Alaskans and their "big toys".... (Anchorage, Fairbanks: neighborhoods, safe)

[NOTAM]

Join The Military.....that would have been the answer any year before this year.
Now they are overstrength.
The days of big re-enlistment or enlistment bonuses are over as of this fiscal year.
And if you are currently enlisted, you better be passing your PT, not have any major issues that will cause you to go to MEB etc....
Things are fixin to change

Originally Posted by SityData

Well Ship, I hear what your saying, and the solution is more than obvious; Something has to change!

If they can't afford a car, or a place to live; or make it by working 3 jobs.

Um?? you have a very limited amount of choices.

You are smart enough and old enough to figure out what to do.

your friends have had advance notice of their difficulties yet here they are stuggling worse with no heat.

Something here just doesn't make any sense!


Each of you can pick up extra cash each week just by changing the amount of dependants. from 0 or 1 to 5 or 9. That will help !

Move back home with parents

Hit the road for a better life & job

Join the Military

Stay there and drown in your sorrows.

What other choices are there ??? realisticlly speaking ???

It doesn't take a college degree to figure this out.

I wish you all the very best of luck in trying to solve this problem.

OH and good luck and be safe; with your 'flying' lessons!!

This is exactly what I meant, when I said: "life is what happens when your busy making other plans" WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD - Its ugly!!

[Dakster]

Ship - I feel for your friends working 3 jobs and can barely make it...

While things have definitely changed and getting a job the "SityData" way isn't as easy as it once was, it is not something to just throw out. Sity I applaud you for being able to walk in anywhere and get job, you are truly a gifted person and I envy you for that. I don't have that gift. Although thankfully, I did get lucky and get a good job/career many years ago. And for the new hires, even that is changing.

I say, use whatever method will help you get a job. Voice phone calls, walking-in, online applications, etc... If your current job has no upward mobility, in your off time, look for one that does. Even if it means moving. Maybe one that has internal training or will help with obtaining a college degree.
--
WOW... I like that HELICOPTER... I bet those a lot of fun to use. Neat thing is it could be your way in and out of a remote cabin off the road system. Always wanted to fly, but the licensing issues are a huge monetary barrier to overcome. Then you add the cost of the plane/helicopter. An ultralight helicopter with no pilots license required... Only issue for me now is that they are only for "one".

[Rance]

Yeah a 2 seater would be the bomb. Then you could carry some groceries and camera gear if the wife wouldn't let you ride along with her! I also like the pontoons feature. Would be handy with our water front cabin.

[SityData]

With unskilled labor - it is very difficult indeed. I was fortunate enough to have an incredible education and I have many different hard to come by skills that most are not fortunate enough to posess. That is the only reason; I have had so many different opportunities to choose from.

One thing; that comes with age, That young people don't have.. ... (is experience). That, makes all the difference in the world.

[ShipOfFools42]

Ray, Met is correct, my friends are not driving fancy trucks (they drive a busted-ass '88 Toyota that squeals and can barely accelerate up a hill), and they have ONE prepaid cell phone between the two of them, which is difficult when there's two of you, working three jobs, with one car. I promise you, my friends did not get into their situation by spending money they don't have.

Originally Posted by RedJacket

There are people who have what they need and don't care about the people who don't have what they need. There are also people who have what they need and do care about those that don't have what they need. That's just the way it is.

Well put, and very true.

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Sure, it's easy to say that people should give up everything, not have a phone, not have internet, all for the sake of being able to buy a few more cases of Top Ramen a month, but not having access to those things will end up costing more in the long run. Not every cell phone is an I-Phone, not every computer user has to pay big money for internet access.

You bring up a good point here. Not only is it easy to say that but not easy to do, it's also just that if you get to that point, what kind of way of living is that? Not being able to go places, do anything, have any sort of fun whatsoever... that's not living, that's just existing. What the "just work hard" people tend to ignore, I think, is that in order for a person to really have a happy life, they need to have some happiness coming in, and that doesn't come from working long hours at miserable jobs just to heat your house. It's a damn shame that you can't even afford to go see a movie anymore, much less go on a long road-trip and see some beautiful scenery or anything like that that makes your soul feel good.

You can work work work, all day long, but if that's ALL you do, that isn't a very pleasant way to live. Nobody wants that.
--
And yeah, that helicopter looks awesome. The view would be unreal with that big front glass and the open sides. So cool!

[RayinAK]

This is what I would do if I were single and would need unskilled-labor:

a. First work on some sort of place to sleep at. For example a truck with a regular size bed (8'), one that does not burn too much gasoline. I would rig a topper on the bed, and turn it into a small place to sleep at. I would take as long as needed to have this truck and topper in good working condition all around. It would have a small foldable bed, sleeping bag, a one or two-burner Coleman portable stove (to use outside the truck), small broom to sweep the carpeted floor, some cooking utensils, pots, pans, etc., a pee or spit bucket (just in case), plastic trash bags, and so forth.

b. I would move, not to Alaska (it's too far), but to ND or any other State with a low unemployment rate (3% in ND).
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A reason why I have never had trouble finding work is because I am not afraid to do any kind of labor, from cleaning toilets or flipping burgers, to cleaning toilets or shoveling dirt.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by naturesdreams

Thanks Rance... yes that's definitely a great toy... what a great thrill that would be hey??

Ray, Sity and Met... you are all correct in many points... every middle class has stuggled in many ways growing up.. Generation x, y ... whatever is either connected or they feel they are not connected with their peers...

interesting story I heard this weekend about a close friend of mine.. she told me that she was approached by a family member to take her nephew to Aldi's to get can goods since they were struggling to put food on the table. Denise, being the kind soul she is was ready to do so until her nephew's wife called her up bragging about her nipples being pierced and how the $110 had drained their money supply... REALLY??? she declined and told her nephew to learn the value of money and what comes first... food or tattos and piercing...

I'm not stating that this is the case in all situations Ship... but sometimes one just has to learn "life lessons"...

I had to turn down my own 26 yr old son a few months ago and it still makes my heart ache... he came to me and said, "I don't have my rent"... I'm a single income and only 15 months into this new situation myself. I had to tell him, "I don't have your rent either"... I could have cashed in some 401 Ks but I did find out from my daughter he goes to the bars regularly, pays for online gaming and eats out all the time... tough love is difficult and I worry about him and he won't call me now.. so there are those who care deeply but sometimes doing nothing is love also... just my 2 cents.. have a great Sunday everyone.

I could not have said it better, Naturesdreams.

Also, in my dialog with Met, I mentioned how a lot of young people waste money on toys, and how they would starve before getting rid of these toys (or drugs, or tattoos, or gaming machines, and so forth). Well, in this forum there is a thread titled, Drug abuse common in Ketchikan? that shows the kinds of things I some of us in this forum have been saying. It's not that I don't care for those who have nothing, just that the little I have took me years of hard work to achieve. For you or I to give everything we have and then just roll over and die, teaches nothing to those who receive it. Of all my kids (have 4), the one I bail-out most often is the only one who's still struggling. It's very painful to cut the umbilical cord, but I know that it must be done for his own good. The other three are doing extremely well.

[SityData]

I like the way you put that Ship... Sitting around, nothing to do, just existing, can't go to a movie, etc. I'm sorry, but I have had to do that many times. I just sat... doing nothing for almost ten years;...raising 4 boys by myself on welfare without a dime to our names. The absolute worst time for me, was every saturday morning, Children watching cartoons, I would sit there and literally cry; when any commerical came on. These four children would get all excited over each toy that was advertised. Dad's gonna buy me one of those. I was too poor to even pay attention. It was very very rough on all of us. But we did survive... we learned so much.. That is # 1 reason we reach out and help so many people. I could have easily gone back to work in a flash, making big bucks. BUT.. the boys; they were too important to leave and have someone else fill their heads and hearts with bs. I choose them over money and I know I made the right decision because we are all still together.

What Ray said is so true; be willing to do anything - to earn an extra dollar.

Sticking to the topic: Yes helicopters are awesome, but they sure do require so much more maintainence. And very expensive to have serviced.

[warptman]

Life story again.

[Moose Whisperer]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

This is what I would do if I were single and would need unskilled-labor:

a. First work on some sort of place to sleep at. For example a truck with a regular size bed (8'), one that does not burn too much gasoline. I would rig a topper on the bed, and turn it into a small place to sleep at. I would take as long as needed to have this truck and topper in good working condition all around. It would have a small foldable bed, sleeping bag, a one or two-burner Coleman portable stove (to use outside the truck), small broom to sweep the carpeted floor, some cooking utensils, pots, pans, etc., a pee or spit bucket (just in case), plastic trash bags, and so forth.

b. I would move, not to Alaska (it's too far), but to ND or any other State with a low unemployment rate (3% in ND).
-----------

A reason why I have never had trouble finding work is because I am not afraid to do any kind of labor, from cleaning toilets or flipping burgers, to cleaning toilets or shoveling dirt.

And, since we are discussing the younger generation here, a few more job search tips:

1. Buy some clothes that actually fit
2. Pull your pants up from around your knees
3. Remove all the metal cr@p prtotruding from the lips, nose, eybrows, ears, etc.
4. Learn to speak PROPER ENGLISH

No one wants to hire someone who looks, acts, and speaks like they just stepped out of a circus freak show.