madskier6
Member
I haven't been posting much here at AZ, in case you haven't noticed. The reason is I have been hit pretty hard by the effects of the 2008-2009 recession/financial meltdown. I got laid-off from my job in September 2008 & have been put through the ringer for the last 10 months, both financially & emotionally. Fortunately, my misery came to an end this past week: I just completed my first week of work at a new job. I'm very happy to finally be back in the world of wage earners paying taxes & contributing to our economy.
Being unemployed put a severe strain on my ski season in 08-09. I only got out about 10 times when previously, I averaged 25-30 days. I didn't participate in the 2nd Sundown Bump Comp & I wanted to be there. Spending money on skiing when you're struggling to pay the basic bills & put food on the table just doesn't make much sense. I soon began to learn what was important in life.
I lost my job at probably the worst time economically in the last 30 years. Jobs were few & far between but I had an optimistic outlook. I figured I'd have a job by Thanksgiving or Christmas at the latest. After all, I previously had a good recession-proof type of position and a good resume so how hard could it be? Oh boy, was I in for a reality check. I would never have believed it would take me 10 months to secure a job.
Thank God for the unemployment compensation system. Otherwise, I would never have survived. While it was very difficult to support my family of 6 on 22% of my previous earnings, there is no way I would have lasted without that 22%. Now that I'm gainfully employed at a salary comparable to, although still lower than, my previous job, I feel like I can finally pull my head above water financially.
In the end, my experiences during this recession have made me a better person. I've learned to appreciate the simple things in life. My relationships with my wife and children, while strained during the period of unemployment, have in the long run been strengthened significantly. This experience has also taught my children some important lessons about life. They've learned to do more with less & to not assume that Mom & Dad can always pay for anything they want to do.
Anyway, I thought I would share my experience to explain my absence from AZ & to provide a positive story about this nasty economic downturn we're experiencing. I don't want to turn this into a negative, depressing thread but how has the recession affected you or someone you know?
Being unemployed put a severe strain on my ski season in 08-09. I only got out about 10 times when previously, I averaged 25-30 days. I didn't participate in the 2nd Sundown Bump Comp & I wanted to be there. Spending money on skiing when you're struggling to pay the basic bills & put food on the table just doesn't make much sense. I soon began to learn what was important in life.
I lost my job at probably the worst time economically in the last 30 years. Jobs were few & far between but I had an optimistic outlook. I figured I'd have a job by Thanksgiving or Christmas at the latest. After all, I previously had a good recession-proof type of position and a good resume so how hard could it be? Oh boy, was I in for a reality check. I would never have believed it would take me 10 months to secure a job.
Thank God for the unemployment compensation system. Otherwise, I would never have survived. While it was very difficult to support my family of 6 on 22% of my previous earnings, there is no way I would have lasted without that 22%. Now that I'm gainfully employed at a salary comparable to, although still lower than, my previous job, I feel like I can finally pull my head above water financially.
In the end, my experiences during this recession have made me a better person. I've learned to appreciate the simple things in life. My relationships with my wife and children, while strained during the period of unemployment, have in the long run been strengthened significantly. This experience has also taught my children some important lessons about life. They've learned to do more with less & to not assume that Mom & Dad can always pay for anything they want to do.
Anyway, I thought I would share my experience to explain my absence from AZ & to provide a positive story about this nasty economic downturn we're experiencing. I don't want to turn this into a negative, depressing thread but how has the recession affected you or someone you know?
