Cave Cuniculum...

Latin. Means "beware the rabbit."

Friday, January 30, 2009

Has it been that long?

Today marks the third full week that I've been unemployed. Three weeks since I was laid off.

I wish I could say that I've been treating this like a vacation; that I've been doing nothing but wasting away on the couch, eating bon-bons and watching soap operas. I wish I could say that, but I can't. Instead, these past three weeks have been filled with frantic job searches and sending of resumes; hundreds of sent applications and phone calls; hearing "we're reviewing applications and will call you" too many times to count.

You know what I've heard once?
"I understand."

Everyone is quick to say "that sucks" or "I'll keep an eye out"; quick to pull up job postings and suggest career fairs to attend. I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who has been helping me, but I'm finding I need something even more than help. I need someone to understand.

For over a year, I had a job that kept bills paid, food in the fridge and a roof over our heads. Now that's gone, replaced with fear, despair and the constant worry of where to go when we can't afford the apartment anymore. I have no appetite; living mostly off of coffee - which I need as sleep is non-existent. When I do manage to doze off, I awake in a blind panic, gripped in a panic attack; unable to breathe. I'm so fearful of what the future holds that I black it out of my thoughts, instead focusing on that next application; that next resume submission.

With millions of people going through the same thing, I shouldn't feel as alone as I do. Until things change, I can only keep submitting resumes; keep calling; keep applying - because there's really nothing else I can do.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Here, There, Everywhere...

I've been busy updating my professional networking. Here's where I (and my work) can be found online:
Coroflot

JobFox

BrightFuse

Behance

Friday, January 09, 2009

This is the end, my friends

As of 6pm today, I am a statistic. As of 6pm today, I join the ranks of Michigan's unemployed.

For the four or five of you that read this blog, you'll remember that I am...er, was employed as a graphic designer/web developer for a Detroit-area car dealership. Ironically enough, for the past two weeks - when the shit hit the fan with the Big Three - I stated that "the creative department is the first to go."

Irony, it appears, likes to bite people in the ass.

The full weight of this hasn't sunk in yet. This is probably due to the six or seven beers I've consumed in the past two hours. Possibly a little is due to the two hour walk I took in sub-zero temperatures.

In any event, when the beer wears off and my internal temperature returns to normal, I will still be unemployed. Suffice to say this may prevent my posting, but I'm always available via email and phone.

After all, it's not like I have a job to go to or anything...