but I must plan for the worst. A friend of mine characterized my predicament by saying, my future seems to be in the hands of others. To some degree he is right. I still need a job. My attempts to create a business in this economy haven't yielded nearly enough to live on. Soon I may loose my home as well and there is little I can do to change my predicament. My stress is back up and I am having trouble sleeping again.

Job Testing

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:13:00 +0000

Went to testing yesterday for a State job. I applied for the job quite a few months ago and testing was scheduled last month. Now I have to wait 4 to 6 weeks for the results. If I passed then I'm placed on a list of people who might be hired if there are enough openings. Such is the way of government jobs.

The testing was 3 1/2 hours and all the answers were multiple choice. The proctors were all old ladies, presumably retired but whose jobs were resurrected every once in a while for situations like this. They talked slow, thought slow, and reacted slow. We ended up starting like 20 minutes late and it was a bit aggravating waiting for them to work things out. There was quite a bit of math on the test but they wouldn't let us use calculators. They confiscated those along with our cell phones before the testing started.

I feel good about how well I did on the test but who knows if and when I'll get hired. In the meantime I continue to fill out applications and send out resumes.

A Little More Off The Top

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 23:28:00 +0000

My tax check came in and I bought a more reliable vehicle. The one I was driving ever since my last one got repossessed was crappy to say the least. The battery couldn't hold a charge for more than three days. The car itself leaked multiple fluids. I only had the valet key. The alignment was so bad I was scared to drive it on the freeway. Anyway when I finally got money, I went through AAA and got a no-hassell deal and am very happy with my purchase. That being said, a lot changed soon after I bought traded in my crappy car for the new one.

I felt better. I had no idea how much of a weight it was being without reliable transportation. My old car was a money pit. Much of the tiny bit extra money that came into my life went to keep it running even though I had nowhere to go. So with all that worry gone, my spirits lifted. I started taking an online class and even started going to the gym. I'm still out of work and the bills are still hard to meet monthly but just that little bit of pressure removed from my life makes me feel a lot better.

Mow Your Lawn

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:03:00 +0000

Everything cost money and when you have a house, as opposed to an apartment or condo, there are a lot of little charges that you can't ignore. They add up. The other day I had a city inspector come out to my house. He told me someone called him about my house and said that I had overgrown vegetation which means that I hadn't been cutting my lawn. I'm broke, have no lawn mower, and no money to pay anyone to keep it up but that doesn't matter to the city. Now I'll have to pay someone to handle, at least my front lawn, and will have a new monthly bill to keep it maintained. I'm already spending more than my income just to stay alive but the city has to maintain its standards. I'll bet the people that called on me are the people who cut lawns in this neighborhood. They want my money.

Safe At Home

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 19:59:00 +0000

I just got finished going over the crime report for my city. I was especially concerned with crimes that are likely to increase due to the recession. As expected, while violent crimes are down, theft is up. Most notable are residential burglary, grand theft, and bicycle theft. It may be a bit safer to walk the streets but even if I do find a job, it's more likely that someone will try to break into my house while I'm at work and run off with the higher value items.

Job Fair Farewell

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 21:34:00 +0000

I went to a National Job Fair today and the theme might as well have been "Build Your Own Business by Building Ours". Eight out of ten booths were some form of multilevel marking. No resume was necessary, you just buy into their network and start selling. Big name MLMs had booths there such as ACN, MonaVie, and Primerica. Others were just trying to get you to sell their product while still others wanted to train you but you had to pay for the training. There was absolutely no company there that cared word one about my resume. Surprisingly absent were the variety of schools that try to get you to take classes at their campus.

While waiting in the long line to see the ten to twelve booths at the fair I did get to talk to some interesting people. Two young ladies I spoke to were only there as some kind of assignment for a college class. The price of entry into the event was a copy of my resume which must be some kind of numbers game since no inside vendor cared to look any. For the most part, the Job Fair was a waste of my time but at least it got me out of the house.

Adventures In Unemployment

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:25:00 +0000

When I was a kid, finding an adventure was easy. There was mystery in everything unfamiliar. On rainy days when I was stuck in the house I would find it in a homemade tent, some lego blocks, or a good book. It's quite obvious things have changed over the years. All my entertainment cost money. I guess it did when I was a kid too but back then I wasn't the one paying for it. My parents made sure I had a roof over my head, that the refrigerator was fully stocked, that the electricity stayed on, etc. In my adult years I have come to realize that there is a price to adventure and when you're out of work and cutting costs, adventure is on the chopping block.

When I talk to my friends that are employed, they have a lot to say about how they spend their time off from work. The go out to dinner, to the movies, enjoy live music, take small trips, and a whole lot of other things I used to do too when I had a job. Now my adventures have to be found on my computer, in my home, or within walking distance because if I leave the house for any other reason I have to spend money, even if it's just for gas. When someone asks me what I did this past weekend I have to think about it because without the structure of a job or any real income, the days all seem to run together. Does that mean I have no life?

Life With No Job

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:19:00 +0000

Eat, exercise, watch TV, play video games. Wash, rinse, repeat. Somewhere in there I also look for work, read a little, check in with friends, and of course blog. I spend far too much time in front of the screen. I actually get a lot done but it's slowly killing me. I need a greater purpose and of course some money to finance it.

Dining In

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:09:00 +0000

It is impossible to leave the house without spending money. The only exception seems to be when I go running. If I'm gone for more than an hour or two, even if I don't buy something at some store, I usually get hungry and buy something to eat. One of the biggest money wasting bad habits I've had was eating out. Even visiting the dollar menu at the local fast food joint seems to add up. To deal with this I've been cooking more.

Some weeks I don't leave the house for days. I just eat in. Apparently it's much cheaper. I've always known that but never really put it into practice. So now I find recipes online that sound tasty and shop for them. I've never been much of a cook but I get by. I'm still working out how much to make and how not to keep food from spoiling. Cooking for one ain't easy. Last year I got these special containers that keep food fresh weeks longer than usual and that has helped. As I gauge it I can save hundreds of dollars on food. I can't say I don't eat out from time to time but I do it much less than I used to.

Tax Windfall

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:02:00 +0000

I finally did my taxes this week. I'll be getting the largest refund I've ever gotten in my life. It's like Christmas thanks to Obama. Of course now that I'm getting all this money I don't dare spend it. It will be good to have a nest egg again. I just hope I get a job before I have to start digging into it.

The hard part will be not to buy something big right away. One of the challenges of having no money is not being able to buy something when you feel like it and my list of wants has been building ever since I lost my job.

Beating The Bundle

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:42:00 +0000

Living on next to nothing requires you to cut and even eliminate some costs. Getting rid of the nouveau utilities; land line phone, cable TV, and Internet proved to be a bit of a problem for me initially. Here's how I decided to work it out:

I decided that the Internet was a must have, especially for looking for work and sending out resumes so I got myself some high-speed broadband and didn't look back. At the same time I decided to give up Cable TV totally. When everything went digital I just let it go. I got an antenna and was able to get a few digital channels over the air for free. Then I connected my computer to the TV and started using Hulu.com and other similar sites and found TV shows, movies, and other great free (and legal) content on the web. Later I added in the cheapest plan Netflix had (about $9.00 a month). The value is not in having them send movies to the house. The value is in the streaming unlimited movies and TV show episodes over the Internet that is included in the price. I used to download almost everything but Netflix let me go legit. Now I have more content than I have time to watch.

Maybe I'm old fashioned but I've never been able to trust my cellphone to be my only phone. Knowing that the phone company charged too much, I started using Vonage. For $30 a month I got unlimited local calling by plugging into my Internet router. They are a good company and their service is great. After a while though, I upgraded my cellphone plan to include Internet service so I needed another cut. The next month I switched over to the MagicJack which gives me nearly the same thing for $20 a year (less than $2 a month.) It's not as convenient as Vonage but it works well enough for my taste. The quality is not quite as good and your computer must be on in order for you to place or receive a call but that was all fine with me as I seldom turned my computer off anyway.

Lately the cable, and phone companies have been offering all three of these services in a cost saving bundle but with my Internet plan, Netflix, and Magic Jack, I'm still coming out way cheaper. There are some sports games I don't get to see but I've made peace with that.

Recession Plan

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:24:00 +0000

I've been speaking to a friend of mine who has been on unemployment in excess of two years. He is, in fact, working now but making less than he did on unemployment. All the losses I've had and may still yet have, he's had them. Cut back after cut back he survives but barely. He still has his home but it may come to the point where he may lose that as well. I asked him what he'll do if it comes to that and this is loosely what he told me:

'I'll sell my house and use a small amount of it to live on and use the rest to finance the business I've been planning to start. All the time I've been barely surviving, I've also been researching, planning and making connections. I'd have preferred to get a job and start the business part time but if push comes to shove I've got to take this opportunity.'

Now there's a man with a plan. I've been just hoping to get another job but it occurs to me that I don't need a post-recession plan, I need a right-now plan. If getting a job isn't it, then what should my plan be?

Repossession

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:59:00 +0000

I had to finally give up my car today. I hadn't been able to make a payment in months and no matter how much I tried, CapitalOne would make no deal with me because I'm unemployed. I asked them to lower the payments and extend the loan another year but they wouldn't hear of it. They started calling almost daily and then after a few months they started sending someone by the house, usually on evenings or weekends.

Once they got into the vein of repossession, I was getting late night visits, once even at 2AM. Luckily my car was locked up in the garage on my private property but that didn't stop the harassment. When I would leave the house in it I would take crazy routes to my destination for fear of it being gone when I come out of the grocery store and such. Most days I would just leave it in the garage while the debt increased from late fees.

I couldn't really save up to get a used car because I wasn't able to save any money anyway. If I had money to save, I'd probably have made the car payments. Finally I was able to hustle enough to get something that runs but even that was an adventure. Anyway after the numerous, letters, calls, and visits I told them they could come and get it and they made haste to do so, sending someone out within a few hours. I really loved that car too. I miss it already.

First Unemployment Extension

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:28:00 +0000

I've never been on unemployment this long. It's not enough to live on but other than my side hustle it's all I've got. Last month I got my first extension and I was worried I wouldn't get it. I called some friends who are also getting unemployment and they told me not to worry. Sure enough my extension came through like clockwork and I didn't miss a check.

Later I found out that I have friends that have been on unemployment in excess of two years. In a way that makes me feel safe, that the money will keep coming. In another way it's upsetting. What if I don't get a job for another year or so? What am I supposed to do with myself for all that time? How does one live without enough money and little hope on getting any more for years at a time? I know there are people out there that have it worse than me but it's getting hard to see beyond my own situation.

Bad Decisions

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:24:00 +0000

Being out of work provides you with a lot of reasons to be depressed. The solution is, of course, to stay busy and put your mind on other things. Even when you do however, those negative thoughts tend to creep in. Today's prevalent thought is about the most recent wrong decisions I've made. If I didn't do this I'd still be working. If I didn't do that I'd have more money in my pocket. If I'd done more of the other I'd have additional income. If I'd left that alone I'd be in a much better place. The list goes on and on and for all my present problems, recession or not, I really only have myself to blame. Right now, all I want to do is sit and eat and play video games. What I need to do is keep pushing.

When Does Hustling Become Pirating?

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:03:00 +0000

When you're unemployed, sometimes how well you live depends on how well you hustle. One of my hustles is repairing computers. Since it's a hustle I've had for years I try to keep it legal. Today I found out I wasn't when I thought I was.

I had to fix a computer for a client that didn't have the original system disk. The computer did, however, have the serial number for the copy of Windows it used so I used my copy of Windows to install it and used their serial number. I wouldn't work without me validating the copy. The problem is that it wouldn't validate unless I was logged it and it wouldn't login unless I validated. I knew I was legal so I called Microsoft. Here is more or less what they said:

'The fact that I was using someone else's disk amounted to piracy even though I was using my serial number. They also said that the person who sold me the computer should have sold me the original disk as well otherwise they transferred it to me illegally. Finally they said they could not help me and that if I wanted to order another disk I could but only from the manufacturer of the computer.'

I told them I was in fact, not stealing as I was only using the legally correct serial number that came with the computer. They repeatedly told me to read the EULA and that it was my fault if I had not. Then after berating me for being a pirate and a non-EULA reader repeatedly, they hung up on me. I guess that's what I get for trying to stay legal. No wonder people pirate Windows. I don't blame them.

What's The Real Job Offer Here?

noreply@blogger.com (wallruss) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 07:31:00 +0000

I had a 1st & 2nd interview today, one right after the other. It all went well but the whole process had the signs of being some kind of scam. It was fast and a little confusing. Here are some of my concerns:

When I made a call back to the company from home to set up the interview, I couldn't talk to a live person, only leave a message.
After the 1st interview, it still wasn't clear to me how the company worked.
After the 2nd interview, the interviewer concentrated on how much money I could make and not what the job was about.
The interviews took place in what seemed like a temporarily rented space.

I've encountered jobs like this before and they usually turned into cold calling sales, some kind of pyramid scheme, or some job that required me to pay some money up front, for training, licensing, or otherwise. We shall see.