Here Comes February!

I haven't decided if this is a good thing or a bad thing. I guess it isn't all that bad, I still have life, health, a roof, food, and all the other things most of us take for granted on a daily basis. The (responsible) question is how will I continue to sustain this life of minimalism? I guess I haven't really been living the most minimalistic life, but not having a job for the past (approximately) 314,220 minutes (or about 7 months and 4 days or about 217 days) has not exactly been a cakewalk. Having to begin living off about 40% of your income is not exactly an easy task. Don't get me wrong, I still count myself blessed to receive ANY percentage (when there are those who receive 0), but the reality of being a human being states that I have had to cut back drastically and that crap can break you mentally.

So now what? Here it is almost February and I am still living off unemployment. Sure, I could go into the severity of how hard these times are or I could complain about the effed up way our country's economy is, but it doesn't do anything for me. (Besides, I have already done my financial rants) For 7 months, I have been receiving emails thanking me for wasting my time typing the same thing into their application that I have others but they are gonna give the opportunity to someone else. I've endured an abundance of correspondence stating how I wasn't the correct fit but my resume and application will be kept on file. How true IS that? Not that I'm some sort of conspiracy theorist, by any means, but I have known the HR depts of previous companies that have shredded resumes the moment they finish the interview (if it even gets that far).

The current US poverty level (as stated by Illinois Legal Aid on 1/28/2009, is said to be an annual income of $10,830. I am pretty close to that, based off of what I'm currently expected to live. If I seem to be bitching and moaning when there are those who just lost their homes, family members and, in some cases their own lives, so be it. I feel for those people, but I have to think about home first, don't you think? Well, even if you don't, I do! Unemployment doesn't last forever (thanks, Mr President for signing into law that extension - I sure needed it).

So I ask, is it a good or bad thing that I'm headed toward yet another month at this level of destitution? You don't have to answer if you don't want, it is greatly rhetorical, but do as you feel. Yes, my bills are paid on time but in what position am I to further my life. I mentioned to someone the other day that the capitalistic nature of our country (hell, our world) is to continually pad the pockets of the "haves" while those who are amongst the "have-nots" continue the downward spiral towards (or further below) the poverty level. Granted some of us are too ignorant when it comes to the resources for personal growth (that's a different blog on a different day) but in today's economy, how many of those resources are actually extended? If they ARE - in fact - extended, how far can one actually get on them?

I know I'm ranting but I needed to get that off my chest. I'm just concerned about some things currently. So, tonight when the leader of the "free world" streams into our homes via every network channel there is, I'll be looking to hear him speak about the CRAP that is the current State of our Union. It's always stated how the unions state "... is strong" but to attempt feeding me that garbage would piss me off. I'm all for thinking positively regarding how we will better the situation, but to waste 50 minutes of my life spewing forth BS, will further compound my contempt for the current members of our decision making bodies. High-a** gas prices, a double digit unemployment rate, Afghanistan, Iraq, and handing money over to Haiti do not beget a strong state of affairs. I don't say that to diminish the situation's gravity in Haiti, but I do feel like that money could be used - as I said before - at home, FIRST! So I am interested in seeing what these 50 minutes will entail.

Will you be watching?

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February is what's designated as "Black History Month" here in the US. I know there are many who believe this to be a failure for our country, what with it being the shortest month and other reasons. What ever the case, I am utilizing the month to (daily) write a few paragraphs about those who inspire me. They could be blacks, whites, straights, gays, men, women or otherwise. I am just going to utilize the month for "VWayne'z Big Month ~o~ Inspirations." Note the number of letters in the title (28). There will be 1(one) influence per day and the letters in the title will determine the name of that day's inspiration. These aren't biographies (per se) but they are little blurbs about my PERSONAL inspirations.

That is all


**Pictures from google searching ... If you hold a copyright to any, please contact me and I'll remove them.**