plants

The long slow walk to

weeds needing uprooting but I cant wait

for plants to grow strong

Compliments

The confident say thank you

those who refuse to own the responsibility

of living largely look away

Almost there

Am I safe for now

of letting go falling falling its over

just a tour bus sight?

Sevenling At the gospel gathering

At the gospel gathering

of women with skinned hair,

scrubbed faces, and guarded eyes.

The prodigal felt

Gods weighted stare,

fisted right hand,

and strangling arms

A skirt would have done miracles

Sevenling The effective resume

The effective resume includes

a summary,

dates worked,

and education achieved.

But what they don't want

are gaps,

inconsistencies,

and no alibis

As if you've murdered time.

Unemployment benefits - RIP

Well, its official. My unemployment benefits have expired. RIP - I'll miss your weekly visits. In its place, I have the opportunity to see what I can do without - to reduce monthly bills further, to sell whatever I can, and to harass temp agencies as much as possible.

I am now earning less than when I was working at K-Mart while a junior in high school. People are beginning to give us food and to make hints about ditch digging as a possible employment move (sorry - they won't hire me - I'm overqualified).

Time to call 211 and see what my options are. Maybe it will be the first time I've had to use Food stamps.

Long ago

Long ago store bought clothes

brought a slow Saturday stroll

to Main Street

Bullying vs Job Creation

Lately, the Obamas have been speaking out against bullying in an effort to connect with the common people. This seems to make sense, strategically, as they have children that could be susceptible to bullying tactics themselves and in this way would connect with other families across the nation. I think its an important subject to address; however, many states and communities have already initiated or have established anti-bullying campaigns and programs. Is it necessary that the President set aside an entire day to address this issue?

I haven't heard much in the way of job creation or addressing corporations who seem to enjoy reminding the unemployed of how much they are not needed or why companies with bloated cash reserves don't find it important to give raises to current employees.

Where should your resources be spent - on anti-bullying education and tactics or on job creation?

The sign

A large black arrow points

the way there

I start with nothing to carry

Last checks

Just a few unemployment checks left and then I'll need to start working through my assets - checking, savings, 401k. Go that way the sign says and I trust that it will lead me somewhere safe or beneficial, but who posted the sign and with what intent? Will it lead to a cliff's edge or to an Eden? Can I tuck somewhere within myself a pair of wings, or should it be a hoe and a gathering basket? I'm depending on You, the Grand One, to give me the supplies that I need to arrive somewhere safely - my loved ones with me.

Steady work

The only steady work that I'm guarenteed these days is harvesting crops on Farmville, and my once a week volunteer stint at Foodshare. Both of these are related to food - hmmm perhaps I should take a look at possibilities in the agricultural industry.

Long Term Unemployed being ignored

I saw a rather startling cartoon the other day. A man was speaking from a window set high in an office building to a group of people gathered below. The group was labeled "Unemployed" and the building was labeled "economy". His comment was "Don't take this the wrong way but we've made it without you." Or something like that.

And it seems like the world has moved on without me. At least the world of work. And that is the challenge - to convince someone, somewhere, that you have value and skills to offer that will improve the position of that company - to keep from disappearing from the radar screen of employers.

I don't have the luxury of retiring - I'm 44 years old. I need to find work somewhere to keep paying for the house, to help my kids through college, to build my own path, dollar by dollar towards retirement.

Why are the long term unemployed being ignored? Why isn't this being addressed? Why would we want a group of people, numbering in the thousands, even millions, to become poor? What could possible be gained from this?

Are you listening? Can you shut your televisions, I pads, Blackberries, cell phones off for just one minute and notice your neighbors around you?

Scam e mails and being unemployed

One of the effects of being unemployed that I could not have predicted is the proliferation of e-mail scams that I've received. Well meaning thieves have invited me to accept their generous largess of 2 or 3 million dollars post haste if I would only send them my account information. Others have kindly offered this down trodden unemployed early middle aged white male a generously renumerated position of "courier" or fund transferer if only I would open my heart and accounts to these unprecedented opportunities. I was amazed too that these gifted persons were able to deduce this hitherto unforeseen talent by simply viewing my resume or CV.

At first, I'd simply ignore these missives by correctly ascertaining their intent to part me from my rapidly dwindling resources without so much as a thank you fruit basket sent to my door. Then, I decided that I'd reply to some of these e-mails with a desire to improve their creative efforts. My first suggestion was to consider changing the names of my generous correspondents from "Mr. Goodluck" to something a bit more mysterious, yet encouraging trust such as Mr. Largesswithabigheartthatlovesamericanbaseball. These requests have been, so far, ignored, or at best, I'm sent the same missive as before.

I then decided to take a courageous tack and bring to their attention the uncharitable attention that others have brought to bear on receiving missives themselves. Namely, that their attempts to contact us were scams.

This brought a change. I just received correspondance this morning from a Mr. James Schoenberg who has acknowledged my concerns and as a result has arranged a special delivery with Fed Ex which will contain a cheque for 2.3 million. The lading paperwork will, (how deducedly clever old chap}, describe the contents as "scientific equipment" so as to not arouse the suspicion of would be thieves.

It will take some time to create a reply to such a worthy effort to load such unforeseen benefits upon me. I will post, next time, both the correspondance from Mr. James Schoenberg (the old fruit has attempted to forge intimate relations with me by referring to me as "My dear") and my response.

the phoenix

Losing precious things

gaps for phoenix to rise

his piercing gaze

Talk

Talk never ceases

warding off the encroaching night

that wounds hope

Phone interviews

Today I had a phone interview and learned a few things.

Great - you can have notes in front of you.

Though its primarily a screening tool for HR professionals to see who they want to interview in person, you will still be asked that open-ended question - Tell me about yourself.

Have a glass of water nearby - you can end up talking quite a bit

Keep your resume nearby

Speak slowly

Say thank you at the end of the interview

The Flag

The American Flag

a perennial flower boldly waving

rooted in hearts

Winter Psalm

Between the winter drooped pines

a squirrel frolics

creating his own sweet sun

A New Year

2011. Will anyone read my posts this year? Who knows?

Clean slate goes the cliche. But we really build on our past in some ways. Skills learned added to new experiences and new skills. Lessons learned from failures - this is one I have to carry with me. So, what did you learn?

Don't try to stuff a square into a round hole. Don't try to be something you aren't. Spend more time discovering what your true talents are and serve the world with these strengths. But when the bills are demanding payment, I'll take anything. Employers are getting pretty smart though - it seems - they are looking for true talent, I guess.

Be honest. It avoids alot of problems in the long run.

I think employers are discriminating against the long term unemployed. I think they look at their resumes and just chuck them. I've heard it said that they are going to hire, probably 90% of the time, people who are already employed but dissatisfied with their current jobs. I've also been told, though, that HR people at hiring companies will consider the long-term unemployed as long as the resumes indicate that people have been doing something while they have been unemployed.

Any resolutions for 2011?

Volunteer more. It allows me to "pay back" to the community for the unemployment help that I've been getting. I'm also connecting with people.

Stay current in my field - I'm doing that by working on by CEBS designation.

Well, these are a couple, subject to change, without notice.

Happy New Year.