08-09-2009, 09:27 PM
I'm an outlier and I know it. After battling illness since early 2005, I got a job as tutor at Sylvan Learning Centers in October of 08 and then as a temp at the University in November of 08. This all because I had pretty much destroyed my wife and she had enough, is no longer in love with and told me so. The divorce should be finalized within a month. Admittedly without her saying she didn't love me anymore I may not have jump started myself.
I applied for full time positions all over the place, trying to stay in the tech field. My temp job was a programmer. The owners of the Sylvan Learning center in town filed for bankruptcy due to issues with other ventures and the other centers, the center here was still making money, and closed it down the end of January. The Jefferson City center picked up the contract we had with 2 local school distracts and from mid Feb to late April I was still working for Sylvan doing that. But we finished the contract.
I moved out of the place with my wife in early January. I was supporting myself at that point again.
The university had been in a hiring freeze since the 2nd week in November, just after I got the temp job. On April 30th they got approval to post a full time programmer position (2 seats had been sitting vacant when I hired as a temp). I applied that day. My temp appointment got extended on May 2nd to run till the end of July. After that it was done and could not be extended again. I was still in full job search mode and not finding anything. But I was looking at moving to Colorado, my brother could get me a crap job out there if need be. I was still hoping for better.
June 11th I find out that I got the full time job and would be starting with the new title and pay on the 15th. So I've been a salaried employee since the 15th. I'm happy. There were a lot of applicants, but of the ones interviewed, all who were asked the same technical questions, I was the only one that could answer them all. So it wasn't handed to me. I earned it.
I had put in applications at McDonald's and other such places for part time work back in Jan/Feb though because the income was barely enough.
I've managed to get my student loans out of default status now after a 10 month program. With that done I can now start paying back some of my other defaulted debts. I've got crap in collections I've had a few default court judgements against me. I am by no means free and clear but I'm taking car of it.
After not having a working vehicle since early 06, I got a used car last month, paid $1300 for a vehicle with a blue book price of $3000 it's been great so far. I moved from the tiny apartment I was in to a much nicer one. I debated using that extra money to pay the debt down faster but quality of life change is worth it. I'm happier.
I've lost 40 pounds since early December, still overweight (I'm 6 foot tall and 210 - 215 pounds) but I'm getting close.
I've never collected a dime of welfare, unemployment, food stamps any of that. But again I do still have crushing debt. I have health insurance again after not having anything since mid 05. Had I been able to keep the insurance or afford to pay the medical bills I wouldn't have been out of work as long as I was I don't think.
I'll be divorced here in just over a month, so my life isn't all good.
But I do realize that my efforts have been rewarded and that I am not the typical story in this economy. I've got a savings account started, I'm putting money away from retirement, I'm helping friends out when I can, and I'm paying down my debts. I'm back on my career path after a long detour. The hell hole that the economy is doesn't really matter because I've been below the poverty line since 05 anyway. Yeah I was playing WoW but that was paid for by other people.
I'm confident that no matter what happens I'll be able to deal with it and keep moving forward. I know I've not been as low as a man can get, but I've been pretty low. Unemployed, mentally ill, physically out of shape (5 minutes of exercise was painful), suffering from ED, told by my wife of over 11 years that she didn't love me anymore, and living under a mountain of debt with no means of transportation other than my own 2 feet. 10 months later I'm earning the highest salary in my life (still probably 70-100% less than I should be earning at this stage in my life but oh well) and am basically a normal person again. Just dealing with problems as they come in. If I can do that I can do whatever else I need to, #$%& hole economy or not. :)
I applied for full time positions all over the place, trying to stay in the tech field. My temp job was a programmer. The owners of the Sylvan Learning center in town filed for bankruptcy due to issues with other ventures and the other centers, the center here was still making money, and closed it down the end of January. The Jefferson City center picked up the contract we had with 2 local school distracts and from mid Feb to late April I was still working for Sylvan doing that. But we finished the contract.
I moved out of the place with my wife in early January. I was supporting myself at that point again.
The university had been in a hiring freeze since the 2nd week in November, just after I got the temp job. On April 30th they got approval to post a full time programmer position (2 seats had been sitting vacant when I hired as a temp). I applied that day. My temp appointment got extended on May 2nd to run till the end of July. After that it was done and could not be extended again. I was still in full job search mode and not finding anything. But I was looking at moving to Colorado, my brother could get me a crap job out there if need be. I was still hoping for better.
June 11th I find out that I got the full time job and would be starting with the new title and pay on the 15th. So I've been a salaried employee since the 15th. I'm happy. There were a lot of applicants, but of the ones interviewed, all who were asked the same technical questions, I was the only one that could answer them all. So it wasn't handed to me. I earned it.
I had put in applications at McDonald's and other such places for part time work back in Jan/Feb though because the income was barely enough.
I've managed to get my student loans out of default status now after a 10 month program. With that done I can now start paying back some of my other defaulted debts. I've got crap in collections I've had a few default court judgements against me. I am by no means free and clear but I'm taking car of it.
After not having a working vehicle since early 06, I got a used car last month, paid $1300 for a vehicle with a blue book price of $3000 it's been great so far. I moved from the tiny apartment I was in to a much nicer one. I debated using that extra money to pay the debt down faster but quality of life change is worth it. I'm happier.
I've lost 40 pounds since early December, still overweight (I'm 6 foot tall and 210 - 215 pounds) but I'm getting close.
I've never collected a dime of welfare, unemployment, food stamps any of that. But again I do still have crushing debt. I have health insurance again after not having anything since mid 05. Had I been able to keep the insurance or afford to pay the medical bills I wouldn't have been out of work as long as I was I don't think.
I'll be divorced here in just over a month, so my life isn't all good.
But I do realize that my efforts have been rewarded and that I am not the typical story in this economy. I've got a savings account started, I'm putting money away from retirement, I'm helping friends out when I can, and I'm paying down my debts. I'm back on my career path after a long detour. The hell hole that the economy is doesn't really matter because I've been below the poverty line since 05 anyway. Yeah I was playing WoW but that was paid for by other people.
I'm confident that no matter what happens I'll be able to deal with it and keep moving forward. I know I've not been as low as a man can get, but I've been pretty low. Unemployed, mentally ill, physically out of shape (5 minutes of exercise was painful), suffering from ED, told by my wife of over 11 years that she didn't love me anymore, and living under a mountain of debt with no means of transportation other than my own 2 feet. 10 months later I'm earning the highest salary in my life (still probably 70-100% less than I should be earning at this stage in my life but oh well) and am basically a normal person again. Just dealing with problems as they come in. If I can do that I can do whatever else I need to, #$%& hole economy or not. :)
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It's all just zeroes and ones and duct tape in the end.
It's all just zeroes and ones and duct tape in the end.