It has been about five months since my layoff and bills are becoming increasingly difficult to pay. No one wants to hire me. I’m really trying to break away from the public health non-profit sector but my resume has an accumulated 10 years worth of that kind of experience. Not to mention the fact that I don’t have a college education. College is also something I really want to do but I have always had to negotiate between a roof over my head and a framed document on my wall. It has been ruff but little by little I know I’ll get there. It doesn’t matter how long it takes. I also think that the conservative corporate world is not too wild about my last ten years of service provision and would rather not see the words AIDS, sexual minority, health, people of color, or CDC on my resume. And I thought that a public health job focusing on preventing the spread of infectious diseases and drug use was important. Guess Not. I’m stuck in a non-profit bubble and it’s definitely not my calling. I’m putting out about 3-4 resume (plus cover letters) a week during my new 32 hour shit-money work week aint easy. Then again, going from an administrative salary position in the mid 50’s to layoff aint either. Someone really needs to reevaluate the unemployment insurance program because it is not even close to enough.
I woke up today and called the cable company. I explained that I wouldn’t need their services anymore. AAARGH! I know I’m going to miss the Discovery Channel, the Food & Cartoon Network (Adult Spin), HGTV, and all the music channels, etc. etc. I figured fuck it. It’s just another expense and I’m hardly home to watch the $80 a month service. There is always Netflix. Right? I just know that I have got to really cut my expenses. I’m in store for so major expense budgeting.
I started busing tables today to help make ends almost meet. Its one of the toughest jobs I have ever done. I was on my feet for 11.5 hours running up and down stairs with everything and anything that weighted over 20lbs. There was a customer who was pretty snotty throughout her entire stay. She didn’t seem to care much for me refilling her glass of water which was constantly half full. She was probably a glass-is-half-full kind of person. I walked in on her taking a bump of cocaine, with a door key, in the bathroom. I know she was embarrassed and I felt it was karmic payback. She ran out of their as if she were on skates, to go spend daddy’s money somewhere else. I know she was just bitter about the bad nose job and quarter pure mix of garbage going up her airway.
People tend to be really indifferent, hardly acknowledging you or taking the time to smile or say thank you. On top of that they pay shit tips. No thanks, to the pizza ovens and running around, I sweated the entire day I must have burned a gazillion calories. Meanwhile all I wanted to do was consume a few because I kept passing all these delicious plates of food around while my stomach was singing a hunger concerto.
I also got burned, rained on, got glass splinters from broken glasses, and itched from the heat the whole day, got two blisters on my feet, fucked my back up, and got soaked with rain at the end of the night when I left the restaurant. Wet and cold I reflected on that long day while on the train back home. I doze in an out of consciousness waking up every now and then to a muscle spasm on my legs. Sunday, I have a 16.5 hour workday in store me. I don’t know how the heck I am going to do it. It’s a hard job at 3 bucks per hour (including scarce tips) but all is know is that rent is right around the corner and “I have got to do”, “what I have got to do.”
Aloha Mister,
I'm sorry that times are tough for you right now, just remember good things come to those who wait. Like I have told you many times, you are a warrior, don't ever give up. I'm sorry that i am not there right now to help you out somehow, but I am always here to listen. Love ya to death.
`Ale mai ke aloha kau i ka maka
p.s.-that would be hard to go without cable, I don't know what I would do without my Family Guy re-runs!
Oh NO!!! I forgot all about my Family Guy, South Park and Airbender the Last Avatar cartoons!!!!!!
I read this entry and I definitely sympathize and definitely know where you're coming from. I am at point like that as well. Working at a job and working on a career is entirely two different animals and trying to find that true job that you'd be happy and good at, I think is the biggest goal all of us try to achieve. With that in mind, I wish you good luck in your searches. But to help you out for the time being - I have a friend of mine who works for Custom Staffing (212) 818-0300. It's a temp agency. He works as a trainer off and on. He trains out of work people, or people who have jobs training/refresher courses in desktop publishing/MS Office type of stuff. It's a decent gig and I hear pays well. You should check it out. And don't worry about the Family Guy, you can borrow my DVDs anytime you'd like until the cable comes back on. =P
Thank you Dre.
Don't mention it. I'm happy to help. And get better too. You won't get a better job vomitting on interviewers. =P
Hey Yusef, I read ur entry and might be able to help. I work for an investment bank in the media department. No experience required and it'll get the bills paid.
If ur interested, lemme know.
Non e vero!!!! Tu e pazzo, no?
Si e vero, adiamo.
Coño asere! despues de chatear contigo hoy i thought i should check out q tienes pa contar esta semana. No tenia ninguna idea de toda esa vaina con q bregas. $3/hour is rough, especially in the Rotten Apple. This got me wannna listen to Welfare Poets, "Jobs! Not Jails!" okay now! Unfortunately most everyone i knew in nyc how might have been able to help has moved down to where its hotter. Bueno, asere mi consejo pa ti es sigue luchando, bregando and you know you get it. (whatever it may be)
thanx for swinging by bro.
OYE...I KNOW HOW IT IS...I RECENTLY LOSSED MY CAR BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES.....IVE HAD 2 GO WITH OUT MANY TIMES....AHORA THINGS ARE BETTER............IF YOU NEED ANYTHING.....AND ITS WITHIN MY MEANS.........IM HERE 4 YOU. I WOULD RATHER EAT CANNED FOOD SO U COULD EAT SOMETHING THAT WOULD FILL YOUR BELLY........I DONT MIND........JUST LET ME KNOW.......STAY SAFE...AND STAY IN TOUCH........
Better idea Cheito,
Why dont you organize a can drive in Detroit ( We'll call it the SURF or Save yUsef Reliefe Fund ) then will resell them on e-bay. I'll start a site called CheapCans.com and the rest is Forbes & Fortune 500 history. lol
QUE CHUCHI!