Response ON UNEMPLOYMENT..Human BEING not Human Doing

In response to self pitying male during heart of Recession:

I would like to say this having spent at least half my working career unemployed. Especially in construction one never works steady except the few....the rest of us go back to the Hall between jobs and projects. Construction was particularly hit hard in the Recession in California. Whereas Californians had a 12% unemployment rate in the heart of Recession, us Construction workers had a 25% or higher rate of unemployment. 

With so many houses being repossessed and foreclosed on, there was no new housing construction or new projects bid on. Even the school upgrades, my summer bread and butter, the State could not afford to maintain because less tax base with so many Californians out of work. Add to the fact I am a Female is a whole other layer of discrimination.

It was too late for me in 2013, it damaged my self esteem applying for job after job and not getting any steady work. We had to leave California for the rural Midwest where the pay was lousy but at least there WAS work. In fact they are DESPERATE for good workers.

I have ALOT of PTSD issues around work and work situations as a result but guess what?
Being Lesbian I support MYSELF, and work is just as important to me as any man, so stop your male self pity, you would get a shot at a job before me. But I AM MORE THAN A JOB. I have hobbies, interests, a spirituality, friends, sports I engage in. I define myself by MYSELF, not by what I do. There is so much MORE to EACH OF US than what we do for a living. Do you play music? Are you creatively talented on the computer?  Do you like to write, create art, travel, belong to alternative communities, have dreams and visions you can realize without alot of money? Can you build with your hands?

Perhaps an avocation can become a vocation. I want to realize my Calling, that is not paid work necessarily.

While unemployment is devastating think of those on disability, either physical or mental. They may not be able to be in the workforce or only parttine, or they may use their time to volunteer. They are fine people but are unable to keep up with the fast paced stressfull business world others can...so they have found ways to enrich themselves and DEFINE THEMSELVES other than paid work. Perhaps they like to carve creatures in wood, or decorate things, others wallow in depression, or they have a good ear for their friends. The same could be said for time unemployed. Just remember we are human beings, not human doings....-FeistyAmazon