Peace, Sailing and Music

Well it has been quite a while since I have sat down and wrote anything on this blog.  The main reason is that I am no longer mad and needing to vent.  Not to mention the purpose of this blog was to be resource for others that are unemployed.  I have since learned that there is not that much out there to help people.  I am currently in my 21^st week of unemployment and rapidly approaching beginning what is left of the federal unemployment.  And well I thought I would give an update of the situation.

One of the most important lessons I have learned over that last few months is how important it is to have a hobby to occupy your mind.  I had been irritable and short with everyone.  I was always in a hurry and for no reason.  After all where was I going since I didn’t have a job to go to?  So I picked up a new hobby.

I decided that I wanted to go look at the local hobby store.  I left with a model of an old sailing galleon.  No I didn’t get the expensive one for obvious reasons.  I can’t afford much and let’s face it; it has been 20+ years since the last time I built a model so I needed a simple one.  I discovered something the first day I sat down to work on it.  It made me be still, calm down and focus my mind.  I never realized just how much I needed that. 

Even the simple models can occupy you for a while.  I practiced with different texturing and painting.  I learned from my mistakes, that frankly you can’t see anyway but I know they are there and they bother me.  And after I finished the ship I was actually proud of it.  I haven’t been proud of anything since I lost my job and now here I was proud of this.  Now I am almost finished with a second one that looks even better than the first.

There have been some interesting side effects as a result of picking up this hobby.  As I mentioned previously, my mind has calmed down and focused.  Also my attitude has improved drastically.  The most surprising aspect is that my guitar playing has improved greatly too.  

Now it goes without saying I have been playing more now.  But since I have been building the models I have been learning so much more musically.  I have been able to learn a Bach piece that I have always wanted to.  I have been writing SO much more than I ever thought possible.  As a result I have begun to record my music again too.  I opened a page on ReverbNation.com mostly as an online backup, and people actually like my stuff!  So now I have a Facebook site just for my music too.  I never thought this would happen out of building a model ship

Billing Boats USA 01-00-0603 Norden - Danish Coast Vessel (Google Affiliate Ad).Darice WMK91-8132 Wood Model Kit-Pirate Ship (Google Affiliate Ad)

Unemployed Life: How to Get a Live Person at DCF after 1 Month

After one month of being unemployed I felt like I accomplished something.  Strange feeling actually.  I am now officially a statistic that has been counted.  By this point I have received unemployment benefits, a whopping less than minimum wage check after 30 years of paying taxes.   And still I have not received any welfare benefits.  My daughter with a serious medical condition remains with no insurance, and the bulk of the unemployment check goes towards food, not bills.

I had gone to the DCF website numerous times, but all it says is processing.  I tried to call the DCF phone number (866) 762-2237, but I could only get recorded messages and no option for a live person.  I desperately needed to talk to someone at DCF so I could find out what was lacking to process my claim.  But the government employed geniuses stay walled up in the tower never seeing daylight and never getting contact from the outside world.

It was around this time I got a letter from Workforce Central Florida.  I went online and took the orientation and required PowerPoint presentations about the resources they offer.  They offer reeducation, for a cost, to help you get a job.  The problem is if you don’t have a job you can’t afford the reeducation.

By this time I am getting desperate so I decide to go down to the local office for Workforce Central Florida.  Now in my understanding the State of Florida has mandated that Workforce be established in all counties of the state to help the unemployed get jobs.  But it is up to the individual counties to decide how to run their offices.  I live in Orange County, this is a fairly large county since Orlando is in it.  A friend of mine lives in a rural county and told me that if I go down to a Workforce center they have recruiters there and the hold classes there too.  That may be true in his small middle of nowhere county but not in Orange County.

I walk into the Workforce office.  It is a big open room with computers lining the walls.  They made me sign a list and wait.  Then they told me to go to computer number 1.  There was no more conversation than that.  No recruiters, no classes.  The computer would only go the Workforce website.  In Orange County, Workforce Central Florida offices are internet cafes for people who don’t have computer or who have never touched a computer before in their life.  Absolutely no help at all for me except for one thing.  I decided to ask the “receptionist” if there is any other way to get a hold of a live person at DCF.  God BLESS that woman.  She told me that there is an office, but it goes by another name.  The DCF “welfare” office is called Access Community Center.  In Orlando it is located here.

So I go down to the Access Community Center where the woman I dealt with was very helpful and very friendly.  She told me how to get a live person on the phone too.  So when you call DCF at (866)762-2237 and want a live person here is what you need to do.  When prompted to make a choice press #, #, 3, 0.  If you do this in that orders it will place you on hold for a person.

Unemployed Life Week 4: Stupid is as stupid does

The second realization of the unspoken facts of unemployment is:  Dealing with the government is much like dealing with computers, they are very, very stupid and only do exactly what they are told to do.   Just like it is impossible for a computer to do anything other than what it is programed to too, it is impossible for a government employee to have one ounce of free thinking while on the clock, or for an agency to do what it is set up to do.  You see, the real purpose of government agencies is not to help people whether in the form of charity, education, policing etc…, the real purpose of government agencies is to process redundant systems of questions and hoops to jump through.  And if you don’t fit the square peg through the square hole precisely the way the policy of the agency says you should, or get the funny bone out without setting the buzzer off because you touched the side, you fail.  Do not pass Go and do not collect $200.

1)      One Office Doesn’t Talk To The Other

Now here is when you really find out just how screwed you are.  So you have filed for unemployment and are even collecting it.  You are approved and have received money for unemployment.  So the Florida Department for Economic Opportunity has already contacted your previous employer to verify your loss of employment so you don’t have to endure the embarrassment or anxiety of dealing again with the person who just fired you.

Next you decide to apply for Medicaid and food stamps since the unemployment you are receiving pays less than minimum wage and doesn’t amount to much.  You go to the Department ofChildren and Families to apply.  You fill out the most confusing form you have ever seen, asking for more information than even you know off the top of you head.  One of the questions being about if you are currently receiving unemployment benefits.  It even asks how much you receive from unemployment.  Now the logical assumption would be that they could verify this because they have your social security number and can cross reference with their employer, the State of Florida and see that this is true.  NO, NO, NO.  They make you give your former employer fill out a verification of loss of income form!  So you have to go face your former employer again.  Of course by the time I had to do this my pride was already gone so  que sera sera.

2)      Government Agencies Don’t Even Read Their Own Forms

Weeks ago I finally got a real live person on the phone down at the DCF office to find out what the holdup was for my assistance.  Remember my daughter has a serious medical condition and I am desperate to get her on Medicare.  The brain-dead moron on the other side of the phone insulted me.  He literally called me stupid, and reprimanded me for not turning in forms in time.  Forms I knew nothing about.  Then told me to get a lawyer!  In the end he said there was only two things missing to complete my assistance.

Within a few days I had those forms filled out and sent with proof of receipt to the idiot at DCF.  And I waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Finally I am told that they are missing a form.  One I was never told about by the jackass that berated me previously, and this one is the best.  I need a loss of income verification form for my minor daughter that has never had a job to lose in the first place!  If they would have looked at the original application they would had known this.  But now, the policy says they have to have this form for everyone.  So instead of seeing her age and using common sense the redundant system of stupidity of the system takes over.

So now yet another month passes and I don’t have assistance because if there is one thing you can guaranty in life is that if you trust it to the government to deal with it the not only can but they will mess it up.  They don’t have a choice because they only navigate according to policies and not business common sense.

Week Three: Navigating the Flotsam

By the third week of my new found unemployment I have succumb to the realization of numerous unspoken facts.  The first realization thrust upon me is that the system is set up to keep you from lying, however, built inherently into the situation is the mounting pressure to lie.

1)      The Truth Takes Time.

Now, I know this doesn’t sound quite right but hear me out.  The first thing unemployment requires is that you look for at least 5 jobs a week.  Easy enough, right?  Not, really.  Because to enable you to do this properly I keep a journal of what jobs, when, where and all that stuff.  This is because you are actually 2-3 weeks behind when filling out you claim information.  I don’t know about anyone else but I know I can’t remember all the information that well weeks later.  I mean what if the State actually checks up on me then I am guilty of fraud. 

Here in lies the problem, the State doesn’t ask for much info.  So you could pretty much say anything and save allot of time not searching and writing it down, writing all the cover letters and following up on the longshot job you are applying for because you are still hopeful.

2)      The Truth Hurts Your Chances.

This again goes against my ethics.  I was raised and still believe that telling the truth is the best thing you can do.  The truth will set you free.  Of course it also can make you overqualified to be underemployed.  And this is the real problem you start to find about the third week of looking for a job.  If you have a good resume, good references and an overall good job record you are inherently screwed in the present economy, short of having an “in” on a job.  This is because you start applying for jobs that pay more than unemployment does but do not cover you monthly bills.  You are seeking to be underemployed just to keep the mortgage and car payments a float.

The truth is that by seeking to be underemployed you are actually overqualified and thus your chances are dramatically hurt.  Employers know that you can get something better and will most likely leave; it’s just a matter of time.  So the situation pressures you to lie on your resume or application.  The only reason you are seeking to be underemployed is the people more qualified for higher positions are taking the job that you are actually perfectly qualified for.  And thus the vicious circle perpetuates cycle of carnage against the human psyche.

3)      The Truth Will Be Rejected.

By the third week I have started to actually receive my unemployment check.  WOW!  I have never found myself so excited to make lower than minimum wage before.   Now if only the other assistance would kick in.  Oh ya, I sent it all in and they don’t believe me and want more verification.  If I would have lied I would already be eating steak every night with free health care.  But of course I didn’t lie, and I only want the assistance actually really help my family temporarily. 

Somewhere around the 20^th day the depression/frustration set in.   The lie/truth of the situation being that I cannot provide for my family.  The longer I am unemployed, the stronger the feeling grows inside.  Festering, causing a caustic attitude to everything I do and say.  It comes out sometimes at when I least expect it.  I am so very grateful that my wife has been very understanding.  Lately she is the one who takes the brunt of the emotions since we are both home together so much now.

Thanksgiving came and went.  And while I had a good time with all the family being together I still felt like a hypocrite for I am not very thankful this year.  Christmas came and went, and even watching my granddaughter and her happiness of the magic of Christmas for one of her age does not overcome the disease growing inside of me caused by the brokenness of the situation.  I know people who use the system and are doing better than I who have no intention of getting a job.  But I won’t lie on the application and the gov’t tends not to reward people for the truth.  I guess that has always been my problem.  I tell people what they need to hear and not what they want to hear.  I just don’t have it in me to follow the impulse of the system.