Unemployment Chronicles, Day 96: A Good Week

On the job front, there were a few developments this week.  I applied for one of the jobs I wrote about in my last post.  Have not heard anything yet, but it's a good fit.  Also, I heard from Two Degrees, the recruiters I talked to first when I became unemployed and the ones I would really like to work with, and they have a couple of possibilities that could last for 6 months or more.  With the level of interest I am seeing, I feel much more confident that something will connect soon.  The pay wouldn't be anything like what I was making at Farmers, but I figure a) maybe I won't hate it quite so much and b) I'm starting something different, and I may have to accept less pay at first to get established.

I'm also getting more hits on my LinkedIn account than I was last month or the month before.  If I weren't reading all about how bad the economy is, I would swear it's getting better.



My outplacement services got extended until July 15.  Really, I hope that's enough.

On other fronts, Lucas got his SAT scores and scored 690 or higher on everything.  He should have no problem getting into a good school.  Also, Jackie passed a test to become certified in medical coding, first try.

Next week, Jackie and Lucas are headed to Ohio and then Oklahoma for four weeks total.  It's just me and Jarrod for four weeks, including a little trip to California for my niece Alison's wedding.  Life is good.

Unemployment Chronicles, Day 88: Life Goes On

Some interesting job opportunities have emerged lately, although nothing definitive.  The two best possibilities right now are a temporary position with an insurance company that is still in the works after several contacts with Robert Half, and a permanent position my friend John sent me this morning that looks like a great fit.  Nothing sure, but the temporary position is at least nearing a decision.

Meanwhile, we are not really changing our activities much now that our source of income is gone.  We have cut back a little, and we did cancel a planned cruise to the Mediterranean, but in some ways we are acting like nothing ever happened:

• We got a new dog.  The one on the right in the picture above is Jackson, who has been with us a few years now.  The one on the left is Emmitt, who became ours as of Tuesday morning.  Emmitt, like Jackson, is a male boxer, about 80 pounds, and he is about one year older.  He is very good-natured, and the dogs get along well -- just a little snapping at each other to set some boundaries, so far.  Emmitt became available because a couple in our neighborhood is getting divorced, and neither of them can keep the dog.  We figured Jackson deserves a companion.  The dogs already spend almost all of their time together.
• Jackie bought a pistol, for target shooting.  That's a great thing to buy when you're unemployed, right?  I suppose we could take up lives of crime if the job search doesn't pan out.
• Despite skipping the cruise, we have done a fair amount of travelling.  Jarrod and I have been to California once already and will go again this month (although my brother bought the plane tickets), Lucas and I went to Boston for an archery tournament last weekend, Jackie and Lucas will go to Ohio for another tournament this month and then to Oklahoma and Texas to visit relatives, and the boys will go to Oregon with the Boy Scouts in July.  Lucas visited MIT while we were in Massachusetts, will visit UT Austin in Texas, and hopes to visit Berkeley and Stanford before the summer is out.

Besides the two jobs I mentioned, I have begun to get more feelers from different sources lately.  It seems that I have made myself known in enough places to generate a decent amount of interest.  Jackie is also preparing to go back into the work force.  Somehow, it will work out.

Unemployment Chronicles, Day 78: I Did Not Expect This

I never really thought we would get to Day 78, at least not without a job.

I'll tell you a little secret:  I didn't totally plan out the way I left my job.  There was an element of spontaneity in the leaving.  So I can't really say that I had any expectations when I became unemployed.  I just did it.

That said, once I realized the predicament I was in, I expected to be working pretty quickly.  Not necessarily in a permanent job, but I figured someone would put me to work temporarily, at least.  Once before I left a job with no new one to go to, and I was working within four days.

First, I guess there might be something to all that stuff you read about the economy being lousy.  But I wonder if the bigger issue may be that I am on the high end of the price range for accountants, and there are only so many jobs in that range, so it takes longer to find something.

Anyway, there are some positive signs.  I have been contacted by three different recruiters regarding job possiblities in the last two weeks, although nothing has panned out yet.  Someone from Farmers is leaving to go to Boeing, and she said they are hiring, so I am watching their postings.  There are some jobs out there, just not so many for someone with my experience.

Meanwhile, I'm off to Boston tomorrow night for an archery tournament, avoiding iodine for another week, trying to keep my blood sugar under control (normal the last two mornings!), and trying to enjoy my forced vacation.

Unemployment Chronicles, Day 76: Diabetes

Well, this is not what I would have wanted.

I went to the doctor last week for a regular checkup, while I still know where my insurance is coming from.  He called me back next day -- never a good sign --  and said I had diabetes.

I have had one test before that indicated I might have diabetes, but it turned out I didn't; unfortuntely, this time it seems I do.  My blood sugar was over 300 (80 - 110 is normal), and subsequent testing has confirmed that it's very high.

I have seen what diabetes does to people, especially my mother.  In her case, she had trouble walking for years, and eventually it affected her mind and then killed her.  Not pretty.  Diabetes can also lead to blindness, amputations -- it's just not a good way to go, a disease that causes your body to slowly go to pieces on you.

I am already taking insulin, both pills and shots, and monitoring my blood sugar.  My first three readings were, 285, 215, and 235, the last three days.  I am self-adjusting my insulin dosage, per my doctor's orders, and this morning I was down to 133, so there's a little victory.

There is plenty of bad news there, so I'll point out a few pieces of good news:

• It's somewhat reassuring to know that something is wrong and that I can monitor it, rather than wondering if something is wrong when I don't feel right.  Sometimes, I haven't felt right.
• Finally, prompted by a note from my sister, I spent 85 cents and got non-iodized salt.
• Diabetes is forcing me to eat better, which was long overdue.
• The low-iodine thing will be over June 15.
• The doctor says that if I can lose a lot of weight, it can have a significant effect on my diabietes.  Losing weight is not easy, but I have to eat a lot vegetables now anyway, because that's what diabetics are supposed to do, so I should lose weight.
• Oatmeal isn't too bad, especially with berries in it.
• My weight is already down a few pounds.

Off to the doctor to have a suspicious mole removed and biopsied.  Oh come on, this can't be.  Can it?