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Really? How interesting. How would you explain me then? If it wasn't for my parents, I'd be homeless.
Let's see:
Started working directly out of high school. Great work ethic. Took the occasional class here and there as well.
Don't do drugs, drink very little, even quit smoking in '94. No kids. No car. No mortgage.
Decided to become a college freshman at 34 to help keep competitive in my field, and try to step up in life. Gave up time with family and friends for 8.5 years to earn my BA. Graduate in 2006, Magna C um Laude.
I continue to work hard, bettering myself and correcting past mistakes, mostly financial. Yes, I readily admit mistakes - who doesn't make them? I do quite well, for a while. Then the schist hits the fan.
When the housing market got ridiculous, I had a bad feeling. I've been through small recessions before and smelled this coming. I backed off my debt repayment and pumped money in the bank as fast as I could. I put away a great (so I thought) buffer. With UI, I figured I could survive 12-16 months, more than enough time to find a new job. In the spring of '08, I start sending out some resumes to see what's out there. Already, there is a shortage of jobs.
Jan '09, I get laid off from my AA job at a big financial firm. I didn't panic. I already set up a new budget in case it happened. I had some liquid cash, a decent severance and would be collecting UI. I went to the job search counselor the company provided, and started sending out resumes within a week.
It's been 2 years. All I've been able to get is a part time retail job. Last March, I moved in with my parents. The bank account was getting too low to justify paying rent anymore. Fortunately, we get along great and they have a small, mostly used upstairs apartment that used to be a rental. In June, I end up in the hospital for an emergency appendectomy, for 5 days. Luckily, I've managed to keep my $565 health insurance as the bill was $50,000.
So you see, if it wasn't for my parents, this respectable, law-abiding, hard-working, college educated woman would be dead on the streets by now. Hardly fits your assessment.
You also prove my point. The reason that you are not homeless is because you are a decent person who respects the people who have taken you back in.
I'm sure that you would have made out alright even if your parents weren't there for you, because you are a decent "normal" person.
You made good decisions. You struggled to keep your health insurance. You did not turn to drugs and alcohol. You are obviously a strong, determined person who will turn out okay in the end.
I am saying a lot of office jobs have been outsourced to India. Also, teaching is now becoming a virtual thing. If you want or need to blame "someone," either blame the outsourcers or the college sales liars who say teaching jobs will always be in demand!
BTW, I never got an answer to my question (not necessarily from you). Just how much is "enough" to fall back on?
Oh, and re: never leave your job unless you have another one? It depends on whether you are on the chopping block or not. I would certainly rather quit than get fired (and I don't mean laid off).
Funny, you never seem to blame the politicians that create the policies that force companies to move to other countries.
How much is enough? That depends on how you live. But in this woman's case, obviously she didn't have "enough".
And why on EARTH would you think that quitting is better than getting fired? So what that you're on the chopping block. If you stayed another week, you get that much more money to squirrel away. Or did she perhaps want to spend some time not working? Is that why she wanted to teach? We always assume that people go into teaching for "the children", but sometimes they just want a million days off during the year and summers off.
It means admin jobs were a dime a dollar back in the day. I could get one, no problema. Now, you barely see them anymore. Somehow, some way, either the execs are doing their own thing, hiring temps here and there, or outsourcing this stuff.
So, be that temp. I'm working as a temp right now, in admin. And yesterday I got offered a job in admin from a resume I sent out.
Wrong! Many people are victims of circumstance and not choice. Guess what? There is not always an alternative to homelessness. There, but for the grace of God, go you or I.
Yeah, some people are just so judgmental. Whatever happened to American individualism? The American Spirit? Just how do you think those pioneers got across the country? By saying I need some certainty something awaits me on the other side?
Egads, what wimps we've become.
What happened to personal responsibility, taking care of your own kids, and doing things you might find unappealing because you need to feed your family?
Egads, what a bunch of self-centered lazy bums we've become.
I've made no personal attacks. What I have questioned REPEATEDLY is why fellow Americans are not supporting fellow Americans, rather Wall Street? Why are people on here attacking the Average Joe?
Just so you know - people in Wall Street are Americans also. Why do you think the Average Joe is a more important American than a Wall Street American. Is it because you're a "left winger".
I can give the woman in the OP some slack,she was finally getting to do the thing she wanted to(God knows why,nothing could be worse than being a teacher to me...LOL) and everything looked like it was going well.
Her job was helping her out.
Her child support was coming in.
She had enough money in the bank that before she started a new chapter in her life she could spend some time with her children.
And then it all went to crap due to conditions that were beyond her control.
Lets be real here,most people would think going into teaching will guarantee you a job,they are/were a protected class.
I guess due to our own situation I can see where she was coming from....
I guess we are lucky that we have family that have helped and are still helping.
There but by the grace of God go ALL of you.
Something to remember.
I think this is the first time that I have ever agreed with you.
My grandfather worked at a job for 40 years that he hated because he went through the depression and couldn't get a job. He worked part time as a salesman and he loved that job but was to afraid to switch. He only had a few month to go until retirement and was going to do his salesman job full time but he died.
Gasp! I agree with you. The human race, as it is now, is a scary thing. ( The Duggars are irresponsible and now reliant on reality TV for a living. )
How are they irresponsible? Just because YOU think people should have a certain number (set by you) of children? They support themselves, the children seem polite and well adjusted, and they aren't sucking off the govt teet.
I think this is the first time that I have ever agreed with you.
My grandfather worked at a job for 40 years that he hated because he went through the depression and couldn't get a job. He worked part time as a salesman and he loved that job but was to afraid to switch. He only had a few month to go until retirement and was going to do his salesman job full time but he died.
True conservative types are like this....
Come to the dark side....
I am sorry about your Grandfather,working until you die is no way to live.
I find the obsession with work strange in this country,you live the majority of your life unhappy putting money away towards the days when you won't have to work anymore....and then lie about it and say you enjoy your job...
Has anyone noticed the coercive nature of employment in this society? Most people are FORCED to work because working is the primary way of obtaining an income. Without an income a person is deprived of basic food, shelter and clothing. In a truly free society people would have the choice of working or not. Distributing the wealth created by a highly mechanized industrial economy could make this possible. Just think of an economy without coercion.
This coercion only applies to the vast majority of the people that are workers. It does not apply to the people that are owners. They are never compelled to do anything they do not want. They never shave to humiliate themselves because they need another’s job. It must be nice to be King.
PS: I have been working because I have had to since I was 5 years old. With a little bit of luck I have two more years to go. Then I will have a pension that will let me work at what I want not what I have to.
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