So, I finally got through to the Tennessee Unemployment Office a few weeks ago. After 130+ calls to numerous phone numbers, unhelpful automated messages, indifferent/condescending attitudes from people at local offices, and a hint that I might be going insane I finally got the number to ring. So then I sat on hold for almost an hour and half before a human came on the line.
I'm not complaining about sitting on hold. I understand the entire operation is....bungled (I'm trying not to fly into a tirade). But my question is: If people have to sit on hold for over an hour after getting the line to ring why aren't they allowed to sit on hold from the start? Why make people call and call and call while giving them an automatic recording if they're going to be on hold once they get through anyway? Wouldn't the simpler, and less discouraging, way be to do away with the automated message, allow callers to be placed on hold immediately, and inform them that it could be a very, very long wait? At least the caller would know they are in line and moving, however slowly it might be, toward progress.
The current system of having one number to call seems to be causing a bottleneck. And this bottleneck is causing all kinds of tangible and intangible effects on unemployed Tennesseans. I felt extreme depression and disillusionment while unemployed. Having already been told I wasn't wanted/needed anymore I was then forced to acknowledge I could not provide for my family alone and needed to seek help. Help that I had been contributing to with taxes I had been paying for many years. And then to be met with a metaphorical brick wall was discouraging, to say the least.
This morning I received two messages, one as a comment to my previous blog post, one as a direct email from a reader, that mentioned depression about their situation, fear at their future prospects, and even suicide. To herd already downtrodden people to one over-crowded, apparently under-staffed feed trough appears misguided and ultimately harmful. When people are in a fragile financial and mental state the last thing they need is a seemingly impossible gauntlet just to feed themselves.
My story turned out okay. I finally got through, found a job after four months, and should be starting this week. But I can't take credit for it all. I still attribute my success with the Tennessee Unemployment Office to luck. I feel like if my call had been a few seconds earlier or later then I would have received the same unhelpful message and one more metaphorical kick in the gut. Keeping my spirits above the disaster mark was 95% friends and family. Finding a job turned out to be a lucky opening at a company where a close friend worked which was enough to get me in the door. The only part I can take credit for is the actual interview process.
But what about the people who don't have any emergency fund? The ones living paycheck to paycheck, who could be out of food, shelter, and options within a matter of weeks if they were laid off? What about people with no family to lean on, whether it be merely because of distance or because of some past family drama? What about the people with a high school education who have worked at the same job for 20 years who are suddenly thrust into a situation where they have to start over? These people need assistance and they can't afford to wait for it.
It's not difficult to see how someone in one of these situations would see suicide as an option, even briefly. When it seems like you have nowhere else to turn, when it seems like you're being ignored by the very people who are supposed to help you, life can seem unbearable.
If you are in this situation please listen to me: You are not alone. No matter how hopeless your situation may seem it is never beyond recovery. No matter how many people treat you with indifference or animosity there are many more willing to help.
- National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255
- Here is a link to many, many different agencies and programs who provide all kinds of assistance for unemployed Americans.
Use these resources. If you need additional assistance, or you just need to talk to someone, my contact email is listed in the right-hand column. Or you can leave a comment and other readers can help.
Don't give up. Don't ever give up.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
No Man's Land
I have no idea what I'm doing with my life. I wake up every day with no idea what I'm doing. I don't feel like an adult, even though I pretend to be one every day. I don't want to spend the next 40 years in a cubicle and I'm not ready to give up on my dreams. But I have a mortgage and two kids. I clearly am an adult. I'm living in no man's land. I have the hopes and dreams of a college kid with all the drama and responsibilities of a full-fledged adult.
So what does that mean? Does that mean that I'm just being a selfish, whiny bitch by not wanting to join the normal workforce? I look at our income, with the small amount of unemployment that I'm getting, and say "If we're paying the bills and we're not starving then why do I feel like I have to make more money than that?" But that falls apart when you consider we don't have health insurance, or savings for my kids' college, or more than six month's worth of retirement, or a second car to actually drive to work and not leave my wife without transportation. When I factor in all those things I ask myself how we were even paying the bills when I had a job.
I don't want to put on my monkey suit and corporate smile five days a week while I count the hours until I can go home, see my family for a couple of hours, try to sleep, and do it all over again. But I don't want to be the 40 year old asking if you have any coupons for your purchase either.
I have no idea who the hell I am or what I want to be when I grow up.
Some days I think I'm insane. Some days I think I'm just depressed. But most days I'm afraid. I'm afraid that I looked too closely at the mindless monotony of corporate America, saw what a clusterfuck it was, and decided I wanted no part of it. But I have no back-up plan. No brilliant idea to keep me out of the grind.
My previous post talked about my desire to open my own business, do things my way, and take full control of my life. I have since been informed, by many people, that I'm an idiot who should probably just give up and punch a button every day while someone else decides my fate.
And I don't know who's right.
So what does that mean? Does that mean that I'm just being a selfish, whiny bitch by not wanting to join the normal workforce? I look at our income, with the small amount of unemployment that I'm getting, and say "If we're paying the bills and we're not starving then why do I feel like I have to make more money than that?" But that falls apart when you consider we don't have health insurance, or savings for my kids' college, or more than six month's worth of retirement, or a second car to actually drive to work and not leave my wife without transportation. When I factor in all those things I ask myself how we were even paying the bills when I had a job.
I don't want to put on my monkey suit and corporate smile five days a week while I count the hours until I can go home, see my family for a couple of hours, try to sleep, and do it all over again. But I don't want to be the 40 year old asking if you have any coupons for your purchase either.
I have no idea who the hell I am or what I want to be when I grow up.
Some days I think I'm insane. Some days I think I'm just depressed. But most days I'm afraid. I'm afraid that I looked too closely at the mindless monotony of corporate America, saw what a clusterfuck it was, and decided I wanted no part of it. But I have no back-up plan. No brilliant idea to keep me out of the grind.
My previous post talked about my desire to open my own business, do things my way, and take full control of my life. I have since been informed, by many people, that I'm an idiot who should probably just give up and punch a button every day while someone else decides my fate.
And I don't know who's right.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Here's the Will, but Where's the Way?
My bout with joblessness has rekindled a flame that I thought died a while ago: I want to open my own business. I've toyed with the idea several times before but it never went very far. Computer repair shop, comic book shop, bookstore. It seems I'm drawn to industries that are either dying or over-saturated.
The computer repair shop would be most similar to what I've done before but that's a good and bad thing. I like computers, but I like them when they work. Fixing the occasional problem is fine, and I fixed problems all day every day for years, but going to work every day knowing that feeding your family depends on fixing other people's mistakes would be draining.
I love books and I think a love of reading is the most important skill a child can ever develop, but no one buys books anymore. Second-hand bookstores and ebooks have drastically changed the industry. And not necessarily for the worse. Jumping in this industry now would be disastrous.
The craziest idea that ever actually took hold in my brain was the comic book shop. Comics are relatively cheap, on an individual basis. And they are a fantastic tool for getting kids to WANT to learn to read. My son started reading by sounding out the action words (BLAM! KRAKADOOOOOM!!!) as I read comics to him and naturally progressed to other picture books and then on to chapter books. I have all kinds of ideas. Bundled discounts, pre-ordering discounts, cross-marketing with similar/adjacent businesses, kids night (bring your kid to come hear us read a new kids comic and when the reading is done one kid gets randomly selected to take the comic home for free), a good report card means an extra discount on comics, etc. But a comic shop means ridiculous amounts of overhead. New product needs to be purchased every single week. And without going into the details of the vendor purchasing situation in the comic industry I'll say it's pretty unforgiving to newcomers.
So I'm left with an unrelenting desire to strike out on my own, be my own boss, and build a business from the ground up, but I have no smart sounding business idea to pair with the desire. I'm prepared to obsessively work twenty hours a day every day to get my business off of the ground, but nothing to obsess over.
I feel like I'm back in tenth grade trying to decide what to do with my life, thinking "It seems daunting now, but by the time I'm 25 I'll have figured it out and have a few years under my belt." Well, I'm 26 now and don't feel like I've figured anything out. I worked for almost five years building skills and getting experience in my chosen industry, but now it looks like I'll need to start over if I want to stay in the same industry. And I feel like if I'm going to spend another five years starting from the bottom again, pouring every ounce of my passion into a project, shouldn't I blaze a path on my own and benefit in the long run?
So if anyone wants to throw some substantial capital my way I can 100% guarantee that it won't be squandered. You may very well lose every penny you invest, but it will be exciting. The eventual success/failure will be nothing short of spectacular.
(My sales pitch needs some work.)
The computer repair shop would be most similar to what I've done before but that's a good and bad thing. I like computers, but I like them when they work. Fixing the occasional problem is fine, and I fixed problems all day every day for years, but going to work every day knowing that feeding your family depends on fixing other people's mistakes would be draining.
I love books and I think a love of reading is the most important skill a child can ever develop, but no one buys books anymore. Second-hand bookstores and ebooks have drastically changed the industry. And not necessarily for the worse. Jumping in this industry now would be disastrous.
The craziest idea that ever actually took hold in my brain was the comic book shop. Comics are relatively cheap, on an individual basis. And they are a fantastic tool for getting kids to WANT to learn to read. My son started reading by sounding out the action words (BLAM! KRAKADOOOOOM!!!) as I read comics to him and naturally progressed to other picture books and then on to chapter books. I have all kinds of ideas. Bundled discounts, pre-ordering discounts, cross-marketing with similar/adjacent businesses, kids night (bring your kid to come hear us read a new kids comic and when the reading is done one kid gets randomly selected to take the comic home for free), a good report card means an extra discount on comics, etc. But a comic shop means ridiculous amounts of overhead. New product needs to be purchased every single week. And without going into the details of the vendor purchasing situation in the comic industry I'll say it's pretty unforgiving to newcomers.
So I'm left with an unrelenting desire to strike out on my own, be my own boss, and build a business from the ground up, but I have no smart sounding business idea to pair with the desire. I'm prepared to obsessively work twenty hours a day every day to get my business off of the ground, but nothing to obsess over.
I feel like I'm back in tenth grade trying to decide what to do with my life, thinking "It seems daunting now, but by the time I'm 25 I'll have figured it out and have a few years under my belt." Well, I'm 26 now and don't feel like I've figured anything out. I worked for almost five years building skills and getting experience in my chosen industry, but now it looks like I'll need to start over if I want to stay in the same industry. And I feel like if I'm going to spend another five years starting from the bottom again, pouring every ounce of my passion into a project, shouldn't I blaze a path on my own and benefit in the long run?
So if anyone wants to throw some substantial capital my way I can 100% guarantee that it won't be squandered. You may very well lose every penny you invest, but it will be exciting. The eventual success/failure will be nothing short of spectacular.
(My sales pitch needs some work.)
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Dear Tennessee Unemployment Office
Dear Tennessee Unemployment Office,
I have humbled myself enough so I can acknowledge that I need your assistance. It was very difficult for me to make this decision. I originally filed the paperwork on April 2nd but I just tried to do my first weekly check-in on May 14th. I received paperwork from you the week after my initial contact informing me that I am eligible for unemployment benefits.
From that time until now I have struggled with the decision to partake in unemployment benefits. But two months after my lay-off I am beginning to see the distinct lack of jobs for my skill and experience range. Entry level jobs do not pay enough and administration and management jobs are out of my experience range. Although, one would ask, how can I get experience as an administrator or IT manager when every job listing for those positions requires extensive previous experience? It seems a paradox (which is quite fitting for my blog but quite unhelpful in feeding my children).
But the hiring practices of various IT departments are not your concern. I was unable to login to the online weekly check-in site and was directed to call a phone number. If I decipher the wording in your help documents correctly, it seems that the PIN for online access needs to be setup either the first time I attempt to login or by phone. I do not remember logging in at all, this being the first time I have attempted to do my weekly certification, so I do not suspect that is the issue. It is probably my fault for not calling sooner. Or it could be that you have placed a hold on my account due to my lack of check-ins and require me to call and have it reactivated. Regardless, I need to speak with you on the phone to proceed any further. Here's where my issues arise.
I began calling the toll free 877 number listed in your help documents at 8 AM Monday morning. I received a message saying you could not take my call due to an extremely high call volume. It seemed kind of silly not to even allow people to sit on hold but I gave you the benefit of the doubt. It was early morning on a regular weekly check-in day and I suspected you were quite busy. Calling numerous times throughout the day yielded the same message. My last call that day was somewhere between 4 PM and 5 PM. I made many more attempts the next day, all resulting in the same "We cannot take your call" message.
I scoured your website and found a local Nashville number, which routed to the same message I had been receiving, and a number for weekly phone check-ins. This was surprising seeing as how I attributed your high call volume to the normal weekly check-ins. Learning that it was a separate, automated number was unexpected. I also found a fax number which I found amusing. First, because it's 2012, and second, because I find it hard to believe that someone contacting the unemployment office would have ready access to a fax machine. I proceeded to call the weekly check-in line, entered my social security number, and was told I was ineligible to use that number and needed to call their help center.
Hilariously, that was the same number I was originally calling.
I tried numerous times that day with my final attempt coming once again somewhere between 4 PM and 5 PM. I once again attempted to call today and received the same message. I eventually looked up the number for the local labor and workforce development office and phoned them. The ultra-personable lady who answered the phone informed me that they had nothing to do with weekly check-ins and directed me to, say it with me now, the SAME DAMN PHONE NUMBER.
So, Tennessee Unemployment Office, after mentally berating myself for weeks, trying to reconcile the idea of an intelligent man in his mid-twenties with a computer degree, 5 years of applicable experience, and 3 years of management experience from a previous job somehow needing unemployment assistance, I decided to seek your help. But now I find a seemingly endless loop of pseudo-functioning phone numbers and unreachable employees. I have cast aside my pride and sense of self-subsistence to reach out for assistance. Is it necessary to make me beg for it as well?
Humbly and Sincerely,
Andrew Stephenson
I have humbled myself enough so I can acknowledge that I need your assistance. It was very difficult for me to make this decision. I originally filed the paperwork on April 2nd but I just tried to do my first weekly check-in on May 14th. I received paperwork from you the week after my initial contact informing me that I am eligible for unemployment benefits.
From that time until now I have struggled with the decision to partake in unemployment benefits. But two months after my lay-off I am beginning to see the distinct lack of jobs for my skill and experience range. Entry level jobs do not pay enough and administration and management jobs are out of my experience range. Although, one would ask, how can I get experience as an administrator or IT manager when every job listing for those positions requires extensive previous experience? It seems a paradox (which is quite fitting for my blog but quite unhelpful in feeding my children).
But the hiring practices of various IT departments are not your concern. I was unable to login to the online weekly check-in site and was directed to call a phone number. If I decipher the wording in your help documents correctly, it seems that the PIN for online access needs to be setup either the first time I attempt to login or by phone. I do not remember logging in at all, this being the first time I have attempted to do my weekly certification, so I do not suspect that is the issue. It is probably my fault for not calling sooner. Or it could be that you have placed a hold on my account due to my lack of check-ins and require me to call and have it reactivated. Regardless, I need to speak with you on the phone to proceed any further. Here's where my issues arise.
I began calling the toll free 877 number listed in your help documents at 8 AM Monday morning. I received a message saying you could not take my call due to an extremely high call volume. It seemed kind of silly not to even allow people to sit on hold but I gave you the benefit of the doubt. It was early morning on a regular weekly check-in day and I suspected you were quite busy. Calling numerous times throughout the day yielded the same message. My last call that day was somewhere between 4 PM and 5 PM. I made many more attempts the next day, all resulting in the same "We cannot take your call" message.
I scoured your website and found a local Nashville number, which routed to the same message I had been receiving, and a number for weekly phone check-ins. This was surprising seeing as how I attributed your high call volume to the normal weekly check-ins. Learning that it was a separate, automated number was unexpected. I also found a fax number which I found amusing. First, because it's 2012, and second, because I find it hard to believe that someone contacting the unemployment office would have ready access to a fax machine. I proceeded to call the weekly check-in line, entered my social security number, and was told I was ineligible to use that number and needed to call their help center.
Hilariously, that was the same number I was originally calling.
I tried numerous times that day with my final attempt coming once again somewhere between 4 PM and 5 PM. I once again attempted to call today and received the same message. I eventually looked up the number for the local labor and workforce development office and phoned them. The ultra-personable lady who answered the phone informed me that they had nothing to do with weekly check-ins and directed me to, say it with me now, the SAME DAMN PHONE NUMBER.
So, Tennessee Unemployment Office, after mentally berating myself for weeks, trying to reconcile the idea of an intelligent man in his mid-twenties with a computer degree, 5 years of applicable experience, and 3 years of management experience from a previous job somehow needing unemployment assistance, I decided to seek your help. But now I find a seemingly endless loop of pseudo-functioning phone numbers and unreachable employees. I have cast aside my pride and sense of self-subsistence to reach out for assistance. Is it necessary to make me beg for it as well?
Humbly and Sincerely,
Andrew Stephenson
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Marriage Equality
There are many things that I do not understand. Some of those being complex concepts needing years of intense study to even understand the terminology. But there are other things I just can't get my brain to grasp.
One of the things most confounding for my brain is the opposition to marriage equality. (Or gay marriage, if you insist on calling it that. Although, homosexual people don't have gay driver's licenses or gay prescription glasses so calling it gay marriage is a bit silly.) I honestly cannot think of one reason NOT to support marriage equality. No one, other than the two individuals actually getting married, would be affected in the slightest. Not allowing something just because you don't like it is one of the most ignorant and selfish things I can imagine.
Allowing same-sex marriage doesn't force anyone to engage in a same-sex marriage anymore than allowing smoking forces someone to smoke. I can understand, but don't agree with, the people who demonize smokers. Smoking in public affects everyone around. Same-sex marriage does not. You can't "catch" gay.
Allowing same-sex marriage also does not cheapen "traditional" marriage. Traditional marriage vows have already been cheapened by the actions of husbands and wives for centuries.
I don't want to delve into religion but the VAST majority of opposition that I've heard against marriage equality is rooted, partially if not entirely, in religious beliefs. Basing laws on a particular religion is not only narrow-minded but also illegal.
And the argument that it's "gross" or "unnatural" is just stupid. First, denying a gay man the ability to marry his partner doesn't make him question his sexual orientation. He will still be gay, but not allowed to make the same public commitment his straight friends can. Second, homosexuality has been around as long as humans have, maybe longer. To call it unnatural is ignorant and would be akin to calling red hair unnatural just because it's not as prevalent as blonde hair. Third, universally banning something because a minority find it unappealing is insane. By that rationale I would like to ban mayonnaise because it is both gross and unnatural. Screw you and your turkey sandwich, I think mayo is gross and I can't get plenty of people to vote with me on that.
North Carolina passed a disgusting amendment yesterday. One that says some residents of their state are entitled to more basic human rights than others. I don't even pretend to understand what it's like to be denied a human right based on a prejudice. I'm a heterosexual, white male in the United States. The world is built in my favor. But I seethe when I hear of human rights and freedoms being selectively distributed.
President Obama spoke out today in support of marriage equality and is getting lots of reaction from both camps. I'm glad he made his view public but I do think it's ridiculous that it's such a big story when our president reveals he's not a bigoted asshole about something.
Contrary to how North Carolinians voted, gay Americans are actual humans who deserve actual human rights. Do we support rights for all American humans or do our rights change based on our zip code?
One of the things most confounding for my brain is the opposition to marriage equality. (Or gay marriage, if you insist on calling it that. Although, homosexual people don't have gay driver's licenses or gay prescription glasses so calling it gay marriage is a bit silly.) I honestly cannot think of one reason NOT to support marriage equality. No one, other than the two individuals actually getting married, would be affected in the slightest. Not allowing something just because you don't like it is one of the most ignorant and selfish things I can imagine.
Allowing same-sex marriage doesn't force anyone to engage in a same-sex marriage anymore than allowing smoking forces someone to smoke. I can understand, but don't agree with, the people who demonize smokers. Smoking in public affects everyone around. Same-sex marriage does not. You can't "catch" gay.
Allowing same-sex marriage also does not cheapen "traditional" marriage. Traditional marriage vows have already been cheapened by the actions of husbands and wives for centuries.
I don't want to delve into religion but the VAST majority of opposition that I've heard against marriage equality is rooted, partially if not entirely, in religious beliefs. Basing laws on a particular religion is not only narrow-minded but also illegal.
And the argument that it's "gross" or "unnatural" is just stupid. First, denying a gay man the ability to marry his partner doesn't make him question his sexual orientation. He will still be gay, but not allowed to make the same public commitment his straight friends can. Second, homosexuality has been around as long as humans have, maybe longer. To call it unnatural is ignorant and would be akin to calling red hair unnatural just because it's not as prevalent as blonde hair. Third, universally banning something because a minority find it unappealing is insane. By that rationale I would like to ban mayonnaise because it is both gross and unnatural. Screw you and your turkey sandwich, I think mayo is gross and I can't get plenty of people to vote with me on that.
North Carolina passed a disgusting amendment yesterday. One that says some residents of their state are entitled to more basic human rights than others. I don't even pretend to understand what it's like to be denied a human right based on a prejudice. I'm a heterosexual, white male in the United States. The world is built in my favor. But I seethe when I hear of human rights and freedoms being selectively distributed.
President Obama spoke out today in support of marriage equality and is getting lots of reaction from both camps. I'm glad he made his view public but I do think it's ridiculous that it's such a big story when our president reveals he's not a bigoted asshole about something.
Contrary to how North Carolinians voted, gay Americans are actual humans who deserve actual human rights. Do we support rights for all American humans or do our rights change based on our zip code?
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Lost
Being unemployed has caused its fair share of complications. But not the ones I was initially worried about.
Money's not tight, yet. I'm not going stir crazy (my wife may beg to differ). And the "worthless, unemployed loser" has subsided, a bit.
The scariest part about being unemployed is I'm almost enjoying it. I knew I was unhappy in my previous position but I am starting to realize the mental toll it was taking on my life. My stress level had gotten so high that I don't think I ever came down. I would spend all day Saturday gradually coming down from the never-ending drama of the work week, never fully letting it go. And I would spend all Sunday ratcheting the stress level back up by worrying about things I needed to do in the coming week. And of course bringing work stress home with you is great for the whole household. I never found a way to give my brain a break. Rinse and repeat for four years and you get my mental state, as of a month ago.
I spent the first week of unemployment relaxing with my family. It was my son's spring break from school so I made a conscious effort to focus on family and leave the job hunt alone until the following week. It worked for a few days. I ended up applying for several jobs late that Friday under the guise that my resume would be waiting for the companies on Monday morning.
I got a response from an application for a job which listed qualifications a bit over my head. But I was excited. How great would it be to find a new job before I received my final paycheck from my previous job? Alas, this "job opportunity" turned out to be a staffing firm just wanting to get my information into their system. If the meeting had been presented as such I would not have hesitated to meet. But the correspondence was worded as though I was in consideration for this particular position. It was disappointing, to say the least. Nevertheless, the gentleman was incredibly personable and helpful, giving many suggestions about my resume.
I have since sent my resume to several more places and have made it through a phone interview and one in-person interview with one place. This company looks to be an ideal situation for me. Work smart, play hard. Is there a better motto than that?
(Update: Since writing the draft for this post I received a response from this company. Alas, I am apparently not what they are looking for at this time. That really hurts. I just wish I knew more about why. Was is something I said? Or didn't say? Do I not have the needed skills? Was I too reserved? Did I come on too strong? I have replayed the entire interview in my head dozens of times and still can't pinpoint the problem. I think this is how insanity begins.)
I'm struggling with my reaction to unemployed life. Weirdly, the emotion I feel most is guilt. For some reason I feel guilty that I'm not going insane. And I don't really understand that.
I filled out all the paperwork for unemployment benefits. All that's left is for me to check in every Monday to get the money. That was three weeks ago. I can't bring myself to do it. I have paid into the fund through my taxes for almost ten years. Why is it so hard for me to take money to which, by all legal accounts, I am entitled? It just feels dishonest to me. Unemployment payments should be for people struggling to feed, clothe, and shelter their family. I'm not there yet. To take money without really needing just feels like stealing. Add to this my feeling that taking something out of availability rather than necessity is what's killing humanity, and it makes it virtually impossible for me to accept unemployment benefits.
So I carry on, seeking my next employment opportunity, still trying to decide what I want to do with my life. I do not doubt my abilities. But I'm beginning to lose confidence in my professional focus. I want to do so many different things that I'm finding it incredibly difficult to look for jobs. I spend more time staring at a search prompt, trying to decide what phrase to use, than I do looking at actual job descriptions.
I'm in my late twenties. I'm supposed to at least have my career field narrowed down by now, right? I just want to go to work, feel like I'm contributing to society, and come home to my family. I don't want fortune and stock options. I don't seek titles and power.
I don't have a happy, concise ending to this rant. And I have no idea if it even makes any sense. But I guess that's the perfect metaphor for my life.
Money's not tight, yet. I'm not going stir crazy (my wife may beg to differ). And the "worthless, unemployed loser" has subsided, a bit.
The scariest part about being unemployed is I'm almost enjoying it. I knew I was unhappy in my previous position but I am starting to realize the mental toll it was taking on my life. My stress level had gotten so high that I don't think I ever came down. I would spend all day Saturday gradually coming down from the never-ending drama of the work week, never fully letting it go. And I would spend all Sunday ratcheting the stress level back up by worrying about things I needed to do in the coming week. And of course bringing work stress home with you is great for the whole household. I never found a way to give my brain a break. Rinse and repeat for four years and you get my mental state, as of a month ago.
I spent the first week of unemployment relaxing with my family. It was my son's spring break from school so I made a conscious effort to focus on family and leave the job hunt alone until the following week. It worked for a few days. I ended up applying for several jobs late that Friday under the guise that my resume would be waiting for the companies on Monday morning.
I got a response from an application for a job which listed qualifications a bit over my head. But I was excited. How great would it be to find a new job before I received my final paycheck from my previous job? Alas, this "job opportunity" turned out to be a staffing firm just wanting to get my information into their system. If the meeting had been presented as such I would not have hesitated to meet. But the correspondence was worded as though I was in consideration for this particular position. It was disappointing, to say the least. Nevertheless, the gentleman was incredibly personable and helpful, giving many suggestions about my resume.
I have since sent my resume to several more places and have made it through a phone interview and one in-person interview with one place. This company looks to be an ideal situation for me. Work smart, play hard. Is there a better motto than that?
(Update: Since writing the draft for this post I received a response from this company. Alas, I am apparently not what they are looking for at this time. That really hurts. I just wish I knew more about why. Was is something I said? Or didn't say? Do I not have the needed skills? Was I too reserved? Did I come on too strong? I have replayed the entire interview in my head dozens of times and still can't pinpoint the problem. I think this is how insanity begins.)
I'm struggling with my reaction to unemployed life. Weirdly, the emotion I feel most is guilt. For some reason I feel guilty that I'm not going insane. And I don't really understand that.
I filled out all the paperwork for unemployment benefits. All that's left is for me to check in every Monday to get the money. That was three weeks ago. I can't bring myself to do it. I have paid into the fund through my taxes for almost ten years. Why is it so hard for me to take money to which, by all legal accounts, I am entitled? It just feels dishonest to me. Unemployment payments should be for people struggling to feed, clothe, and shelter their family. I'm not there yet. To take money without really needing just feels like stealing. Add to this my feeling that taking something out of availability rather than necessity is what's killing humanity, and it makes it virtually impossible for me to accept unemployment benefits.
So I carry on, seeking my next employment opportunity, still trying to decide what I want to do with my life. I do not doubt my abilities. But I'm beginning to lose confidence in my professional focus. I want to do so many different things that I'm finding it incredibly difficult to look for jobs. I spend more time staring at a search prompt, trying to decide what phrase to use, than I do looking at actual job descriptions.
I'm in my late twenties. I'm supposed to at least have my career field narrowed down by now, right? I just want to go to work, feel like I'm contributing to society, and come home to my family. I don't want fortune and stock options. I don't seek titles and power.
I don't have a happy, concise ending to this rant. And I have no idea if it even makes any sense. But I guess that's the perfect metaphor for my life.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Color Me Unemployed
I awoke yesterday morning to find myself in an unusual situation: unemployment. Friday afternoon I became the latest in a LONG line of Americans to lose their job due to cutbacks blamed on "the economy".
The Economy has been personified to such an extent that it has become the scapegoat for nearly any unfortunate circumstance.
Gas prices too high? It's the Economy. Underwater on your mortgage? It's that pesky Economy. Forced to switch to store-brand groceries? Man, the Economy is really out to get us.
Obviously the Economy is not some sentient mastermind hell-bent on destroying the lives of countless families and businesses. Its current iteration is the mutated offspring of widespread ignorance, incompetence, and malice prevalent throughout 1% and 99% alike. Most people don't lose their job as a direct result of this amoebic disruptor. From what I've seen, most job loses are the result of a company's inability and/or unwillingness to adapt to new parameters in the marketplace. I suspect this was the culprit in my case.
But I hold no grudge. I don't have a list of people I curse every night before I fall asleep. And I certainly do not wish further hardships on my former employer. Additional complications would only serve to hurt innocent bit players uninvolved in creating the hardships, with no recourse to change them.
Instead, I have found a long-forgotten inner-tranquillity. I have smiled more in the last day and half than I did in the previous month and a half. Discussing Lego Star Wars strategies with my son is the most important event on my daily agenda. I feel as if I am free to choose nearly any path I desire.
The obvious first thought would be to find another PC support position. However, I am still quite interested in continuing my web design self-education. Or maybe I want to focus on something entirely different. But even more than that I want to find a place where I am more than my job title. That statement may seem a bit cliché, but I think it's incredibly important.
Imagine a job where you are free to explore different areas of the business, seeking knowledge and collaboration from many different types of people with just as many different skill sets. How much more efficient would a company become if they began to seek input from all levels of the workforce? Crunching numbers in a boardroom to determine peak profit margin may be one tactic. But seeking input from an average warehouse worker may yield even greater benefits for laborer and boardmember alike.
It would be foolish to holdout for an available job at a company fully utilizing this approach. But finding a place that isn't afraid to hear unconventional ideas from unconventional places would be amazing.
So the job hunt begins. But not for a little while. After all, my son's spring break is next week. And a bit of father/son time may be exactly the thing I need to point me in the right direction.
The Economy has been personified to such an extent that it has become the scapegoat for nearly any unfortunate circumstance.
Gas prices too high? It's the Economy. Underwater on your mortgage? It's that pesky Economy. Forced to switch to store-brand groceries? Man, the Economy is really out to get us.
Obviously the Economy is not some sentient mastermind hell-bent on destroying the lives of countless families and businesses. Its current iteration is the mutated offspring of widespread ignorance, incompetence, and malice prevalent throughout 1% and 99% alike. Most people don't lose their job as a direct result of this amoebic disruptor. From what I've seen, most job loses are the result of a company's inability and/or unwillingness to adapt to new parameters in the marketplace. I suspect this was the culprit in my case.
But I hold no grudge. I don't have a list of people I curse every night before I fall asleep. And I certainly do not wish further hardships on my former employer. Additional complications would only serve to hurt innocent bit players uninvolved in creating the hardships, with no recourse to change them.
Instead, I have found a long-forgotten inner-tranquillity. I have smiled more in the last day and half than I did in the previous month and a half. Discussing Lego Star Wars strategies with my son is the most important event on my daily agenda. I feel as if I am free to choose nearly any path I desire.
The obvious first thought would be to find another PC support position. However, I am still quite interested in continuing my web design self-education. Or maybe I want to focus on something entirely different. But even more than that I want to find a place where I am more than my job title. That statement may seem a bit cliché, but I think it's incredibly important.
Imagine a job where you are free to explore different areas of the business, seeking knowledge and collaboration from many different types of people with just as many different skill sets. How much more efficient would a company become if they began to seek input from all levels of the workforce? Crunching numbers in a boardroom to determine peak profit margin may be one tactic. But seeking input from an average warehouse worker may yield even greater benefits for laborer and boardmember alike.
It would be foolish to holdout for an available job at a company fully utilizing this approach. But finding a place that isn't afraid to hear unconventional ideas from unconventional places would be amazing.
So the job hunt begins. But not for a little while. After all, my son's spring break is next week. And a bit of father/son time may be exactly the thing I need to point me in the right direction.
Friday, February 10, 2012
My Kid is Broken?
I don't have a fancy article as a trigger for this rant. I just have the ridiculous situation surrounding my son's education.
My son is not an "easy" child. He asks insane questions, is obsessed with LEGO and science fiction, and constantly questions authority figures' motives. None of these are bad things. He also comes out with spurts of simplistic brilliance.
In a discussion about the oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico and the Exxon Valdez, the following exchange occurs:
My son: "If oil is so bad, why do we still use it?"
Me: "We need it to power cars and lawn mowers and a thousand other things."
My son: "Why don't we just make those things use something other than oil?"
I don't have a legitimate answer for this. I could go into the manufacturing costs for electric cars, the mileage limits of purely electric cars, or the belief that car manufacturers themselves are half-assing the effort in an attempt to appease the oil companies. But none of those strike me as valid excuses.
Rather than accepting the parameters of the problem, he seeks to change the variables in search of a real solution. In two sentences, my son has questioned the motives behind one of the biggest future problems our country is facing. He has a way of stripping away superfluous information and seeing the core issue. He is never satisfied with accepting excuses. And I LOVE him for it.
The best piece of advice I have ever received came from my father when I was not much older than my son is right now. He said "Believe whatever you want. But believe it because YOU believe it. Not because of what someone else said." I can't think of a better piece of advice for a young man. Except maybe "If you get her pregnant, you better love her", which my father also said. My father's soundbites strike me as something a taller, less green, slightly younger Yoda would say to his son. Full of wisdom with enough edge to make you remember.
I try to teach my son the same principles. However, when he gets stuck with an aging teacher, burnt-out on years of 8 year-olds, intent on forcing her students into the neat little mold she deems acceptable, he naturally struggles against it. And he is consequently treated like he's damaged or broken.
His desire to seek the core truths has been stifled because it's seen as being disruptive. Asking numerous questions DIRECTLY relating to the subject material is apparently disruptive behavior now. And forget about trying to talk to a classmate about the current assignment. There will be absolutely no collaboration in this "learning" environment.
His love of reading books several levels above him has been all but destroyed by daily, forced reading of books well below his level. It's the same concept as telling an ice cream lover that they are now required to eat ice cream everyday. No matter what you love, if that behavior becomes a requirement then it loses all appeal.
(By the way, his class goes to the library one day every three weeks. We have plenty of books at home but what about the kids who don't? Or the kids who are struggling to reach their grade level? Making them wait three weeks between class visits to a library is insanity. It's the same three week rotation with music and art classes. Music, art, and literature are what make us human. But they have been all but abandoned as priorities in American public schools.)
His emotional responses to what he sees as injustice are regarded as overly-aggressive, inflammatory behavior. When he is reprimanded in front of the class for something as innocuous as tapping his pencil while doing his work (WHILE DOING HIS WORK) he tries to explain his actions. Which is then seen as questioning authority and deserving of a second, public reprimand.
He cannot physically comprehend bullshit. This is his greatest asset and weakness. That being said, I am not worried about my son.
I'm worried about the people around him. He is an engaging, passionate, awe-inspiring human with a laser beam focus toward whatever his current obsession may be. And he's seven years old. If he can maintain this mindset while adding experience, education, and maturity then he will be an outstanding adult. But if his creativity and desire to learn are sabotaged by misguided attempts to herd him into more "acceptable" behaviors and interests then society will have destroyed another brilliant mind.
My son is not a colt who needs to be broken before he can reach his full potential. He is a sapling who needs firm foundation and support as well as plenty of room to grow in any way he chooses fit.
I love my son. He's not damaged or broken. He is a real human with real human desires and emotions. And I hope he can stay that way.
My son is not an "easy" child. He asks insane questions, is obsessed with LEGO and science fiction, and constantly questions authority figures' motives. None of these are bad things. He also comes out with spurts of simplistic brilliance.
In a discussion about the oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico and the Exxon Valdez, the following exchange occurs:
My son: "If oil is so bad, why do we still use it?"
Me: "We need it to power cars and lawn mowers and a thousand other things."
My son: "Why don't we just make those things use something other than oil?"
I don't have a legitimate answer for this. I could go into the manufacturing costs for electric cars, the mileage limits of purely electric cars, or the belief that car manufacturers themselves are half-assing the effort in an attempt to appease the oil companies. But none of those strike me as valid excuses.
Rather than accepting the parameters of the problem, he seeks to change the variables in search of a real solution. In two sentences, my son has questioned the motives behind one of the biggest future problems our country is facing. He has a way of stripping away superfluous information and seeing the core issue. He is never satisfied with accepting excuses. And I LOVE him for it.
The best piece of advice I have ever received came from my father when I was not much older than my son is right now. He said "Believe whatever you want. But believe it because YOU believe it. Not because of what someone else said." I can't think of a better piece of advice for a young man. Except maybe "If you get her pregnant, you better love her", which my father also said. My father's soundbites strike me as something a taller, less green, slightly younger Yoda would say to his son. Full of wisdom with enough edge to make you remember.
I try to teach my son the same principles. However, when he gets stuck with an aging teacher, burnt-out on years of 8 year-olds, intent on forcing her students into the neat little mold she deems acceptable, he naturally struggles against it. And he is consequently treated like he's damaged or broken.
His desire to seek the core truths has been stifled because it's seen as being disruptive. Asking numerous questions DIRECTLY relating to the subject material is apparently disruptive behavior now. And forget about trying to talk to a classmate about the current assignment. There will be absolutely no collaboration in this "learning" environment.
His love of reading books several levels above him has been all but destroyed by daily, forced reading of books well below his level. It's the same concept as telling an ice cream lover that they are now required to eat ice cream everyday. No matter what you love, if that behavior becomes a requirement then it loses all appeal.
(By the way, his class goes to the library one day every three weeks. We have plenty of books at home but what about the kids who don't? Or the kids who are struggling to reach their grade level? Making them wait three weeks between class visits to a library is insanity. It's the same three week rotation with music and art classes. Music, art, and literature are what make us human. But they have been all but abandoned as priorities in American public schools.)
His emotional responses to what he sees as injustice are regarded as overly-aggressive, inflammatory behavior. When he is reprimanded in front of the class for something as innocuous as tapping his pencil while doing his work (WHILE DOING HIS WORK) he tries to explain his actions. Which is then seen as questioning authority and deserving of a second, public reprimand.
He cannot physically comprehend bullshit. This is his greatest asset and weakness. That being said, I am not worried about my son.
I'm worried about the people around him. He is an engaging, passionate, awe-inspiring human with a laser beam focus toward whatever his current obsession may be. And he's seven years old. If he can maintain this mindset while adding experience, education, and maturity then he will be an outstanding adult. But if his creativity and desire to learn are sabotaged by misguided attempts to herd him into more "acceptable" behaviors and interests then society will have destroyed another brilliant mind.
My son is not a colt who needs to be broken before he can reach his full potential. He is a sapling who needs firm foundation and support as well as plenty of room to grow in any way he chooses fit.
I love my son. He's not damaged or broken. He is a real human with real human desires and emotions. And I hope he can stay that way.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
New Year, New Plan
Last year I set out to lose 100 pounds. I ended up losing 33. Were I a first baseman, this type of success rate could land me a $240 million deal. While I am disappointed I didn't reach even 50% of my goal I also realize I didn't give even 50% of my available effort. Half-assing your effort to halve your ass leads to disappointment.
Last year I sought to have less of me around. This year I seek to have less around me.
I have entirely too many "things". I am overwhelmed with an abundance of things I have used once and never touched again. I condemn billionaires for spending their 8 figure bonus checks on vacation homes and luxury yachts but at least they use those lavish purchases and reap continued enjoyment from them. Meanwhile, I'll buy a $60 video game, play it for 10 hours, and then never touch it again. In that perspective, my actions are more wasteful than purchasing a third vacation home.
My home became a cable-free household last summer. Paying $80/month for ignorant tripe to be spewed at me and my family just sounded crazy when we stepped back to think about it. There are many entertaining, intelligent, and worthwhile things on television that provide enjoyment and education. But I don't think we were getting anywhere near $80 worth of that every month. And once you decide that the product you receive is not worth the price you pay it becomes extremely difficult to continue justifying the purchase.
It started as a money-saving experiment. It has evolved into a liberating experience, at least for me. Keeping up with shows I enjoy no longer feels like an obligation. Our main sources of visual entertainment have become Netflix and Hulu Plus. These cost us a combined $15.98/month and I think we get more than our money's worth from each.
It has not been without complications, however. I have always had cable and therefore have always had access to sports coverage. In previous years, I estimate I would watch no less than 100 football games a season, between college and NFL. This year I may have watched ten. Being a Cowboys fan, I got to tune into four of their games this year via NBC's streaming of their Sunday Night Football coverage...and see them lose all four. Such is the life of a Cowboys fan.
Having less to watch gave us more to do. This is the basic foundation of my goal for this year: I want to get rid a large portion of my things. I was inspired by Sean Bonner and his "Year of Less". His goals are to limit purchases to one per month and to get rid of one thing every day this year. This sounds intoxicating to me.
In this spirit, my wife and I spent a few hours going through our closet last weekend. It was....messy. (I don't even know how to describe it. Picture the trash compactor from A New Hope and add hanging clothes to the walls.) We ended up filling six garbage bags with clothes to donate. And we only stopped because we didn't want to start on the drawers that day. We didn't even start with the kids' clothes.
Two humans gave away six garbage bags full of clothes and we still had 3 times as much as we needed. I was extremely angry at myself for having so many things that I neither wanted nor needed yet kept. I estimate at least 100 items were in those bags. Some with tags still on them. Many more never actually worn.
I will be joining Mr. Bonner in his quest to eliminate one thing everyday. Because of the children, I will have to modify the one purchase per month rule to apply only to things for myself. But I intend to stand by that as well.
I am going to let the clothes count for the month of January. Starting February 1st I plan to eliminate one item from my life everyday for the rest of the year. Computer parts, books, movies, more clothes, or whatever else is taking up space but not being used. Theoretically, I will keep track of these items, since I obviously tracked my weight goal so well last year. And throwing away broken things doesn't count, but it will be a nice bonus to get rid of that crap, too.
I am hoping this will alleviate some of the clutter around the house and help me appreciate and enjoy the things I choose to keep.
Last year I sought to have less of me around. This year I seek to have less around me.
I have entirely too many "things". I am overwhelmed with an abundance of things I have used once and never touched again. I condemn billionaires for spending their 8 figure bonus checks on vacation homes and luxury yachts but at least they use those lavish purchases and reap continued enjoyment from them. Meanwhile, I'll buy a $60 video game, play it for 10 hours, and then never touch it again. In that perspective, my actions are more wasteful than purchasing a third vacation home.
________________________
My home became a cable-free household last summer. Paying $80/month for ignorant tripe to be spewed at me and my family just sounded crazy when we stepped back to think about it. There are many entertaining, intelligent, and worthwhile things on television that provide enjoyment and education. But I don't think we were getting anywhere near $80 worth of that every month. And once you decide that the product you receive is not worth the price you pay it becomes extremely difficult to continue justifying the purchase.
It started as a money-saving experiment. It has evolved into a liberating experience, at least for me. Keeping up with shows I enjoy no longer feels like an obligation. Our main sources of visual entertainment have become Netflix and Hulu Plus. These cost us a combined $15.98/month and I think we get more than our money's worth from each.
It has not been without complications, however. I have always had cable and therefore have always had access to sports coverage. In previous years, I estimate I would watch no less than 100 football games a season, between college and NFL. This year I may have watched ten. Being a Cowboys fan, I got to tune into four of their games this year via NBC's streaming of their Sunday Night Football coverage...and see them lose all four. Such is the life of a Cowboys fan.
Having less to watch gave us more to do. This is the basic foundation of my goal for this year: I want to get rid a large portion of my things. I was inspired by Sean Bonner and his "Year of Less". His goals are to limit purchases to one per month and to get rid of one thing every day this year. This sounds intoxicating to me.
In this spirit, my wife and I spent a few hours going through our closet last weekend. It was....messy. (I don't even know how to describe it. Picture the trash compactor from A New Hope and add hanging clothes to the walls.) We ended up filling six garbage bags with clothes to donate. And we only stopped because we didn't want to start on the drawers that day. We didn't even start with the kids' clothes.
Two humans gave away six garbage bags full of clothes and we still had 3 times as much as we needed. I was extremely angry at myself for having so many things that I neither wanted nor needed yet kept. I estimate at least 100 items were in those bags. Some with tags still on them. Many more never actually worn.
I will be joining Mr. Bonner in his quest to eliminate one thing everyday. Because of the children, I will have to modify the one purchase per month rule to apply only to things for myself. But I intend to stand by that as well.
I am going to let the clothes count for the month of January. Starting February 1st I plan to eliminate one item from my life everyday for the rest of the year. Computer parts, books, movies, more clothes, or whatever else is taking up space but not being used. Theoretically, I will keep track of these items, since I obviously tracked my weight goal so well last year. And throwing away broken things doesn't count, but it will be a nice bonus to get rid of that crap, too.
I am hoping this will alleviate some of the clutter around the house and help me appreciate and enjoy the things I choose to keep.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Bankers and Imbeciles 2.0
The Thursday before Christmas I posted a blog dealing with Bloomberg's report of various bankers and billionaires' comments about the surging 99% vs. 1% sentiment growing across the nation. Their arrogant and dismissive attitudes enraged me. In my attempt to show how their "1%" continues to grow while our "99%" steadily declines I did an examination of average household income vs. inflation rate from 1979-2007. This showed that while average household income increased 62% during the 28 year period, the inflation rate rose a staggering 318%.
Along the same lines, this morning I came across a report from The Society Pages detailing the relationship between the minimum wage and the nominal value of that wage. It compares a workers' actual hourly rate of pay versus the value of that dollar after many factors, including inflation, are taken into account, determined by the purchasing power of a dollar earned in 2010. It's a pretty dramatic look at how wage increases are not keeping up with inflation increases.
(http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2012/01/07/the-minimum-wage-and-capitalism-2/)
If you look at the chart you'll see that a dollar's purchasing power appears to be greatest between from 1964-1980. If you match that up with the tax rates during those years you'll see some correlating numbers.
From 1950-1963, the 14 years prior to the highest purchasing power, the tax rate on income above $400,000 was 91%, with the exception of 1952-53 when it was actually 92%! The chart above shows a dramatic upturn in the purchasing power of a dollar during this 14 year time span. I believe the high point of purchasing power I highlighted early, 1964-1980, is a direct result of this sustained tax rate. It insured reinvestment into the infrastructure that facilitated the enormous growth of the United States. It also prevented wealthy Americans from reaping financial benefits on their climb toward wealth and then "cashing out" and denying that chance for the next generation. Without this continued reinvestment of tax dollars it would have been impossible to maintain the governmental investments and incentives for the creation of new businesses and opportunities.
The tax rates, for the lowest and highest income brackets, for those 17 years of high purchasing power are as follows:
This appears to be a time of great prosperity for the American Dollar. So what happened to push it toward our current dysfunctional system?
Well, inflation rates were above 10% each year from 1979-81. That meant that, on average, goods cost 39% more at the end of 1981 than they did at the beginning of 1979. So to combat this our government surely sought to revert to our more prosperous techniques of the past, with respects to tax rates, by asking wealthy Americans to pay a little extra so that the people who needed money to afford things like food and shelter were able to keep a few more dollars each month, right?
They actually did the opposite. Here's the data from the same chart for the rest of the 1980s:
These charts show only the bottom tax bracket and the top tax bracket. Most years there are several brackets in between with gradual increases in rates but some years these represent the only two brackets.
So, let's try to make sense of this and compare apples to apples. Brace yourself. An abundance of numbers will be used. I will be using tax rates for a single man with no children from this chart.
Let's take a single man making $40,000 per year and assume he maintained this wage from 1981-1989 with no raise. His tax liability, not including deductions or credits, in 1981 would be $12,000, at a rate of 30%. That same man's tax liability in 1989 would be $11,200, at a rate of 28%.
Take-home pay 1981: $28,000.
Take-home pay 1989: $28,800.
Hey, way to go! This fortunate man got to keep $800 more of his money.
But keep in mind, the inflation rate over this nine year period works out to just over 50%. So if this man's monthly bills in 1981 were $1000, his same bills in 1989 would be $1500. Sorry, pal. It doesn't look like that $800 drop in annual tax liability is going to offset the extra $6000 ($500 * 12 months) you'll be paying on your bills. You actually come out $5200 worse. Let's hope you got annual raises enough to cover this.
IF(!) he got a 2% annual raise EVERY year, his 1989 wage would be $46,866. Factoring in inflation and tax rate changes, he comes out $1666 better in 1989, after bills and taxes, than he did in 1981. Assuming this guy has a generous employer, and hasn't added any expenses (like children), he's not doing too badly.
Now let's look at a man making $1,000,000 per year over this same period. His tax liability in 1981 would be $691,250, at a rate of 69.125%. The same man would pay taxes of $280,000 in 1989, at a rate of 28%.
Take-home pay 1981: $308,750.
Take-home pay 1989: $720,000.
Wow!
Let's say his bills are TEN times the previous man's bills. That means that monthly bills of $10,000 in 1981 would be roughly $15,000 in 1989, after factoring in inflation. Meaning he would pay $411,250 LESS in taxes and $60,000 ($5,000 * 12 months) more in expenses. With no raise at all, this man comes out $351,250 better in 1989.
If you factor in an annual 2% raise (new salary $1,171,659), this man comes out $522,909 better in 1989, after bills and taxes, than he did in 1981.
That's a lot of numbers but here's what it boils down to: After bills and taxes, the first man increased his yearly income by just over 4% while the millionaire increased his yearly income by just over 52% during the same time period.
Wait. 28% tax rate in 1989? Isn't that the same rate as the guy making $40,000? Yes, it was. The tax rates for the wealthy from 1988-92 and 2003-2011 were literally HALF what they were from 1936-1981. The rates from 93-2002 were merely 44% lower. AND, from 1988-90 anyone making over $19,450 paid the same tax rate. A person making $20,000 paid the same tax rate as a person making $20,000,000. That sounds absurd to me.
Fun Fact: Prior to 1987, the last time tax rates for the top bracket were below 50% was 1925-1931. Check those years, and their aftermath, if you need help figuring out what broken policy can create.
My point is this: Our current system is completely unsustainable. If we continue to allow inflation to rise much faster than wages we will end up with a country full of people completely dependent on their government for assistance. If we simultaneously allow millionaires and billionaires to hide their income and pay unbelievably, historically low tax rates, then the government will be in no position to offer any help to those who have slowly been robbed of their financial security, their buying power, their self-sufficiency, and eventually their dignity.
I don't want socialism. I don't want to rob from the rich and give to the poor. I want a country with sustainable policies. And we don't have that right now.
Along the same lines, this morning I came across a report from The Society Pages detailing the relationship between the minimum wage and the nominal value of that wage. It compares a workers' actual hourly rate of pay versus the value of that dollar after many factors, including inflation, are taken into account, determined by the purchasing power of a dollar earned in 2010. It's a pretty dramatic look at how wage increases are not keeping up with inflation increases.
(http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2012/01/07/the-minimum-wage-and-capitalism-2/)
If you look at the chart you'll see that a dollar's purchasing power appears to be greatest between from 1964-1980. If you match that up with the tax rates during those years you'll see some correlating numbers.
From 1950-1963, the 14 years prior to the highest purchasing power, the tax rate on income above $400,000 was 91%, with the exception of 1952-53 when it was actually 92%! The chart above shows a dramatic upturn in the purchasing power of a dollar during this 14 year time span. I believe the high point of purchasing power I highlighted early, 1964-1980, is a direct result of this sustained tax rate. It insured reinvestment into the infrastructure that facilitated the enormous growth of the United States. It also prevented wealthy Americans from reaping financial benefits on their climb toward wealth and then "cashing out" and denying that chance for the next generation. Without this continued reinvestment of tax dollars it would have been impossible to maintain the governmental investments and incentives for the creation of new businesses and opportunities.
The tax rates, for the lowest and highest income brackets, for those 17 years of high purchasing power are as follows:
Tax Rates | ||||
Bottom bracket
|
Top bracket
| |||
| Calendar Year |
Rate
(percent) |
Taxable Income Up to
|
Rate
(percent) |
Taxable
Income over |
| 1964 | 16 | 1,000 | 77 | 400,000 |
| 1965-67 | 14 | 1,000 | 70 | 200,000 |
| 1968 | 14 | 1,000 | 75.25 | 200,000 |
| 1969 | 14 | 1,000 | 77 | 200,000 |
| 1970 | 14 | 1,000 | 71.75 | 200,000 |
| 1971 | 14 | 1,000 | 70 | 200,000 |
| 1972-78 | 14 | 1,000 | 70 | 200,000 |
| 1979-80 | 14 | 2,100 | 70 | 212,000 |
| 1981 | 13.825 | 2,100 | 69.125 | 212,000 |
This appears to be a time of great prosperity for the American Dollar. So what happened to push it toward our current dysfunctional system?
Well, inflation rates were above 10% each year from 1979-81. That meant that, on average, goods cost 39% more at the end of 1981 than they did at the beginning of 1979. So to combat this our government surely sought to revert to our more prosperous techniques of the past, with respects to tax rates, by asking wealthy Americans to pay a little extra so that the people who needed money to afford things like food and shelter were able to keep a few more dollars each month, right?
They actually did the opposite. Here's the data from the same chart for the rest of the 1980s:
Tax Rates | ||||
Bottom bracket
|
Top bracket
| |||
| Calendar Year |
Rate
(percent) |
Taxable Income Up to
|
Rate
(percent) |
Taxable
Income over |
| 1982 | 12 | 2,100 | 50 | 106,000 |
| 1983 | 11 | 2,100 | 50 | 106,000 |
| 1984 | 11 | 2,100 | 50 | 159,000 |
| 1985 | 11 | 2,180 | 50 | 165,480 |
| 1986 | 11 | 2,270 | 50 | 171,580 |
| 1987 | 11 | 3,000 | 38.5 | 90,000 |
| 1988 | 15 | 29,750 | 28 | 29,750 |
| 1989 | 15 | 30,950 | 28 | 30,950 |
These charts show only the bottom tax bracket and the top tax bracket. Most years there are several brackets in between with gradual increases in rates but some years these represent the only two brackets.
So, let's try to make sense of this and compare apples to apples. Brace yourself. An abundance of numbers will be used. I will be using tax rates for a single man with no children from this chart.
Let's take a single man making $40,000 per year and assume he maintained this wage from 1981-1989 with no raise. His tax liability, not including deductions or credits, in 1981 would be $12,000, at a rate of 30%. That same man's tax liability in 1989 would be $11,200, at a rate of 28%.
Take-home pay 1981: $28,000.
Take-home pay 1989: $28,800.
Hey, way to go! This fortunate man got to keep $800 more of his money.
But keep in mind, the inflation rate over this nine year period works out to just over 50%. So if this man's monthly bills in 1981 were $1000, his same bills in 1989 would be $1500. Sorry, pal. It doesn't look like that $800 drop in annual tax liability is going to offset the extra $6000 ($500 * 12 months) you'll be paying on your bills. You actually come out $5200 worse. Let's hope you got annual raises enough to cover this.
IF(!) he got a 2% annual raise EVERY year, his 1989 wage would be $46,866. Factoring in inflation and tax rate changes, he comes out $1666 better in 1989, after bills and taxes, than he did in 1981. Assuming this guy has a generous employer, and hasn't added any expenses (like children), he's not doing too badly.
Now let's look at a man making $1,000,000 per year over this same period. His tax liability in 1981 would be $691,250, at a rate of 69.125%. The same man would pay taxes of $280,000 in 1989, at a rate of 28%.
Take-home pay 1981: $308,750.
Take-home pay 1989: $720,000.
Wow!
Let's say his bills are TEN times the previous man's bills. That means that monthly bills of $10,000 in 1981 would be roughly $15,000 in 1989, after factoring in inflation. Meaning he would pay $411,250 LESS in taxes and $60,000 ($5,000 * 12 months) more in expenses. With no raise at all, this man comes out $351,250 better in 1989.
If you factor in an annual 2% raise (new salary $1,171,659), this man comes out $522,909 better in 1989, after bills and taxes, than he did in 1981.
That's a lot of numbers but here's what it boils down to: After bills and taxes, the first man increased his yearly income by just over 4% while the millionaire increased his yearly income by just over 52% during the same time period.
Wait. 28% tax rate in 1989? Isn't that the same rate as the guy making $40,000? Yes, it was. The tax rates for the wealthy from 1988-92 and 2003-2011 were literally HALF what they were from 1936-1981. The rates from 93-2002 were merely 44% lower. AND, from 1988-90 anyone making over $19,450 paid the same tax rate. A person making $20,000 paid the same tax rate as a person making $20,000,000. That sounds absurd to me.
Fun Fact: Prior to 1987, the last time tax rates for the top bracket were below 50% was 1925-1931. Check those years, and their aftermath, if you need help figuring out what broken policy can create.
My point is this: Our current system is completely unsustainable. If we continue to allow inflation to rise much faster than wages we will end up with a country full of people completely dependent on their government for assistance. If we simultaneously allow millionaires and billionaires to hide their income and pay unbelievably, historically low tax rates, then the government will be in no position to offer any help to those who have slowly been robbed of their financial security, their buying power, their self-sufficiency, and eventually their dignity.
I don't want socialism. I don't want to rob from the rich and give to the poor. I want a country with sustainable policies. And we don't have that right now.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Web/Life Design
It's funny how a person's desires change over time. Well, not so much funny, I guess. More like, random. If high-school me could see how late-twenties me is living he would be pretty pissed.
I'm not rich. I'm not famous. I haven't written a song in nearly a year. I work 8-5 and sometimes go to bed before 10 o'clock. Through the week, I spend more waking hours at work then at home.
But high-school me was a predictably naive idealist. Late-twenties me is a slightly less naive cynic. Whatever those words mean.
The desire for worldwide fame and fortune was supplanted by marriage and children. I may not be internationally renowned for my songwriting but I am easily the most kick-ass daddy that my children have ever known. And my wife laughs at my terrible jokes. Even when they are only semi-riotously hilarious.
I miss writing music a great deal. But I was only good at writing two styles: Whiny, mopey bullshit and self-righteous diatribes. Don't get me wrong. I am extremely proud of nearly 37% (!) of the lyrics I have written. Ironically, it sounds to me like both of these writing styles have meshed into the current hipster "It's cool because it's stupid" movement. If that's true, then I have a goldmine of terrible lyrics and fashion choices aimed at the post-adolescent angst-stricken crowd with a laser beam focus.
Bedtime. The bane of adolescents everywhere. At one point in my life I never wanted to sleep. Fuck tomorrow. Tomorrow is tomorrow, after all. I know it's 3 AM but I need to reorganize my MP3 collection by average combined birth year of artist and producer, immediately.
I've spent a large chunk of time trying to pinpoint the exact moment a human becomes an adult. It very well may be the first time said human chooses to go to bed early, not because of any impending event, but solely because they don't want to be tired the following day. That may be the exact moment when childhood dies.
But the only one of those afore mentioned teenage gripes that is ALSO a post-teenage gripe is the time spent at work.
Let's do a bit of math for a typical human. Alarm set at 5:30, leave for work at 7:30, get back home at 5:30, sleep at 10:30. That makes 17 waking hours, 10 of which are outside the house. Multiply this by 50 weeks (allowing for potential vacation time) and we get 150 more annual weekday hours spent away from home then actually at home. I could go on a rant about the distribution of wealth in contrast to actual hours worked in this country but I'm not feeling very rant-y today.
Today, I feel hopeful that I have found a new professional/life direction.
I have recently discovered a love for web design. A few months back, I saw the website for a friend's new business. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't being updated and I didn't think that accurately represented the people involved. On a whim, I started looking up HTML and CSS tutorials and decided I would make a new website for my friend. This would be similar to me deciding that I wanted to build an extension on my house made entirely of unobtainium. I knew so little that I didn't know what I didn't know.
But I am obsessed with learning about interesting things. Being able to use text to make design elements look, move, and behave according to my desire is an intoxicating feeling. I'm assuming this is what it feels like when an artist looks upon an empty canvas and wants to make it his own. I feel completely unencumbered by any preexisting design templates. If I want a column of ads in the center of the page and two content columns flanking either side I can damn well do it. I have the technology.
(I used http://www.w3schools.com/ for my foray into web coding. I have since seen several places that discourage that particular site but most complaints seem to be semantically driven.)
This potential new professional direction has given me fits of unbridled euphoria as well as days of mental turmoil brought on by frustrating design elements. Anytime you wake up at 5 AM on a Saturday morning with an idea in your head and have 50 lines of code written before anyone else wakes up you know you have become passionate.
I am hoping to harness this passionof the Christ and progress enough in my coding knowledge to land a job, freelance or contract, in web design. Employers like to say that passion for a job and desire to learn are worth more than degrees and test scores. I aim to prove my worth to potential employers.
Hide yo child nodes! Hide yo floating elements! I'm coming for you Internet!
I'm not rich. I'm not famous. I haven't written a song in nearly a year. I work 8-5 and sometimes go to bed before 10 o'clock. Through the week, I spend more waking hours at work then at home.
But high-school me was a predictably naive idealist. Late-twenties me is a slightly less naive cynic. Whatever those words mean.
The desire for worldwide fame and fortune was supplanted by marriage and children. I may not be internationally renowned for my songwriting but I am easily the most kick-ass daddy that my children have ever known. And my wife laughs at my terrible jokes. Even when they are only semi-riotously hilarious.
I miss writing music a great deal. But I was only good at writing two styles: Whiny, mopey bullshit and self-righteous diatribes. Don't get me wrong. I am extremely proud of nearly 37% (!) of the lyrics I have written. Ironically, it sounds to me like both of these writing styles have meshed into the current hipster "It's cool because it's stupid" movement. If that's true, then I have a goldmine of terrible lyrics and fashion choices aimed at the post-adolescent angst-stricken crowd with a laser beam focus.
Bedtime. The bane of adolescents everywhere. At one point in my life I never wanted to sleep. Fuck tomorrow. Tomorrow is tomorrow, after all. I know it's 3 AM but I need to reorganize my MP3 collection by average combined birth year of artist and producer, immediately.
I've spent a large chunk of time trying to pinpoint the exact moment a human becomes an adult. It very well may be the first time said human chooses to go to bed early, not because of any impending event, but solely because they don't want to be tired the following day. That may be the exact moment when childhood dies.
But the only one of those afore mentioned teenage gripes that is ALSO a post-teenage gripe is the time spent at work.
Let's do a bit of math for a typical human. Alarm set at 5:30, leave for work at 7:30, get back home at 5:30, sleep at 10:30. That makes 17 waking hours, 10 of which are outside the house. Multiply this by 50 weeks (allowing for potential vacation time) and we get 150 more annual weekday hours spent away from home then actually at home. I could go on a rant about the distribution of wealth in contrast to actual hours worked in this country but I'm not feeling very rant-y today.
Today, I feel hopeful that I have found a new professional/life direction.
I have recently discovered a love for web design. A few months back, I saw the website for a friend's new business. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't being updated and I didn't think that accurately represented the people involved. On a whim, I started looking up HTML and CSS tutorials and decided I would make a new website for my friend. This would be similar to me deciding that I wanted to build an extension on my house made entirely of unobtainium. I knew so little that I didn't know what I didn't know.
But I am obsessed with learning about interesting things. Being able to use text to make design elements look, move, and behave according to my desire is an intoxicating feeling. I'm assuming this is what it feels like when an artist looks upon an empty canvas and wants to make it his own. I feel completely unencumbered by any preexisting design templates. If I want a column of ads in the center of the page and two content columns flanking either side I can damn well do it. I have the technology.
(I used http://www.w3schools.com/ for my foray into web coding. I have since seen several places that discourage that particular site but most complaints seem to be semantically driven.)
This potential new professional direction has given me fits of unbridled euphoria as well as days of mental turmoil brought on by frustrating design elements. Anytime you wake up at 5 AM on a Saturday morning with an idea in your head and have 50 lines of code written before anyone else wakes up you know you have become passionate.
I am hoping to harness this passion
Hide yo child nodes! Hide yo floating elements! I'm coming for you Internet!
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