Sometimes it seems as if making multiple calls, never receiving
a straight answer, being ignored, and getting the runaround
are all 'job requirements' of my unemployment.

It's not uncommon to have folks be openly hostile, or never
return a call, a letter, or e-mail ever.

I'm already stressed and depressed and fighting  hard to keep my calm.
I certainly don't need condescending or incompetent or
indifferent folks (usually it's 'all of the above') treating me as
though I am a distraction to their day, when in fact they are
receiving a paycheck for providing me assistance. (Or rather,
they're receiving a paycheck for maintaining the illusion that they
are there to provide me with assistance.)

In a small town, you have a lot of 'gatekeepers' who get just a
little bit full of themselves, drunk on the power of whether or
not messages get delivered, resume's get handed in, etc. They start
to think their shit doesn't stink, and, furthermore, that you ought to
act accordingly.

Too bad there's no paycheck for dealing with all this circus, because
it's for damned sure hard work!

I am not, nor have I ever been, someone who is a people person.

I don't 'do' (mostly because I'm no good at it) the glad-handing,
baby-kissing, fake-ass manipulation of people that seems a necessity
for finding, getting, and maintaining even the most pedestrian of jobs.

Yet it isn't the public I have trouble with; it's the staff. The secretaries, the
coworkers, the managers, the owners; the folks who need to have their
assholes polished with other peoples' tongues in order for them to act
halfway right.

Then there's the nonsense factor that cultural and regional issues can
interfere with how folks act; no matter how sweet and kindly and pro-
fessional you are, some things like race, sex, age, sexuality, etc. are
not cottoned to by others, and your workplace experience will be an
uphill climb. Your personal business affects your job, even if you are
not the one to introduce it!
(Most people just can't get comfortable with someone that doesn't look,
act, or speak exactly like them.)

Yup, jobs are all about bureaucracy, bullshit, back-stabbing, bullying...
It's life. It's designed to break you; Don't let it.

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Dire Consequences

Beyond the economic pressures of being unemployed,
there are a plethora of physical and emotional aspects
where we need to be concerned.

The emotional strain of being out of work is a result of many
factors, not the least of which is having lost a sense of purpose,
a daily routine, structure, and even one's sense of self and
sense of productivity.

The psychological strain of not having a dependable and
regular flow of income, as well as the loss of face from no
longer being able to proudly state your job.

All these components work off of one another to potentially
worsen our overall health if they aren't monitored, addressed,
and worked on.

Continued stress and lack of sleep can cause heart problems,
stroke, mental distress, diabetes, and other ongoing issues.
Pre-existing conditions are worsened. The body is opened up
to illnesses as the immune defenses are lessened.

Depression may cause us to be less concerned about taking care
of ourselves, as all we are seeing is the immediacy of the dark
situation.

So, in the midst of all that troubles us, the best thing we can do
is to take control of the few (yet significant) things we can, such as:
+ eating as well as possible... not stress-eating or over-eating

+ getting sufficent sleep, meditating, staying calm

+ keeping up personal hygiene with showers, brushing teeth, and
   keeping your living quarters neat and clean

+ exercising, stretching out, walking, sex, using a punching bag

+ taking all medications and being vigilant with preexisting conditions,
   seeing a doctor if something changes

+ finding stress outlets like physical exercise, yard work,
   artistic pursuits, counseling, talking with friends, and letting
   the frustration out in healthy ways

DON'T just accept your troubles as unavoidable or overwhelming.
There is a lot you can do to take control of and exert your personal
power to maintain and improve the quality of your life. Take the
time and exert the energy to do so!

**********************************************

"When Mitt Romney Came To Town" (Full film)