Lay Off

Unemloyment and lay offs. Not exactly news, however today it reached an all-time high 7.2%. Scary. Since September the economy has really sunk into the toilet. I have been laid off 3 times in my life. The first time everyone tells me I can't count as I was only 20 years old and it was my first real job. I beg to differ. I totally count it. Yes, I was young, yes it was my first job, but I was still sans job.

More recently I have been laid off 2 times in the last 2 years. July 2006 and March 2008. Lovely. The first time I was able to rebound incredibly quickly thanks to my brother. This last time, I was sans job for 6 months. 6 months! Trying to sell my house and get a job anywhere at the same time. Serioulsy one of the worst times of my life.

I have now relocated to new city with new job. However, thanks to the state of affairs, new company just went through a lay off right before the holidays - yes, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you. We heard we would take it quarter by quarter. Well, I guess the first quarter is turning out worse than the company thought as the next round is supposedly going to take place the first week of February and it will affect even more people than initially thought.

So, here I sit again...with the monkey on my back. Constantly looking over my shoulder worrying as to whether or not I will still be here after the first week in February. And then if I make it through that...will there be yet another round?

I know no job is "safe" any more these days and our states operate under "at will" employment rules so I could be canned just because they don't like the shoes I'm wearing that day (bad example, because my shoes rock). But seriously, I am so tired. I am so tired of constantly looking for a job. I just want a job. I want to do my job and get paid for it.

The signs don't look too good for me and my role to stick around - and thus far I'm batting 1,000. So I've started the process yet again of updating my resume and getting out on the job boards to see if anything is out there. There wasn't much this time of year last year and now it's even worse.

I'm not sure if I can handle it again emotionally. I'm so tempted to sell / get rid of all my belongings and move me and the cats to a deserted island somewhere. Care to join me?