Ergh.

[reymonkey]

Um. Geez. I don't make two posts in one day for no reason. The high from the feature on DA is nice but it won't pay bills. I'm still trying to figure out how to make my art do that.

Bridgie lost her job.
We have enough for rent, and bills for now I guess. I'll help her do the unemployment thing. Lots of jobhunting going on. She's got more marketable skills than I do.

I just don't know right now, and I wish I had the answers. She's got a cobra rider on her insurance until the end of March, but she needs the insurance to pay for the meds that keep her functional so she can work so she can have medical insurance so... yeah. It's a cycle and now it's broken.
At this very moment, there is no source of income here, at all. We're counting on her last paycheck, and tax refunds, and whatever unemployment will give her.

If we someday vanish off the net at least you guys will know why? It drives me nuts all these advice things I keep seeing about budgeting. They talk about cutting down the cell phone, the cable or satellite, the credit cards, the gym memberships, all things we don't have. We've already been living on the financial edge for years. We have heat, electricity, phone line, rent, food, and ten bucks a month for dial-up. We're not living to the excess here.

Suggestions? Anyone? Please? Especially suggestions on getting a damn job. And don't anyone suggest 'move to Canada' or I will e-slap you.

I will still give meme answers below, because I ned the distraction, damnit.

Comments

[justdbear.livejournal.com]

Um...be sure to look at attorneys in the area and see if they need any legal assistants or file clerks? Legal work right now seems pretty stable, especially bankruptcy attorneys.

All that said, *HUGSHUGSHUGS* I am sorry to hear this horrible news. :( We can just hope for the best and hope she lands in a place that is more friendly and fulfilling than her last place.

[motherdragon.livejournal.com]

Dam, dam, dam. That sucks big time! I would say move to Michigan but things are not much better here. I will keep my ears and eye's open and see if anything comes up that might be of some help to both of you. I might be able to find someway to help you out though. It won't be much but I can try my best. I know Mel would want to help as well and when she see's this post is going to be really worried about all of you. I just hope you can find something even if its not your dream job at lest it would be income and that would help. Hope to keep in touch with you guys even if something does happen keep us informed ok so we know whats going on.

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

That's a good suggestion. I've kind of avoided those because they all ask for experience I don't have, but she does have way more. Quickbooks and I don't know what all program certifications and stuff. Eight years experience as a secretary's gotta count for something.

*HUGS* I hope she does, I know she wasn't completely happy there. It's just we're in panic mode right now, because I'm still jobless and my unemployment ran out, and we're kind of financially screwed. Her medicine is expensive, and she really can't function without it. This is a hell of a thing to happen two days after her birthday.

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

Yeah, see, move anywhere doesn't work. Moving takes money. At least I've got relatives up there. I'm scared that when I tell my parents the situation, their form of 'help' might be to offer that I could move back, and I hope they don't say that because I'd have to hang up I think. We'll see.
We'll be okay, one way or another, but I think I'm desperate enough now to apply for that last tier of jobs I was snubbing before, like gas station clerk and fast food. It'd be better than nothing I guess. I don't know why I can't get a response from anything else I apply to.

[justdbear.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Administrative assistants (which is more what she was) should be able to find employment even if it's with a temp agency temporarily...which is something else to look for.

And yes, her meds are expensive. Now that she is unemployed though she may be eligible for free meds through medication assistance programs, also something worth checking into.

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping her experience will give her a better shot than I seem to have at the office jobs. I'm leery of temp agencies, since the one I signed up with years ago would never, ever call me back and whenever I called them they had nothing for me. Of course that was back about six to eight years ago.

She's gonna call the doctor tomorrow and see what she can do for that. The P-Doc has been good about giving her samples and stuff, it's just she's on so many. There's also the metformin for the blood sugar which is through another doctor.

[motherdragon.livejournal.com]

Hun all you can do is try make out a resume and keep putting it in be persitant even go back to other palce from time to time if you can, you could also check out on line job searches maybe something there might fit. I would look in to assistance for anything that will help you right now the goverment is offering it and hey it might as well benifit you guys as well. Try social Security they might even be able to help you out as well. At lest till your back on your feet. How are you all set for food and stuff I can send some stuff to you all. I get stuff cheeper at the company store and can get you stuff like I brougt when we came to see you. Its not a lot but its something. I can even get you a list and you can tell me what you would like the most. Man I hate hard times I just hope that things turn around and can get better for all of us.

[dragonwhishes.livejournal.com]

... oh my god.

I am so sorry.

I... I don't know what to say. Do you want me to call later, after I'm done with homework?

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

Maybe, I'll check with her. We still need to go to the grocery store, and spend our meagre monies on food. The distraction might be good. She's napping now, after the shock and the crying and stuff.

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

I do a lot of jobhunting online, I have profiles at Monster.com (they keep telling me about CAD operator positions and freeway engineering, like a community college graphic design degree means I have a clue about those) and snagajob.com which is pretty much straight out of high school level jobs. Mostly what I qualify for is retail, because I've done a lot of retail, and they're really picky about hiring these days.
We still have pancake stuff. ;) We've been using it though. The nuts are gone. We'll be okay I think, Bridgie's parents will help and we'll manage. Rent and bills are a bigger worry than food. I don't worry about starving, I do worry about the heat or phone getting shut off, because we've had both happen before. Fortunately it was always mix-ups, but still.
It drives me a little nuts I hear all this talk about job creation and it all seems to be in construction. Because I seriously doubt either of us could do construction, thank you. What construction company would hire young women? With no experience? And white-collar degrees.

[revyrie.livejournal.com]

There are good temp agencies out there (I work for Spherion, which has been a much better experience than Manpower).

[peregrinejohn.livejournal.com]

I think these guys cover your area, and they've been really good to me. They specialize in Web-heads and creatives.

[hemlock-martini.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry to hear this! I hope you or she are able to find something soon. Hang in there.

[del-the-psycho.livejournal.com]

Oh no. :( My heart sank as soon as I read that.

Look into job listings at any local hospitals; they're almost always hiring, and tend to promote and shuffle employees internally. Once you get an in there, it's pretty stable.

See about applying for unemployment in the meantime too? It's a lifesaver a lot of the time.

[placeboweek.livejournal.com]

I'm so, so sorry. I don't know what to say.

Workwise, look into temp agencies -- in particular if there are any that staff colleges and universities. They tend to jerk people around less than the ones that staff businesses. I got placed by a temp agency before I had any administrative experience, so you should try, too.

This sounds awful, but the businesses that are doing well now are collection agencies and companies that clean out foreclosed homes. It's not a pleasant job, but somebody has to do it. You could look into those.

See if there is a food bank in your area. I know you're more concerned about rent than food, but money is money.

I wish there was some way I could get you guys jobs. Or do something.

[placeboweek.livejournal.com]

That made me do a double-take; I worked for Spherion, too, except in Cambridge, MA. Are they a national company? They were very good, at any rate.

[janewt.livejournal.com]

Oh, Christ. I am so, so sorry. I don't have smart ideas about getting jobs; but it looks like you have some good suggestions here. I just have *hugs*. :/

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

I'll look for that one, if they have it here? I know we have Manpower, I see their ads all over the place. Spherion, if it's here, must not spend as much on advertising.

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

I am not familiar with them! I'm not sure I qualify as a web-head, I'm self taught in basic HTML and a teeny bit of Jscript and that's it. My one web design class in college, I knew more about scripting than the teacher did and I was disappointed, but that's community college for you.

Bridgie's more in the administrative field, but I'll look into this for the graphic design stuff for me. If one of us gets a job, that's something.

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

*HUGS* Thanks, I've been jobless so long now it's getting frustrating, but that means I'm due for a break, right? Life has to give us a break sooner or later.

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

Hospitals? For a graphic designer and an admin? Stable would be good, though. Geez, she was at this last job eight years, so we thought it was pretty stable.

I'm gonna get her set up on unemployment, mine has run out as of a month or so ago.

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

VCU is the big school here, but there's some community colleges too. I have a tiny bit of admin experience, Bridgie's got... eight years. <_< Yeah, kind of like Donya's thing about bankruptcy lawyers doing well. But work is work, as long as we get paid... We'll get through this, we have friends offering help all around, it's just the kind of thing you can't help but panic over. At least we don't have any debt.

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

*HUGS* We'll get by, but yeah. Just hugs are good too. {:)

[del-the-psycho.livejournal.com]

Hospitals always need people to file and input data. It's almost always a surefire place to start looking for any openings. And you don't have to worry about doing anything medical or gross or needing the credentials for such, if that was the concern. (Should have clarified that.)

Otherwise, I did four years as a janitor; two for a vet clinic (this one would probably be gross to some, though) and two more for a community college. ( ._.)/ Not glamourous, but it paid the bills. And if I can do that stuff, anyone can.

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

Hunh, makes sense. Ah, the joyful world of data entry? ;) I'm qualified for that.

I've applied for receptionist jobs at vets before, the gross parts don't bother me. Dunno about Bridgie. Janitorial jobs do seem to be out there... What scares me is some of those ask for experienced only...

[revyrie.livejournal.com]

I hadn't heard of it either, but it seems they're a little more picky about which companies they'll hire for, and they stick with the company for a long time.

[revyrie.livejournal.com]

They are, and I'm glad to know my experience wasn't just a local fluke.

[cheesetarget.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, things is rough, and not in an awesome perched on a pedestal looking resolutely into the future kind of way, just in sucky stress-bomb kind of way.

I don't think I ever got a single job without knowing a person who knew a person who needed someone for a job (ie pestering everyone I know.) Ever thought about starting your own business? Not sure if this is helpful at all, but I try. Wish I could offer more than virtual hugs and annoying advice.

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know we're not the only ones going through really sucky times.

I have gotten jobs without knowing anyone, out here. I interview really, really well. The catch is I can't seem to even get to that stage. I've been trying to sell art through Etsy and I'm seriously looking into freelance illustration, but it seems like there's no good way to promote yourself as an artist without, guess what? Spending money! Get this printed, get that printed, do it all digitally to avoid printing costs but buy yourself an expensive portfolio for the interview! Ergh. Still, if I can make it work I will.

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

I'll look them up! Thank you.

[zora113.livejournal.com]

A lot of people have already made the suggestion, but my mom was always urging me to go to a Temp Agency before I got my BN job. Also, I know kids are horrendous and I hate them more than your average person, but the schools are almost always looking for substitute teachers and that actually plays really well. I made something like $500 a week when I was doing that. It's a quick fix until something else pans out. And it will. It has to.

*HUGSHUGS* I'm sorry you guys are having so much trouble. I wish I could be of more help. So many of my friends are in the same place you are and it makes me so angry for you.

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

Sounds like temp agencies aren't the horror I thought they were! But don't you need some kind of teaching degree to be a substitute? Just babysitting my friend's kids is scary, frankly.

It's almost scarier because it's not just us.

[myfeeddogsaredown.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

Check that new movie place down on Boulevard. Have you heard their commercials? Maybe they're hiring.

[amethystlight.livejournal.com]

*HUGSHUGSHUGSHUGSHUGSHUGSHUGSHUGSHUGSHUGSHUGSHUGSHUGSHUGSHUGS* and so on...

[mlcolosimo.livejournal.com]

*HUGS* Luck to both of you! Sorry I haven't been around, I'm on facebook most now. Miss you!

[zora113.livejournal.com]

In South Carolina at least, you don't have to have a degree to be a sub. They pay you more if you do, but it's not required. I'd imagine the laws are different in every state.

*LUCK*

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

Except that you have to hope you can control the kids... I guess I really might be old enough to look like an authority figure? I think I'll try the other suggestions first, though. Kids terrify me, really.

Thanks!

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

Siiince we went over that on the phone... It's an awesome theatre though, I will give them that. I think people jumped on that bandwagon before it actually opened. 3,500 applications, the guy said. Dear gods...

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

The same back. {;) We'll be okay. I promise, we won't try to come move in with you or anything. ;D

[reymonkey.livejournal.com]

Aha! Other people disappear over there too. I've been told i should join up but it would be one more thing to keep track of...

We'll be okay, I think. I hope. Obviously we have lots of supportive friends. *HUGSBACK*