| The long story short is this: I cannot survive by blogging for free and making little money writing. I am essentially asking you to "hire" me - the same request I made back when I lost my job and so many people responded. If you kick in a few bucks - and many people do so too - then I'll be able to continue spending as much time as I do now (or more because I won't be diverted by looking for jobs) researching and writing. Otherwise, I need to get a job - and soon.
I've been without a formal job since last March 4. I should have gotten quite a bit in unemployment, but since California is bankrupt, the system is here is beyond awful. It took me about six months to get paid unemployment for 5 weeks, a total of $2250. During 2009, I was paid about $6000 or so for writing, research, and speaking. But because the entire economy is in shambles, one of my regular income sources died last month. I've gotten the rest of my living expenses from donations and by cashing out about $10,000 from my 401k. And I've cut my expenses. My rent is less than half of what it was before and I now eat meals at home instead of out.
For the past several months, I've been applying for jobs. I don't want a job, particularly. I can do a better job as a writer and activist without one. Jobs don't let you blog during work and they certainly don't let you take time off to travel to conferences or to speak to audiences. Most of all, I am limited by my migraine condition. I get severe migraines from CRT computer monitors, non-flat screen TVs, compact fluorescent lightbulbs, and projectors. I also get headaches (although the onset is much slower) from flat screen TVs and from fluorescent lights. In other words, most work environments are painful to me. It's ironic because I've got the job skills to make a lot of money, but when I actually have a job making that much, my life is miserable. All I do is work, sleep off a headache, and do the bare minimum to function - go to the bathroom, shower, eat (typically not very well since I'm in a hurry to get to work or get to bed and my head hurts). Then on the weekend I spend all of my time doing what I couldn't do during the week (laundry, dishes) and trying to do healthy things that prevent headaches (hiking, massage). This was bad enough when I lived alone, but now I live with my boyfriend and his children and it would be incredibly awful not just for me but for them. I'd be a headachy zombie during the week - all week, every week.
Nonetheless, I've been applying for jobs. All kinds of jobs. Writing, editing, admin assistant, HR, software, non-profit, you name it. I even applied at an organic plant nursery. I might apply at Whole Foods Market. I've worked there before and the pay isn't great ($10/hour) - plus, I got fat because I couldn't stop eating the food in the bakery. I gained 20 lbs on that job. That's the main reason why I don't want to work there again. I don't get such a migraine at Whole Foods, so that's the perk of working there. But, unlike an office job, I would spend each 8 hour shift away from the computer and the blog would certainly suffer. The up-side of office jobs is that I'm on the computer all day, although I, er, um... TOTALLY would NEVER blog during work.
Despite the numerous resumes I've sent out, I haven't heard back for even ONE. Not one. It's quite amazing because I am applying to jobs that I am incredibly overqualified for. But I guess in this economy, that's how it goes.
So, if you value this site - and my work on this site - please click the subscribe button to the right of this diary and kick in $10/month.
Thank you. |
