laid off sept 08 from 20 yr stint in aviation. literally no work in this area in my profession so instead of an entry level job in retailing i decided to make my own way and opened go devil garage doing what i enjoy. probably would have been better off slinging hash financially, but if it doesnt work i can say i tried....if ya want things to improve stop buying hyundi's's and chineese goods is what i think
I am going to look into restarting my life of crime...until then, contract work (when I can find it), brake jobs etc..., craigslist, and ebay
add me to the list as of the end of august 2009. i'm making it work for me; tying up lots of loose ends, working on my garage workspace, scrounging free stuff, and taking advantage of an old Trade Adjustment Act grant that back about 11 years ago i crossed my t's and dotted my i's for, but never did do anything with. now i'm heading back to tech school after 24 years to become a CNC technician, then i will apply for a Wisconsin state apprenticeship grant to become a tool & die maker.
Finally I'm trying my own thing this weekend- drawing Portraits/ Caricatures at a street market. As you cats can see in my profile albums I like to draw cars- but I hope to see money in 10- 15 dollar sketches of folks. I havent done many so I hope it's gonna work. I Have hardly worked since February so I've lost a lot of time & money. With losing my last job I also lost patience with neglecting my gift - seems all I've ever done is do work to which I'm not suited.
I've survived without a j-o-b since 1979. I should have had one many times but I believe in never giving up on your entrepreneurial dream. Mikey did it www.mikeyspinstriping.com "does bad things to good cars"
I couldn't agree with you more. If everybody had your attitude the recession would indeed be over right now. The majority of the GNP in the US is from consumer spending. Let's not forget that 90% of those people still have an income, they are just not spending it due to such low consumer confidence. As with most things in life, attitude is everything. Our house is getting some work done to it right now also.
Hey- I have been out for 17 months and I replaced my roof last june and I we had our daughter's wedding reception in July and last October a new fridge and dishwasher, last December a new washer and dryer, and freshed up a bathroom in March. Good bye 401K. So I guess I did my part.
My buddy went on a bender a few years ago, lost everything, snorted up his 401k and the house. He's in an apartment now and is glad if everyone lost their 401k's and homes to foreclosure, at least he got to spend it and not have it just "disappear" like everyone elses. Hahaha, he's doing much better now.
Can't say that I agree with his philosopy... snorting up your 401k isn't the brightest idea that I've heard. My wife is in a similar predicament. She has 20+ years of experience in contracts, admin, accounting type of stuff, etc. but no degree. Everywhere that she has applied for work in her field, they have 20 other people out in the lobby with degrees and/or more experience, OR they are hiring the kids straight out of college that they can pay half what my wife makes... After a year and a half of looking for work in her field, she has begun applying at Home Depot, Sam's Club, etc. for Christmas and has been getting beat out by pimple faced kids or really desperate people with bachelors degrees who are THAT desperate. I've been pretty blessed and have not been out of a job for very long at any given time, BUT I have been willing to work odd jobs (mechanic in a bowling alley, doing odd jobs for friends, etc. while I was going to school) and even switching careers completely (went from being a mechanical designer to owning my own restoration parts business, to managing a friend's repair shop, and then back to being a mechanical designer...). You have to be willing to look in odd places for opportunities. I feel bad for those folks who live in Smalltown USA and the ONE business that EVERYONE in the town works at goes out of business because a Chinese company makes the same product for half the price... Think about it the next time that you buy something from Wal Mart!!! They SAY that things are looking up, but... I'll believe it when I see it!!! Until then, I'm selling off some of the collectible stuff that I swore that I'd never sell... BUT am also looking for the deals that the other people are unloading for cheap too! Pick up your local Trading Post and buy a car or truck to "fluff & buff" for a quick couple of bucks???
I agree with Denise's way of thinking. If you are working, spend your money where you know it will help someone out. I was laid off in January and survived on unemployment and a couple of small engineering projects I did for friends. I was able to land a temporary engineering position for a few months that paid the bills. I was fortunate to find an engineering job with the University of Arizona's Large Binocular Telescope. For me its a dream job. Less money than the old job and we had to move from Phoenix to Tucson, but it was worth the effort. In the new house we need some electrical changes. So my electrical engineer friend in Mesa is getting fee to do the drawings for the permit and the contractor friend from across the street in Mesa, is going to get the work to install the new circuits. Since I had to move the F1 truck project to Tucson, I first took it to Elpolacko at Industrial Chassis. I had him put in his Dakota Front Crossmember and add a center crossmember. He also straightened my "pristine" frame. Steve got some paid work and I got a place to keep the frame and truck cab until we closed on the house and had a place to put the big project pieces. Come on guys, think of ways you can help out your out-of-work family and friends!
The Federal government is growing, try them. The VA is getting more money from Congress and they are fixing up/making changes to the hospitals. You contracting folks should try them because VA uses their own staff to oversee the contractors doing the work. They need people with contracting experience. Look up which contractors are getting the jobs at the VA hospitals and go to them for work. If you work on cars try the General Services Administration. They run the government buildings and motor pools. Find out which shops have the GSA contracts for vehicle repair and maintenance. Its like the cops say: follow the money!
Half of what your wife MADE is better than nothing at all isn't it?? Also, you certainly can't blame a company for wanting the best person for the job and if that person has a bachelors degree but is willing to sweep the floors, I'd certainly hire that person over one who thinks they are too good for any job. Sometimes one just has to start back at the bottom and work your way back up the ladder. We have a couple of job openings here in Livonia, Michigan, one is right up your wife's alley, it's in the fiance department, but I'm sure she doesn't want to move here. If anyone else is looking for a finance job or inside sales job let me know, we are hiring because we are growing the cable business.
My wife just called me and said that she is going on 32 hours until further notice starting next week. And me on extended UC. MM MM MM
been unemployed for 8 months. next week it runs out so i will try to get a extension hope i get one i've never had to do this before. i'm talken to a guy in the chigao area about selling one of my 1950 buick's i've had that one 8 years. i dont realy want to but could use the cash. and i hope i wont have to sell the one on the left in the photo next year. at lease n.a.s.a. has a new rocket that cost us ONLY $448.000.000.00 EACH and they want to have 10 of them. just so they can go back to the fricken moon i guess i worry about diffrent things that really mater. pissed at the gov. spendeng 1lowbuick keep on trucken
That sucks about the Buick, and I agree that government spending is out of control.... but I disagree about the NASA thing. That is one of the few areas of gov spending that actually creates jobs in the private sector. Nasa isn't going to build those rockets, they're going to contract it out to a private firm (probably American) to have them built. This in turn will create and/or preserve jobs in those companies. This seems to be a hell of alot more effective than shoveling money into insolvent banks. Then again I'm biased, I grew up 5 miles from Nasa.
I know the feeling, I lost my job in January and put in 12-15 apps a week, there is always someone better for the job it seems. My Dad got laid off last year and found a job after 3 weeks, worked there for 8 months and got laid off again in April. He's 58 years old and is kinda set in his ways but he's willing to do whatever it takes to get back to work. He's turned down a couple of jobs but that's only because they were offering less than what he is making on unemployment. At least I'm still serving beer at the local watering hole! LOL!
the economy sucks, been raking pine straw and pine cones, trying to not lose the daily driver and my temp unemployment runs out next week. there aint, well you know what, here. I've looked.
Well said form a gainfully employed person! in case no one told you once you are over 50 your chances of getting hired are cut in half, ad to that you are just out of school with no experience and applying for a job with people that are half your age, who do you think they are going to hire? i did not work since i was 15 learning a trade and going through many changes in the industry to go backwards and start all over again. everyone that has a job has all this terrific advice that would have worker years ago, but it is a whole different world out their now! if the dictator comment is political then so are a lot of of the other comments! i just hope everyone that is employed stays that way other wise you are in for a rude awaking.
I was unemployed for a couple of months this summer, kinda stunk because I had a lot of projects... and no money. I got called back to work. Sounds great but there is still not much work, I work in a body shop as a flat rate painter this week there was about 60 hrs. scheduled for 5 of us, body men included. Flat rate= no hrs. no pay! I'm starting to do work at home again. Anything to feed the family.
October 12 2007, I was involved in a serious car accident. I was hit broadside by a dump truck. I spent 4 months in the hospital. But after 3 operations the Doctor had to remove my left leg ubove the knee. I also lost most of the use of my left arm and hand. The School Board forced retirement on me. I do receive a disablity pension, its less than unemployment insurance. UI tells me that I must use the disabilty to the end before I can clollect UI. $435.80 biweekly, that will get the job done. I have a pending lawsuit against the Construction company. My Lawyer say's that it could be settled in another 3 years. My wife (God Bless Her) has a very good job, and we have some investments, but I still worry. I dont seem to have any problems spending money. Since i've gotten this peg leg, Dawn (wife) makes me get up in the morning, go to the shop and work on my old ford to the best of my abilty. If it wasnt for her and my friends, I could'nt servive this, Two of my best Buddies are at the shop helping every chance the get. Ture friends. I know I can never teach again or do too much on my own. So I enjoy the time I spend with family, friends, and my old Fords. I am a FNG, but I do enjoy H.A.M.B.
You're a strong man for the circumstances. If I could, I'd shake your hand. It's stories like yours that keep me from whining on those occasions when I think things couldn't be worse. Thanks.
After 20+ years, I lost my job due to job elimination March 31st this year. I keep trying everyday to find a decent paying job, but here in retirementville Florida, nothing. Our County unemployment is nearing 20% now...... and still growing. I have a job offer in Texas, pays 40% less than I did make, but cannot afford to take a loss on my home here, nor could I afford to buy a home there. My wife's job has been cut to 3 days a week since January.... but we are in love, and we have made it through some extremely difficult times in our lives recently, so I keep a positive attitude and a smile on my face, and we live like we did as teenagers, happy and nearly broke.
If anyone can play an instrument and needs a job in the Cleveland area, I manage a music store and need some people. pm me.
Thank you to all. And Good luck in your search. I've been told that "it's always darkest before the dawn" I think things will recover....When?....Who knows. Stay strong and move forward. My wife is the strong one. I have some Head problems. Not from the accident, because of it.
been laid off here since may 09. got the call the night we brought my first daughter home from the hospital. mine operators dont like it when you take days off for any reason. I was driving over an hour to work. hadnt been there for more than 90 days so they could let me go for any reason. not a thing i could do when our local mine shut down at the first of the year it really put a hurt on us. i had been there for close to 5 years. we bled for that place. even when things got bad we down played it to try to keep the place afloat. but excessive roof falls and face ignitions are hard to explain to inspectors i can do fabrication work and welding but its hard to find local work to make the same money as i did in the coal mines. i left fab work for the mines 5 years ago. now im stuck in the coal, its the only way to make the money we need to maintain our lifestyle. which really isnt that extravagant. been calling in favors trading labor and diggin thru ye olde parts barn to keep Norma Jean going and to finnish the impala. just hold on guys and gals, dont let it get you down. use the time wisely, enjoy your family, work on your rods and .. oh yeah look for work!
Laid off since June 09 and going to school to drive a semi if I can hang on till I get through the school. Up till now have never been behind on any bill EVER! But ladies and gentlemen its like this, we have a upper hand on everyone else out there. We can come together and discuss, look, bitch, and swoon over a hobby that brings us all so much joy. I thank God for giving me this passion. Without it I don't think I would want to go on. Without a burning love for our craft lots of people including me would not have a reason to keep going. Whether your inspiration is a child, family, Religion, or four wheels with an engine everyone needs that something to keep it all together for them. Whatever yours is...hold it close and never let it get away!
I am an electrician and lost my job about 2 moths ago. I am just doing odd jobs here and there to make ends meet until I can find something more perminent.
The Jalopy Journal
