Keep fighting…Be Strong…

 

My friends, the world is changing around us. I know the suffering and misery we are all going through is a debilitating struggle for self-worth and redemption.  Days turn into weeks, weeks melt into months and our situation never seems to improve..in fact, they often deteriorate.

However, if we simply close our eyes and fade away, we do an incredible disservice to those who find misery after us. We are not alone. Our numbers grow everyday. America is hurting. But, we must continue to fill email boxes and Human Resource folders with our names, our skills and our confidence. We must never falter or stop our assault on this national tragedy!

We are a talented lot with years…decades…of experience that holds enormous value to whomever is bright enough to offer us a path to travel. Please continue posting your stories so that we might glean insight and information from you…and you from us. We can lift one another higher through support and combined possibilities.

Keep fighting…Be Strong!

The Debut of SKILLPITCH!

Friends, I do apologize for the long delay in posting, however I have been working on the new website for all of us to better express our talents, skills and experience. SKILLPITCH is my answer to the ever growing number of jobless, talented Americans desperately searching for a new or better career path.

So many of us have been out of work for so long, it feels like we’ll never work again! Not to mention the frustrating daily or hourly task of submitting resumes time and again without hearing a word back from potential employers. Now we have a site to post our resumes and talents for employers to look through in many career categories. Please take advantage of the new site, sign up and put your best foot forward!

I realize the site is new and will take a little time to build a great foundation, yet with your help, I’m confident that soon, employers will be bookmarking OUR new site to find the best talent and employees to fill their positions!

And after all, what do you have to lose, right? Just add SKILLPITCH to your career-hunt toolbox and see where the future takes you! I wish you all the best!

(Please note the website is still growing and will more than likely change format to better serve us as time goes by and numbers increase)

Register and post TODAY!

http://skillpitch.wordpress.com

How Goes the Republic?

Folks, most of you know that I make every attempt to remain politically neutral. However, last night’s election results have spurred me to write something I didn’t want to have to write.

Yes, our political system is the best mechanism we have to steer the nation in a direction we feel is best for all of us. Yet, this election wasn’t so much a mandate for the Right, as it was a total rejection of BOTH parties. Americans feel helpless about the direction of this nation and, more importantly, the future of working class Americans displaced and facing hard times due to the Great Recession. That means you and me. We have just witnessed the pendulum swinging back wildly for what amounts to ‘picking the lesser of two evils’ despite a majority of Americans that feel BOTH parties stink.  Essentially, we have just knee-capped our President into capitulation. The GOP is and has been the party of Corporations, big business and, frankly for the last 30 years, anti-social change. and progress. The Left have always been for social change and progress. Today we woke up to a National ship stuck in the doldrums. Our sailing mast is broken and we are now left to row. Sadly, the starboard side is rowing backwards, while the port is rowing ahead. All the while, the skipper and the 1st mate are at odds and arguing about navigation. Where does this leave us out here on deck? It leaves us dead in the water and waiting like sitting ducks in the water of global financial swashbucklers. Even Rome fell, my friends….

All of us here and around the Republic that are struggling and scrambling to save ourselves from ruin are now left to literally fend for our very futures…even more so than ever before. I wish the news offered more hope. I wish this Administration hadn’t inherited 2 unfunded wars, a staggering deficit from a broken previous administration and a jobless scenario created by hubris, corruption and greed. Yet, here we are.

It seems there is little I personally can do to avoid total ruin and homelessness. In the weeks ahead I will lose my home, vehicle and what little savings I have left. I know that many of you are in a similar situation and I know the anxiety, fear and misery you’re feeling. I only ask that all of you please band together, talk and make every attempt to find ways to start new businesses with each other, network like you’ve never networked before to try and land some sort of job and stand strong in the face of this gloomy national environment. We can survive if we lift one another up and make change ourselves without hoping for a political miracle.

We are America and we must move forward despite such heartbreaking resistance.

Walk anew…or walk away…?

Friends, there comes a time when questions have to be asked.  Questions that aren’t easy to answer.  The economy seems to be bandaging itself and all of those in the know seem to think all’s well that ends well. Well, I don’t know about you, but things seem pretty well the same to me. Despite the Wall Street economic indicators and feel good growth numbers in hiring rates, I still can’t find even the most menial of jobs. I’m sure many of you are facing the same dilemma.  No matter what the main stream media is power-hosing onto the nation about recovery and redemption, far too many of us out here are still scratching our collective heads wondering where in the hell the light at the end of the tunnel is. (Perhaps that light is torches!)

This desert of reality started me thinking about what runs through my mind on a daily basis as we climb, crawl, and scratch our way back to some sort of normality. Each of us fights so hard to get back into the cubicle world, the office world, the nursing world, or any other ‘world’ that makes up the world that demands our Social Security numbers, our attention and all of our talents. We are all faced now with having to do the work of 3 or more employees and look at longer hours every week. Salary or not, our lives have taken on the skin of work, fear and loathing.

I began to think the other day about a how those in my generation were reared with a sort of social expectation of prosperity and excess. The 1970s saw stagnation and inflation and an oil crisis that crippled may Americans. Yet, music, the arts and civil liberties seemed to flourish. Then came the 1980s. Ronald Reagan took office and taught us all about ‘deregulation’ and ‘trickle down’ economics. Money was free to be borrowed without much hassle and I began to believe what many Americans did…that the American Dream was possible. Not only possible but probable. Just get a job, as they were plentiful, work hard and save and a healthy, happy retirement was a sure thing. But we soon discovered the dark, manipulative side of far too many American corporations and businesses allowed to operate at their own discretion and out of the light of accountability. Who knew that their American Dream was far different than the average American worker. In fact, it appears now that their dream was in direct contrast to the citizenry.  They wanted a redistribution of that new wealth right into their bank accounts and straight out of ours by any means necessary. We are paying for that hubris, greed and malfeasance today. And it appears the damage was/is so systemic that this dis-ease…this national malaise…will follow us for the rest of our days here.  This brings me to my topic.

Realistically, how many more years do each of us have left? Discounting disease, tragedy or an asteroid impact…how many more good years do you think you’ve got? For too many of us, we’re coming down the other side of the peak and the slope is steep and slippery. How long do we actually have to somehow land a job, pull ourselves out of debt, put away enough money to retire and have a few years of relative comfort?  For many of us, that number is frighteningly small.

So, what do we do? What are our options? Do we walk a brand new path in the system that has betrayed us,…or walk away? And by ‘walk away’, I mean disconnect from the norms of the work a day world of the established business model and seek out a new model altogether. Recently, I have begun considering what life would look like if I were to simply stuff a backpack with simple necessities, surrender my keyring with all of ties and responsibilities it carries and cutting all of the societal leashes that keep us all towing the ‘American line.’  I have to admit, there is a certain romantic wanderlust there that I find truly romantic…yet terrifying. Conversely, the idea of licking the boot of my corporate master for another 30-40 years, sheltered in a cubicle and praying the business doesn’t go under or plunder what little retirement savings I would have accumulated is even more terrifying to me. Which is the greater gamble? Because make no mistake, either choice is probably the last we will ever get to make on this go ’round.

That being said, I have read and re-read all of the posts here hearing the stories of so many, …so many…talented, skilled, experienced, creative and educated people and I have to believe there is a solution in this idea of combined understanding of ideas and talent. Surely, there is a way for many of us to collaborate and build new businesses together by pooling skills and knowledge. So, finally, I ask that you send others here in our situation. Get the word out as often and and strongly as possible to build this database of jobless American ingenuity and strength. Together we can lift one another up and build a new model outside of the one that exists today. I have, in the back of my mind, a vision taken from the WPA projects of the last century where artist communities (and other communities) flourished by pooling amazing talent and created what we call our American history. Why couldn’t we campaign for land to develop new century-communities of artists, accountants, IT professionals, etc, etc.? Wouldn’t employers look to these communities for the best of the best, at the very least?

Of course, if you’ve just about had it with the whole system, just grab that backpack and walk away…I’d love the company.

The IncomePoop Speaks…

 

The word is getting out friends. Our voice is being heard. And THIS weekend, MY voice will be heard across southern California and broadcast to the entire world, via the internet. KBEACH.org in the Los Angeles area contacted me to do a radio/internet interview late last week to spotlight the website and the plight of the American jobless middle-class. The interview went just over 20 minutes and I certainly hope I did all of you, and this website, proud. When I was contacted to do the interview, I have to admit I wasn’t sure whether I should be flattered or embarrassed. With any luck we will begin to be heard by many more great people with great ideas, opportunities and suggestions!

I was also recently was contacted by The Huffington Post directly and asked to become a contributing blogger there. Ironically and sadly, this is a non-paying gig in Arianna Huffington’s, “Third World America” section of that site. Yet, again, it is getting the word out. People are reading and commenting and visiting here. I hope you all continue to get the word out yourselves by Tweeting, Facebooking, and whatever other form of social networking you use. We need all the exposure we can generate!

It is truly astounding to be in the position so many of us are in at this stage of the game. In all honesty, I have just found out that I have little time left with a roof over my head. Being on the streets during the winter is going to be life-changing, to say the least. With any luck, I’ll make an attempt to keep posting as my situation allows. It is, for me and so many others, a sad commentary on America to be just one job away from redemption. Over the next weeks, I will try my hardest to continue to get the word out about our website. The more eyes and ears here may very well translate into possibilities for us all. I will keep fighting for us. That’s a promise.

Chat – Chat – Chat

Hello everyone. I wanted to take a suggestion from one of our posters here (benilaw) and give it a whirl. Listed just under the DONATION button on the left side of your screen, you should now see an option to CHAT with one another. This is a new program that remains untested on our website, so if there are issues with using it, please bring it to my attention immediately.

Please use this new feature responsibly. Any attempts at posting inappropriate material, flaming, posting of SPAM or the like cannot be tolerated.

Use this feature to communicate with one another in real time should you have information to pass along or just need an outlet to chat about the recession, jobs, potential ideas, or even offers or networking contacts.

Thanks all and good luck!

Depression During The Depression…

This nation’s economic turmoil is taking its toll on many affected Americans. Not unlike a ship on the ocean, our moods and anxieties sometimes ride a crest to the top of a wave only to begin an inevitable descent to the bottom of the trough. Highs and lows…ups and downs…our emotions are being tossed to and fro.

This is an unseen affect of this recession and its resulting misery. So many of us seem to be defined by our careers. Our years of service, experience and hard work earns us a certain level of respect and pride…and, yes, definition. Character and dignity are built over our professional careers. Then the day comes when everything we’ve spent a lifetime preserving is taken away. We’re told to clean out our personal belongings and pack up a lifetime of memories, challenges and victories into a cardboard box and allow security to escort us to the front door. It’s like a divorce…or worse yet, a death…a death of our soul. There is a crushing feeling of failure pressing down on our very worth. The process continues to escalate, as we then must tell our spouses, families and friends that we’ve been excommunicated from our former livelihoods.

The range of emotions that follow can sometimes lead us into thoughts of inadequacy, failure and low self-esteem. I’ve known people that have woken up the morning after being ‘let go’ and still go through the motions of their former daily routines…even to the point of getting into their car as if they had somewhere to go. It’s a shock to the system…a serious body blow, in the extreme.

In the days and weeks to follow, some find themselves scouring the wants ads, the online job boards and networking like mad to quickly regain control over their situation. Although these activities do consume a great deal of time and seem to gloss over the pain of loss, it only prolongs the suffering experienced in the quiet hours. The question, “…what am I going to do?”…is going to become a drumbeat in your mind. You will reflect on your former work experience. You will think about your children and their future and what they might think of you now. You will consider your spouse or partner and what they must be thinking of you. You will begin to take special attention to the cost of every little expense. You may even begin to question if the world has passed you by and feel as though life isn’t much worth the effort and pain.

This is the moment when you must STOP and take a deep breath. Close your eyes and just breath. The anxiety you’re feeling is overwhelming and all of us out here in the same boat have been right where you are. We have. We know. We’re right there with you, friend.

When you find yourself knocked down, beaten, stepped on, over-looked, depressed and at wits end, …consider these things:

1: There is no shame in talking to someone…either a friend, relative, counselor or spiritual advisor. Talk. Come here and tell your story in full…get it out. Vent, rant, bitch, moan, whine and be heard. You have worth. We’re here for you.

2: Talk to your doctor about your anxiety. Although you might not feel the need to consider anti-depressants, understand that more people than you realize (and probably people you know personally) are benefiting from these methods. I know you’re pride might pull you away from this notion, but know this is an option that no one will fault you from considering.

3: Look for emotional support groups in your area. Get together and talk some more. Meet those that are going through the same misery. It helps…I promise.

4: Find resolve. Make a list of daily activities to follow for your ‘life-hunt’. Write down all of your best qualities, skills, hobbies and experience. See if there is something you love to do that might translate well into a business of your own or find others with similar attributes and share ideas that might lead to a joint venture. Refer to this list often and update it as ideas come to you.

5: Wake up each morning. Never, ever consider not doing this. The answers are out there. There is a tomorrow. You are worth every breath you take. You are a stallion let loose in an endless pasture of possibilities. You will gallop again.

I know that it might seem like a lot of mumbo-jumbo and jibber-jabber. Sort of like when people say things like:

…” I know how you feel”…(when you know they don’t)

…”things will get better”…(when all you want is to know WHEN)

…”I’m praying for you”…(when you wish you had a hotline to God)

…”Hang in there”…(at a time when the word ‘hang’ shouldn’t be mentioned)

…”just take a minimum wage job or two”…(when the jobs don’t exist in the 1^st place)

…”I’ll keep you in my thoughts”…(when you need them to say, ‘I’ll talk to my hiring manager’…)

Understand that these people are well intentioned and maybe don’t know exactly WHAT to say. It’s tough all over. But try to remember you are a human being deserving of respect and consideration. You have skills, talent, experience, worth, value, ideas, creativity, vision, innovative ideas and YOU HAVE A PLACE IN THIS WORLD!

And when you feel as though you have no fight left in you, I ask that you stand up, steel your resolve and get back into the fight…if for no other reason than to stand toe to toe with adversity…and spit in its eye.

Doors will open. Peek in and see what’s there.

ResuME

I had a suggestion that I offer an area here for all of us to post or submit our own personal resumes and CVs for potential opportunity. This site gets hundreds of visits per week and the people coming here are genuinely concerned for the disappearing middle class.  That being said, perhaps there may be potential employers out there looking to cut through the madness of the typical job boards and HR departments. Maybe someone might be looking for someone with your skills specifically. That’s why I am considering creating this area on this site. However, I am not a dictator. All that visit here have a say in how YOUR site here is run. And I appreciate all of you.

So, with all of that in mind, I’d like for your feedback on this matter. Do you think this is a good idea? Will YOU post your resume here? Obviously, you would have to edit your resume to include only the information you want the public to see.

Now, look up at the very top right of this post and notice the little ‘number thought-bubble’…please click on the little number and you’ll be able to post your reply. I will create the page and include my own resume should we reach a number of 5 positive responses. Consider filming a video resume and uploading it to YouTube…should you do that, I will include your video resume alongside your posted resume.

Thanks all and I look forward to hearing from you.

Scott

Wall Street ‘Drug’ Pushers

Of Wall Street and Drug Pushers…

Over the last decade, we Americans have been blindsided, lied to and brainwashed…you included. The frenzied, deceitful, monstrous machine that was/is Wall Street began putting together knowingly criminal bundles of manure, like credit default swaps and collateralized debt obligations. They began the process of literally throwing money out of a window to see how many gullible Americans would scurry and scramble to snap up the loose and easy to pocket cash. Naturally, millions of Americans took advantage of this easy windfall and began their quest for real estate and relaxed lending. Oh, how the housing bubble expanded. Wall Street mustache-twisters were dancing the Macarena around board room long tables and on the decks of their newly, custom built yachts. Americans were flipping houses and the American financial sector was flipping the American middle-class their middle fingers. It was the best of times, running at full speed toward the worst of times. As long as Americans were coming back and standing in line with their trick-or-treat bags held open wide for more of that sweet treat…everyone won and no one would be the wiser.

Understanding how a street-level drug pusher works will help to emphasize my point of this article. You see, a pusher has a product that is against the law to dispense. An addict understands that get caught by authorities with said product will result in the loss of freedom or worse. Yet, the pulsating, intense rush of that product is far too much a temptation to walk away from, let alone quit cold-turkey. Knowing this, a drug pusher will take a small financial hit for new, potentially long-term users and offer the first transaction to the addict at a reduced price. The addict appreciates the gesture and makes a decision to return to this particular pusher time and time again. It’s a low, sickening symbiosis that develops between the user and the treat dispenser. It happens everyday in America. Right now, as you read these words, countless drug transactions are taking place only miles from you…maybe even feet.

Wall Street during the ‘boom and bubble’ years was America’s favorite pusher. Warm smiles and firm hand shakes across a broker’s desk lead Americans into believing they could handle all of the financial responsibilities those ethical, smarter-than-you Wall Street folks were bestowing upon us. After all, what could go wrong? That feel-good rush was too much to resist.

“No job, no collateral, no down payment? No problem, American. We believe in you and your word. Pay us back when you can. In fact, my manager has just authorized me to rewrite your loan agreement in such a way (because we think you’re just the best) that we’re going to let you pay only on the interest of this gift! Heck, when those payments start to get a tad bigger in the future, WAY IN THE FUTURE…you’ll be well on your way to retirement!”

Sadly, we know how this story ended. It ended with a destroyed housing market and an economy flailing and foundering against the rocks as the rest of the damaged world glared at we Americans from behind painfully damaged financial portfolios of our creation. And now with a vanishing middle-class and millions out of work, America must suffer through a gut-wrenching rehab program of austerity that is as tasteful as sucking on a penny.

Will today’s America be as stoic, reserved and resolved as the Greatest Generation was during the Great Depression? Can we even comprehend that kind of sacrifice, clean up our materialistic act and steer clear of the next dealer pushing his product ‘bubble’ on us?

Eli and the Vanishing Middle Class

In 1899, a man in upstate NY put his face in his hands and saw his life’s work fading away. The man’s name was Eli…he was a horse tack leatherman. He brought with him the master skills of the leather trade from Ireland. For decades, Eli worked the fires and the repulsive tanning pools to bring forth products of extreme quality and pride. Customers spread the word about Eli’s goods and business flourished.  The advent of the automobile and the industrialization of the factories made owning a car possible for his dwindling list of clients. The carefully crafted buggy-whips and leather horse apparel sat on his shelves with the occasional loyal customer buying what they could. Eli’s income dropped and his station in the community faded. By 1920 Eli was out of business and took a job at an auto factory making Oldsmobiles..a slave to those that ruined him.
Technology improved and shifted the focus from a farm and agricultural society and thrust upon it a do-or-die industrial alternative. We middle-class are facing similar issues today. As technology reinvents itself to provide faster, more efficient ways to do business, those workers displaced by this technology sit in the cross-hairs of a new Plutocratic rifle of destruction. We are told we must retrain and re-educate ourselves to survive. Yet, the great number of jobless middle-aged folks in America simply will not be able to educate fast enough in highly skilled careers to make the cut. That leaves all of us out here suffering 2 choices:

1: We either become slaves to the Plutocracy and live a life of meager means for the rest of our days.

2: Join together to create an army of talent and decades of skill, creating our own businesses for one another, BY one another and only transact business WITH one another.

There is strength, safety and power in numbers, friends.

Right here on this site we can begin a movement of recovery and rebuilding…together.

Oh, and BTW, …Eli was my great grandfather.