The Unemployed

The rapid spread of unemployment shocked me. This is worth watching:



I remember arguing with people back in the 1990's when I was convinced the jobs being shipped overseas would one day cause social havoc. If you take away a person's means to make a living - especially a decent living with healthcare benefits - society will pay the price. This visual doesn't represent the underemployed, or the part-time employees. What would that look like?

The Power of Roots

For those of you who follow my blog, you know that after living my entire life in one place, the miraculous finally happened and I convinced my husband to move from the home he had known for 25 years (and the company he had worked for 23 years) and take a chance elsewhere. He was offered a job in the city that I had always wanted to live - Portland, Oregon. Our children followed, and continued their education at the universities in Oregon. My daughter married a native Oregonian and gave birth to another native Oregonian.

 I was happy, but I never really felt a part of that wonderful city. I thought it would just take time. After all, I needed to learn new friend-making skills as I had always lived near the ones that I had known for most of my life. Not much effort needed there. (They were always visiting, so the need to expand my horizons didn't seem urgent.) But before that could happen another opportunity came our way. It was timed in such a way that the decision to leave our children and move to the Twin Cities seemed appropriate at the time.

That too was short-lived. My husband's company merged with another and we chose not to move to the small Midwestern town that was to be their new headquarters. Luckily, we sold our home in Prior Lake, Minnesota and moved to our small vacation home in Lake Tahoe. We have remained here during the economic tsunami that has threatened to drown our country and much of the world. Grateful to have a home when so many have lost theirs.

Now he has accepted a new job offer. Where, you ask?

Well none of the places that have come calling over the last couple of years. Not Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, Washington, Hawaii, Oklahoma, or Boston.

No, the job offer that was offered and accepted is in ..... Reno, Nevada. Yep, full circle in just six years. It looks like I will be just 22 miles from our home here at Lake Tahoe, and back in the city where I was born. Weird, huh?

Nevada is drawing new companies due to favorable business taxes, and the lack of a state income tax. It is thought that it will be new companies that will drive the most growth in the near future, especially when it comes to employment opportunities. After all, we know big companies are not worried about keeping their employees any longer. That ship has sailed.

So we will be moving once again. I guess it's time to go home. Those deep, mysterious, roots that started in the 1800's with my great great grandparents have claimed their prodigal daughter.
At least for now.

Gearing Up

http://www.terragalleria.com/index.html

I can feel personal change in the air. My husband is antsy. He wants to get up and get moving in the morning. Usually to hike, run, bike, or run errands. A sure sign he wants to go back to work. I, on the other hand, kind of like him home to be my buddy. We have never had such a long stint at not having our whole world revolve around his job. Now I get to call the shots on things involving time that I never used to have as much input. When he works, he works really hard, and any time off needs to revolve around what he would like to do with it. It is usually only two days a week, so I have always had everything done by the weekend, on my part at least, so that time is his to choose. This has evolved over almost 29 years of marriage. Entrenched, you might say.

Now he makes my breakfast and we decide whether to go to the movies, hike, read, do the housework together, (gasp!). I don't think that has happened since we were first married and lived in a tiny apartment. We both had jobs that paid about the same, at the same company. I left to care for babies, and over the years his job changed from a nine to five to one that was at least twelve hours a day. And now I can tell he is anxious to get back. He's rested. He's been off over a year and now he's bored. He's read a mountain of books and housework is just not cutting it, I guess.

Like so many people who have outstanding resumes in this economy, the job search has been ongoing but not fruitful. We have been really lucky, moving to what once was a vacation home. Others have lost their homes, and their lives. While we have been secure, the insecurity in this country has affected us all. We look at things differently. We are aware that some people may never find work, in their field, again. That life's meaning needs to come from elsewhere in our lives. And this lesson we have learned: Don't love a job - it will not love you back. This was something my husband's first boss told him thirty years ago, and he has found those words of wisdom to be pearls. A job is a place you go to earn money to live. It deserves your undivided attention while you're there, but it doesn't deserve to rule your world. It doesn't deserve to define you. You are so much more than a job - any job, even one that rocks your boat. Remember to feed the other parts of your life. They are just as important as what you do to earn a living and will still be there for you if something happens to your business or job title.

So we wait on two possibilities. We may be able to stay here, or we move far away to a state I have never even visited. Or maybe they both fall through. That's the reality of life in America. No guarantees.

Getting Ready

We are gearing up for all-out remodel misery. So the contract came today, and not what we had agreed to regarding the payment schedule, not to mention back stepping from our "done by Christmas" target. That is a full two months, but he says it also includes "the holidays". But I say it only includes one holiday - Thanksgiving - and I need him to be DONE by the next holiday, which is Christmas. I told him I have my family coming for Christmas, including my grandson who spends most of his time on the floor.  (Hopefully this is true.) He was saying maybe they could have the kitchen done for cooking, but some of the "touch-ups" not completed.  (Like carpet & flooring?) That sounds to me like waffling - big time - on our two month agreement. And just when I was really starting to like him...

This weekend we will attend a funeral for my uncle, and then pick up our covered trailer (stored at a friend's house in Reno) to pack with all our belongings from the kitchen and living/dining room. Thank goodness we have that to store all the stuff we need to get out of the way of the workers. We will set up a coffee pot and microwave in our bedroom. I ordered three new wii games, and we will join the local health club for a few months, so we will at least have something to do for part of the day. Still have not heard anything on the Hawaii job search - neither has the headhunter - it seems to be on hold for now. In the meantime, another headhunter, with a job in Portland! Unfortunately, probably not one my husband will be interested in.... In the meantime, I am really happy we are here together during this process. Usually, he is working somewhere and I am wrestling with the workers/contractors by myself. (I will reserve the right to reverse this sentiment after a month or so trapped in the bedroom all day with him and Lucy...) A couple of good points - we came in BELOW the estimated amount for the granite counter tops, carpet, and hardwood flooring. Yay! Of course, it just helps with the stuff that is over-budget like the fireplace, and probably the tile. Oh well.