Unemployment Update...

The blue dot is about the time the Stimulus passed, it actually should be a little to the right.

So, if you carry the trend line July 08, to January 09; we would be approaching or above 20% unemployment.  That would be bad, right? 

I expect after the November 3rd elections, companies will start hiring for the Holidays.  That will put money in people's pockets, which will increase spending after the holidays.  I am optimistic for next year.

Keep Extending Unemployment..

We can't keep paying for people, so they can sit on their asses watching Judge Judy!

The cost of HR 3548 is below;
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/106xx/doc10651/hr3548.pdf

Go build something, or grow something, or write/sell something, or volunteer. Get off your fat asses America. I did!

Re-Employed

I got the word today that I landed the job at BAE Systems in Rockville MD (one interview and I get one job).

They actually got me more that I thought I would get in salary. Right around what I was making before, so all is well.

I'm off to buy some stock in BAE, because this company has bright future ;) That was 41 days 'unemployed', if anyone was counting. Hell, I have spent almost twice that long completely under water (literally) with no fresh air. A walk in the park this was.

I haven't mentioned that it will be a much shorter drive and I won't have to deal with the beaurocratic/political backstabbing and waste that is heft at NIH. None of that crap in DOD.

Unemployed - Week 2

Well, I finished the Living Room, still waiting for the curtains I ordered. I will post pics when I get them up next week.

I went for an interview at BAE today, it was a real easy one, probably because my Resume fits nicely into the position. The HR person I was supposed to meet was not in, so it started off with a lot of waiting in the lobby, bit finished up ok.

Closing out my SAIC job was a pain in the ass. They couldn't figure out how to get the last timecard done and took a lot of calls/emails to sort out. Dummies. I still haven't received the package they said they were mailing to me either.

I finished scanning all of the slides my Dad sent me, over 400. That's my Mom below (sooo pretty). I burned CDs and sent them off to the family that have computers.


Pretty good week, the air has cooled and I don't have to run the AC. Save some scratch....

Unemployed: Week 1

Just to recap the first full week of being unemployed, I accomplished the following:

Send out 3 resumes to different friends and applied for 2 jobs. No word on anything yet. No news = good news, until the checks stop coming next week.

I finished up details on two home improvement things I had started before I lost my job, the stairway had some trim that needed finishing and some power outlets and light switches were swapped out in the dining room. I got white ones to better match the new color scheme, to replace the old tan ones. Good thing I did that, one of the light switches crumbled apart as I tried to remove it. Quite a fire risk.

I have been playing less online chess and reading more news, the more I know about the world the less I like what I hear. I picked up paint and brushes to redo the living room (I hope a gallon of paint is enough). I started ripping up the trim in the room today, nasty work. I just need something to keep me busy, or I will go nuts.

I had two people I know ring me up asking for computer help. I solved their problems, but didn't charge anything.

I watched a lot of Nasa coverage of the Shuttle trip to the Space Station. Nice to have time to do that. I wish more people, especially kids, did too.

I put grass seed down in the back yard, hoping to fill in the areas that seem barren. I think the piss spots my dogs used to regularly use will need to be dug up and filled with topsoil. Nothing will grow there.

I made a large pot of Chili from scratch (my own tomatoes even). It is still aging, but if it's anything like my last batch, it should be great. I will freeze most of it for the winter.

I Was "removed from my contract" Today

Having managed a few contracts myself, this means I will wind up going to some corporate office for a few weeks (probably far away from home) and then get laid off. I know, I did it to several employees of mine. No biggie, I will land on my feet. I always do!

I was miserable with my current "management". So very superficial and under trained and, well, useless to me. I am happy to be out. I have been looking for a change anyway.

If you happen to be in the Washington DC area and need an IT/Customer Service person, drop me a comment...