The Re-Adjustment Bureau

Because of comparisons and the materialistic, consumer-based,

competitive world we live in, many of us consider ourselves less

successful and less of a provider when we are unable to maintain

the same lifestyles we had before. But the physical objects and the

community standings are beyond insignificant in the scheme of things.

After you recuperate from the shock and the depression, lifting your-

self up and establishing your spirit, your character, your stamina, your

energy is what will make the difference in carving out a new life for

yourself.

Never giving in to despair and defeat no matter how hard the fight

or how steep the climb. Continuing to embolden yourself and stay

optimistic, someone that you can be proud of. Remembering that

you have value intrinsic to your existence, and it has nothing to do

with income level or how others perceive you. 

Recalibrate to understand that.

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

As it Turns Out....We Got Turned Out!



That's okay....we got this.
(Well, it's not 'okay,' but..)

Just because the system is broken
and 'the odds seem ever (not) in our favor'
doesn't mean we're counted out yet.

I plan on surviving and doing well
just for the pure, undiluted spite
of it all.

Success isn't about bank accounts;
it's about quality and attitude of living
(And, no--one is not dependent upon the other.)

***



Word Imperfect

The catch phrase of 'combatting poverty' makes it sound

like a visible consolidated Bogeyman is hiding under the

American bed...that we can wrap our hands around its neck

and dispose of it with a concentrated effort of unity and

disdain...as well as some food banks and charity.

But poverty is not a demon or a haphazard plight; it is a

social evil that is perpetrated upon the less organized and

less skilled, the less educated and the less prepared.

Sometimes there are those who are introduced new to the ranks

as a result of extreme circumstances, but often impoverished

conditions are a lifetime struggle...almost always a multi-generational

affair.

It results from specific actions by specific people and groups

and the laws that are enacted by the same. Almost always

avoidable.

Poverty is a state of mind that feeds on itself, But its origins

are man-made and inexcusable. It is a serial limiting of

choices and the willful allowing of people to die unnecessarily

and prematurely.

It places a money amount on a life.

On a child's health.

On a mother's hunger.

On a man's worth.

Poverty doesn't 'just happen.' It's an orchestrated design,

thrust on the less powerful by those who are unconcerned

about the consequences of their actions.

It's an entire system in place that rolls forward like a

Sherman tank, and has the full sanction and blessing of

those who can not be defeated.

We can fight a war on poverty...

but only by addressing the causes and

instigators rather than putting a band-aid

on the end results.

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

Saving Sense

Every little bit of conservation

adds up!

Tough Love

Are you depressed?
Tired?
Unmotivated?
Listless?
In Pain?

Well, get up off your ass , get outta the bed, and
find something to do, anyway. And if you haven't
been doing so, get out of the house.

Fresh air, interaction, accomplishment, mobility, and
change of scenery are requirements for keeping the
demons at bay.

I speak from experience when I say it's an everyday
struggle to keep feelings and circumstance from
doing me in. We can't be ruled by emotion or fears.
Make yourself get up, drill sergeant style.

Whatever it takes to generate movement.
Activity is crucial to feeling better and accomplished.

To start moving is a magical.
Survival begins with refusing defeat.
You don't need a long-term plan to just start moving.

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

Who's In Charge of Your Workshop?

As a realist and a cynic, I see things for what they are,
not the feel-good facade often promoted. I see the world
stripped bare of pretense.

Sometimes, that harshness threatens to consume me.

When you're going a spell without work, when having nothing
of value to occupy your mind (or hands,) when questioning your
worth based on the normal tenants of what people in our society
are 'supposed' to have in their lives....things can get rough.

When you're an unemployed person--shifted out of normal
society as we are--separate, detached, lost...you can lose
your grip on the world very easily...and quickly.

We have to work overtime to make sure that doesn't happen.
Any or all of these tips that can help are ways to avoid having
the situation get to you.

*Occupy yourself; keep busy and productive
*Reinforce your best attributes; stop beating yourself up
*Surround yourself with correct things, not negatives
*Keep working on what's important to you
*Don't let yourself go; maintain hygiene and house cleaning
*Keep to a schedule
*Keep working on goals
*Do something body-wise like exercise
*Do something for your mind like learning a new word, language, etc.
*Do something spirit-wise, like meditation
*Do something fun or freeing, like laugh, dance, or draw

You may not feel like doing any of these things, but just as a
job is sometimes a means to a paycheck, sometimes in life we
have to do the groundwork for a better outcome, even when we
don't feel motivated.

Make taking care of yourself your new full-time job.

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

Sunday is a Day of Re-Set

Keep working at it; keep battling.

No concern for resistance, no attention to past losses.

A man--a person--is not a cumulative effort of losses.

Losses are things that happen, inevitable, normal.

Don't lose perspective because you're in the midst of one now.

Regain that moxy and verve.

Don't accept a secondary position of value in your mind.

Don't let the opinions and condescension of others alter your self-concept.

Be strong, motivated, proud, audacious.

Don't let the emotions lead you.

Feel them...without being controlled or led by them.

YOU CAN DO THIS.

***

"I´m Still Standing"covered by André Fuckert

Gary Allan - "Every Storm Runs Out Of Rain"

No matter how committed you are, there are days when you wake up
and just "aren't feeling it."

When you think "Why bother?" and bemoan your self-diagnosed
terminal condition of "Nothing is ever going to change, no matter what I do!"
And those are the days where you have to make yourself do it,
despite the feeling lacking.

When you have to remember whatever inspires you, like maybe
the words to a good song, and hold it closer.

"Feel the apathy, and DO IT anyway!"

Get up. Get moving. Get active and stay that way.

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

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.

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

You Are More Than Your Past Limitations

Stamina's the thing.

It may be 100 "No's" for every one "Yes."

The changes in lifestyle may be drastic.

You might need to endure 100 false leads for every one option
that even leads to a second interview or shows promise.

Developing and maintaining Stamina, Fortitude,  & Perseverance.
These are your jobs now.

Strengthening and developing  muscles beyond what you ever
thought possible.

Don't take it personally.

Stay calm.

It is what it is.

Transformation isn't for breaking you; it's for making you stronger.

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

'Hocus-Pocus' is another word for Bullshit

It's not magic...but there

are plenty of illusions!

On the road to success (or the road to staying afloat, or the road
to making a comeback, etc) there are always problems.


When you get to the bottom of the heap, the problems can be a
bit more constant and a bit more difficult to overcome, but that's
where ingenuity and stamina come in.


When we're going through tough times, it makes other people
uncomfortable, and they do what they can to avoid facing that
discomfort. Which means that people are going to blow smoke
up your ass more so now that you're on a job hunt than they ever
did when they were trying to impress you.


I guess there's about the same taboo associated with joblessness
and/or poverty that has always been associated with homelessness
or mental illness. People are really afraid that dealing with us may
lead to their having caught some or all of our problems. Social
Cooties, I suppose.


The difference is also felt by 'professionals,' who plaster on their
fakest smiles to bum-rush you out the door as quickly as possible...
preferably without having to call 9-11 on our unstable asses.


So, we are stuck with grinning and bearing it, not able to speak
our mind (and burn any remotely possible bridges)...no making
their predictions come true. We generally know, from body
language or intonation, that someone is insincere about returning
a call, whether we have a shot at the job, whether someone has
any interest, or if they are really going to put in a good word for us.


But you find out really quickly that most people talk a lot of shit,
and you can't depend on anyone (even more so when you have
'nothing to offer' in the eyes of other people,)
I know the Georgia Department of Labor, a government operation
specifically designated to helping me in my job hunt, has been
lacking in the extreme, taking over 11 months on my case and
has as yet not finished my paperwork processing.  This is due
fully to their feet-dragging and endless demands of hoop-jumping,
which I have obliged, while continuing to call them regularly and
diplomatically inquire as to the progress on my case. Bureaucracy,
yes. But when you have pull, things go faster.


Have patience, and yet don't depend on anyone or anything but
yourself...but still go through the motions of trying every possible
lead and every possible opportunity. You never know when it may
pan out. It could always leave a contact that could be good informa-
tion or a lead later.

Do all the above board stuff, and also follow all the extraordinary
ideas and measures. You have to attack this thing from all angles.
Do not put all your interest in the say-so of anyone in authority who
says they're looking out for you. Prepare for a worst case scenario.


Don't stop trying. Frustration is a part of the game, but you are not
the sum of your experiences; you are the sum of what your choices
are in this present moment. Don't let circumstances dictate despair.


Keep on trucking.


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

Start Small

Some days are tougher than others--
there's no denying that.

When reality hits after waking from a
troubled sleep, and everything hurts....
when nothing seems to be going right, and
there seems to be no control you have over
anything....

Think Small.

Instead of getting overloaded and whelmed by
all that seems insurmountable, focus on what
you can do.

I pull myself out of my despair, and start by
making my bed. That's one task accomplished.
Screw how 'simple' that is; I did it.

Then I take care of the animals, clean up,
bathe, eat properly, pick out clothes, and
all the other things I am capable of doing and
I move through it. I check off the achievement
in my head and feel a sense of success.

I make a point to get out of the house with
at least a handful of tasks in mind.

Movement.
Activity.
Accomplishment.

It may not be solving the big problems, but it's
better than sitting and dwelling on a sense of
hopelessness about the things that I can't seem
to effect.

When I feel better about the little victories, I'm
in a much better position to take on the more
daunting tasks, and the frustration that seems
inherent in them!

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

It's Blinders, Not Blindness

These times may seem insurmountable.

They aren't.

This can seem like the end of the road...

It isn't.

Dreams can crumble,

old friends are disappearing,

hope is a rare commodity

(or perhaps even a distant memory.)

Survival...merely staying afloat...

can seem a strangely unattainable and

even undesirable notion.

("How will this ever work out?")

Ideas don't seem to manifest,

'nothing' seems to bear results,

opportunities seem to have ended.

But, this...this is NOT the end.

Your view is distorted by the experiences

you have endured. By the surroundings

you are 'stuck' in now.

Right now, no end is in sight.

The outcomes seem dark and unavoidable.

Everything seems lost.

But there is a tomorrow...there is possibility.

There are options and choices and chances

that, right now, you are not even capable

of imagining in your current

state of despair.

But even this...this struggle

and helpless sensation

and fear..

is giving you something you can use.

If only you can hang on, and believe,

and persevere.

And you can...

you can do it, even if you don't yet know it.

You are about to discover just how strong

and courageous you are...but it will take

being nearly destroyed for it to happen.

Push on.

This is a new life, a new chapter,

a new understanding.

Be open to the changes, without giving up.

Some day, you will find yourself,

as I have, with a new perspective

and an ability to transcend... that

gives you hope and appreciation

you cannot imagine...

from where you stand now.

***

"Nickel & Dimed" by Barbara Ehrenreich

As the subtitle suggests, this is a book

about how the American workforce is

not making it on the minimum wage

American nightmare.

It details in exhausting scrutiny how

companies and corporations have us

all behind the eight ball.

If you're already in trouble, it may

not be able to serve as warning, but

sometimes the simple act of

hearing that others know, understand, and

have experienced similar difficulties

can be therapeutic.

Available at most libraries as

book or audio book.

There is strength in numbers.

****

Michael Franti & Spearhead - "Sound of Sunshine" (ft. Jovanotti)

A little Monday morning pick-me-up and inspiration
for me and my jobless (or underpaid) brothers and
sisters.  Don't give up on the finer points.

'Down' is not 'out'.
Stand strong.

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

The Way it Goes

"The rich get rich, and the poor get poorer."

That's a pretty universal conceit. Perhaps even a

physics lesson, I imagine, with the energy behind

loss generating more loss, and vice versa with winning.

Or maybe it's just psychological?

I feel that's more likely. Once a man's deterioration

(or fall from grace) has begun, everything seems to

'magically' sync up to head that same direction,

even exacerbating the process...at least for a time.

The universe is merciless, and 'fate' is blind to all men.

You get what you get, and you get what you're willing

to fight for. But behind magical thinking like

'the meek inheriting the earth' is the reality that

money is very important to all aspects of life.

Once we start losing it, despair and lack of confidence

can start in, distracting and running us down.

No one wants to back a loser, and people fear the

idea of poverty being contagious almost as much as they

fear actual illness. Maybe more.

So rats desert the sinking ship, sending another

message of unworthiness, now weighing still heavier.

Inability to eat out ends several friendships,

ends the social connections that led to more work,

ends the public persona of viability, and so on.

Disparity seems to attract more of the same.

Emotionally, psychologically, financially.

And of course we know the reverse is true.

People knock one another down to get next to

a rich man, hoping to be ingratiated to him and

be granted either reward or similar fate.

Don't make more of it than it is;

at the end of the day, we make our own luck.

And there's plenty to be said for drive,

ingenuity, and fierceness.

"Not giving up" may be the only skill

we ever truly need.

****

Keep On Keeping On

Those pioneer folk who picked up everything and moved west
for the idea of possibility--that's a real motivator.

We can say "Oh, those were different times." But that doesn't
deny the stamina and fighting spirit that had to be utilized by
those folks in daring to try. In undertaking the physical demands
of the exhausting trip. Of facing the unknown dangers, alone.

We have that spirit in us. We have become softened in many
respects in our modern world, and our fighting spirit may have
to first take the form of simply not laying down to die.

The emotional pressures of dealing with loss of job, loss of
security, loss of our prized possessions, (possibly even the
loss of friends and family as we face our ordeal) cannot be
the only thing we see when we look at our lives.

This is one way in which the capitalist world has ruined us;
reinforcing our worth via materialism and consumerism.
We are so much more than the sum of our bank accounts
and the size of our toys, but we have lost sight of that because
we bought into what society prizes and promotes.

Leaning survival skills may first include learning to care
about ourselves in the first place; learning to respect life as
it is, for what it is, and not remaining invested in popularity
and affluence. We may first have to train ourselves to want
to live, even without all the trappings of what others told us
were important. Embracing wherever we are, now.

In this new economy, many of us are having to branch out
on our own, penniless and devoid of any promises, discovering
that fighting spirit within for the very first time.

Bon voyage! There is greatness in you. May you discover
it on the journey.

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

Adjustments

Even some of us who started off in what was considered the middle class
or lower middle class had some things in common with the upper class;
we were not accustomed to going without, in all likelihood.

We were used to eating pretty decently and participating in many of
the things that everyone else did. Perhaps, in some cases, to our own
detriment. We were spoiled to a way of life we didn't imagine would end.

Tough times have not been a part of many Americans' vocabulary.
A huge aspect of our society is consumerism and plenitude. We were
not accustomed to not having what we wanted. We were spoiled.

The idea, and reality, of having to buckle down and do without is a
new one for many of us. And it's quite the shock to the system.

Having to tough it up and pull ourselves up by the bootstraps may
just be a new component of the landscape, but how do many of us
(for whom this new way of life is unnerving and unexpected) make
the transition?

It isn't as though being frugal, spending-conscious, and giving up
on material possessions are things we were taught in school!

(On a side note; Why do we learn so few basic, necessary,
life skills in our schools? We know most of us aren't learning
anything of value at home!)

So, perhaps the first step is breaking through the psychological
barriers that prevent us from realizing that life has changed dynamic-
ally and we need to follow suit with our mindset and actions.
That can be more severe than it might sound. There're a lifetime
of old habits to overcome for some of us.

So this is the beginning; accepting that the old is done, whether
temporarily or permanently, and we have to adjust to a new
way of doing things. Deep breath. We can do this.

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