I just wanted to thank all of you for your assistance. Whether you know it or not, you helped me, and I will always be in your debt for this.
So, what on Earth am I thanking you for? After having been unemployed for over a year, I finally got a full-time job offer yesterday, and you Krazy Kommie Kossacks helped keep me sane during these insanely difficult times. If you have a moment, I would like to share my story with you, below the fold.
I lost my job in March of 2008 and have been unemployed ever since. I was rejected for unemployment based on a technicality and have been living on a meager budget since. I cashed in what little I had from a 401(k) literally days before the market tanked, and for the first time in my life, my dad sent me some money so I could pay the rent.
Needless to say this has been an incredibly difficult year. As many of you can relate to, I have been deeply depressed and feeling useless and hopeless. My life has been peppered with extreme highs and equally extreme lows, and I can say that this has been one of the worst experiences of my life.
Luckily, I've had family, friends and Daily Kos.
What did Daily Kos do for me? In addition to the many diaries here about people's woes and challenges, communities like this one sprang up to help people connect on a financial and personal level. Also, diaries like this one helped tremendously, again providing both practical advice and emotional support from people who have been there. In turn I did my best to help SoCal Kossacks although I am not sure how successful I was in helping others.
So we came together, not just a community of people looking to create a progressive America, but to help each other out with kind words, silent prayers and compassion. It is certainly easy to criticize this place; but as imperfect as it is, I am thrilled that it is here.
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In case you were curious, here's how I got this job: After sending countless resumes and customized cover letters, I grew depressed, saddened and frustrated. I felt "structurally irrelevant" as my former professor Manuel Castells elegantly put it; it was as if there was no hope on the horizon, that society had tossed me aside like a used paper towel. I was stuck in a vicious downward spiral, and I didn't know what to do. I cursed Bush, Wall Street greed mongers and wailed at the heavens more times than I can count. The concept of "work" had become a strange and foreign word to me, as if it is some sort of magical, out-of-reach concept that is only reserved for a few lucky souls. While I did my best to stay optimistic, I had to constantly chase away thoughts of depression, despair, hopelessness and, yes, the occassional consideration of suicide. Those were only fleeting thoughts however and I never took them too seriously; but still, they were there and they were real.
But then something changed. A couple of months ago, when things got increasingly desperate, for some unknown reason I snapped out of my depression and had this overwhelming urge to help other people. Right away I began volunteering at my Synagogue, the Wilshire Boulevard Temple, to distribute food to the poor, and I got involved with a couple of worthy non-profits. One non-profit is called The Tiziano Project, an organization dedicated to teaching citizen journalism to people in places like Iraq, Rwanda and Haiti. I am on the Board of Directors and am Chief Knowledge Officer for Tiziano and I have come to cherish my volunteer work there. Another one is Celebrate for a Cure, a festival taking place on March 29 in Santa Monica, CA to fund research to cure Leukemia and Lymphoma. (I am not bragging about these projects; I'm just letting you know about the many wonderful volunteer opportunities there are, and frankly am hoping to promote these amazing organizations which do critical work around the world and right here at home. If you want to get involved, let me know.) While running around and helping everyone else, I spent every spare moment hoping and praying that something would come through, and soon.
Then, from out of the blue, I got a call from a recruiter on January 31st. She saw my resume on Monster of all places, and she wanted to interview me for a Business Strategist position for a huge international company with the North American headquarters in Orange County. Taking such a job would require relocating from the Koreatown section of LA (which I like) to the mighty OC suburbs (which I don't prefer) but luxuries such as personal preferences really don't matter much when you're eating potatoes twice a day to stay full.
The first interview led to a second one, which led to a background check, which led to a job offer, just yesterday. The pay and benefits are pretty generous, especially considering the collapsing global economy and an unemployment rate of 10.1% in CA. My number one expense besides rent is student loans, which total about $750 per month, so I'll be living lean for a while, but I am hopeful that our new President will lead the charge to get America back on track.
I am also blessed to have an amazing girlfriend who has stood by me this entire time, never judging me and never giving up on me. As I said earlier, I also have an international network of friends and family who have been nothing but supportive of me.
And of course, I have had my progressive community. I've got you.
Anyway, sorry for this rambling and not-very-well-written diary. I am just so damned relieved I can't even begin to tell you. I even find myself crying at random times, falling on my knees and thanking God/Spirits/Energy/The Universe/Whatever might me out there through a thick veil of tears. It's all so surreal. And frankly, I have learned so much throughout this ordeal that, in the long-run, I think all of this suffering will pay major life-long dividends.
For all of you out there who are hurting, please know that you are not alone. I understand 100% how you feel, as do many other people. If you can't find a job, keep at it, get your resume on Job boards, network like crazy, and please don't give up no matter what. To paraphrase President Obama (it's still so cool to say that!!!) it is your patriotic duty to keep at it. Indeed, you owe it to your country to never, ever, ever quit.
Thanks for reading, and thanks again for being there for me.
Update: And you guys have just further proven your amazingness! After reading all these great compliments and congratulations I find myself crying all over again. I'm 6'3" and 210 lbs of a pathetic wuss!
Update II: Holy smokes, you guys put me on the rec list for the first time! Thanks so much... again! It's been an awesome week so far, and it's only Tuesday!! Wheeee!!!!
Update III: I woke up this morning to discover people are still making comments to this diary. I am overwhelmed by your reactions, and from the bottom of my heart I am humbled and honored by your comments here. I certainly did not expect to inspire so many people, but apparently I did. Thank you all so very much for sharing your wisdom, your successes and your suffering as well.
Now that the euphoria is slowly winding down, it's back to reality. I'm traveling to the OC this morning to do some serious apartment searching, and am having lunch with my wonderful girlfriend who works in Anaheim. Thank you all again so much for your continued support. You guys just proved the title of my diary.