For newbies, TTFN means "Tata For Now" (which is a temporary thing) GBCW is the more extreme "Goodbye Cruel World" (which is forever). In French, the equivalent of TTFN is "au revoir" – in English we say "I’ll see you later" – and GBCW in French is a final "adieu" (a short form of "I commend you to God, or the English word "goodbye," which means "God be with you" – sort of like saying, "I’ll see you someday in heaven after we both die."). I don’t know a lot of Spanish, but I think the equivalents are "hasta la vista" (see you later) versus "adios" (to God).
I love Daily Kos and the people here, but I’ve fallen on hard times. I’ll explain under the fold.
My Money Ran Out
I’m a 99er whose unemployment benefits have expired. I’m also 54 years old (apparently an awkward age for employers). I lost my job in October 2008. The company I worked for went out of business, partly because the economy was tanking and partly because the people in charge made some costly and ultimately idiotic decisions. Some of it was just bad luck (losing a big contract). But I had some money and I signed up for unemployment insurance. And I was optimistic that someone would hire me. I’m a smart person. I can get a job, right? Wrong.
Last year I was lucky enough to get a temporary job as a U.S. Census enumerator, about which I wrote a DKos diary (here). I had about six weeks of well-paid work, then the job ended, which we all knew would happen. About a month later, I was called back for Vacant/Delete Checks because my supervisor said I was a good census worker and recommended me. So I got about another four weeks or so of work.
Then in November, my unemployment insurance ran out. The manager of my apartment building was fairly decent and understanding when I couldn’t pay December rent, but he has to answer to the owner of the building (who’s kind of an asshole). So I got the letter from my landlord’s lawyer two days before Christmas. I checked with a pro bono lawyer, who said that if I did nothing I’d get an eviction notice within a week or so. Or I could respond and then they’d have to schedule a hearing before a judge (which could add a week or two). That stretched the timeline a bit.
So I’m moving in with my brother. I’m moving from Seattle to Fargo/Moorhead (a few months ahead of the possible spring flood). I’m taking Amtrak on Wednesday. And I have to cancel my cable internet connection in the next day or two. That's the end. Tata For Now.
Good news: I won’t be homeless.
Bad news: My brother’s a bit of a control freak. I’ll have to go outside to smoke cigarettes (which I suppose is fine). And he’s said I can’t smoke marijuana or drink liquor (also fine, because I haven’t smoked pot since I was in college 30+ years ago and I hardly ever drink liquor). He’s OK with beer for some reason. I don’t know if he’ll make me go to church.
Good news: I’m moving away from WA (unemployment rate of about 9%) to ND/MN (state unemployment rates of about 3% and 6%). So maybe it’s a supply and demand kind of thing. Maybe there really are jobs to be had in my new location.
Bad news: I won’t have a car. Google Maps tells me I’ll have to walk a mile on a state highway to the Walmart to catch a bus.
More bad news: My brother doesn’t have an internet connection in his place and doesn’t seem inclined to get one. So I don’t know how I’ll apply for jobs. Walk a mile on the snow-plowed highway, catch a bus, and use the internet connection at the library, maybe.
Question: Are there any people on Daily Kos who live in Fargo or Moorhead who know of a job possibility for a smart person? Here are my job skills: Accounting dept. at a graphic supply company, Promotions/Advertising/Direct Mail manager at a publishing company, Editor/columnist at a computer magazine, Technical Writer at Microsoft (writing manuals about how to write programs in C), Stand-Up Comic, Bookstore manager (retail and budgeting skills!), all-around nice guy blogger who has never been hide-rated on Dkos. If you live in the area, do any job possibilities spring to mind?
So I might not have an internet connection for a while
I probably won't be posting much. And I'll lose my trusted user status (which doesn't seem very important to me now). In the meantime, you can read two of my favorite postings:
1/26/10 A History of The English Language My favorite diary by me. If I do say so myself.
9/12/10 Sunday Morning Jukebox: New Orleans Pianists
Also, I kind of like these:
5/8/10 Thorstein Veblen’s Radical Ideas Meteor Blades gave me a thumbs up on this diary.
4/11/10 Famous Daughters of Famous Politicians Stephanie Miller sent me an email saying she liked it.
12/31/09 Leprechauns Are Poisoning Our Water Supply! Possibly my best snark.
Tata. For now. Wish me well.
Update: I made the rec list? Cool. Thanks. And thanks to everyone for the good wishes. I will survive.