Journal Roblimo's Journal: Laid off, losing my house, and worried about health insuranc 6
Today I join the ranks of laid-off over-50 men who will probably never find a job as good as their last one. Let's face it: the demand for journalists has been going down every year for the last decade. Worse, the demand for senior-level editors has never been huge, and is dropping faster than the need for young college graduates who will work for next to nothing. Sure, in addition to being a competent writer and editor with a good grasp of technology and science, I am also skilled in the art of building viable (and profitable) online communities, but does that mean anything in today's horrible economy? Will I be able to find another job? Failing that, will I be able to get enough freelance work to survive? I have no idea.
In any case, I'm preparing to give up my mortgaged house. Without a job I can't afford the payments. Luckily, my wife and I have already bought a small (and very cheap) house trailer we hope to have fixed up and ready for occupancy around the middle of January, so we'll be out of here long before Wachovia forecloses on us.
I always did well as a freelance writer, and since I last freelanced 10 years ago I have become a competent video shooter and editor, too, so I probably can build enough freelance trade to produce a decent living before my small savings account runs dry, especially if I can collect some unemployment (I'm eligible) while I scrounge up enough freelance work to live on.
My biggest problem -- and biggest fear -- is health insurance. My wife and I are both 56, and we have pre-existing conditions that no private health insurance plan will cover for at least two years. My only choice is to continue my current employer-paid health plan through COBRA, and that's going to cost $848 per month. Meanwhile, Florida's maximum employment payment is $275 per week -- which means my wife and I will have a total of about $300 per month to cover all other expenses.
There's no point in complaining. I've voted for more than a few Republicans over the years, and this is my payback for that mistake. I've voted (mostly) for Democrats since 2000, and hopefully the Democrats now in office will realize that people like me need as much help as bank and Wall Street executives.
That's enough for now. I need to get some employment applications and freelance story proposals out. I don't know what you're doing this New Year's Day, but that's what *I'm* doing.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
WTF? Do you have any idea what you're talking about or who Rob is?
Oh... wait. Now I see.
For the sake of those who come after me, Please don't feed the trolls.
Re: (Score:2)
I'm worried, sure, but not unprepared. I've been running a "side" video production business for several years now, and it's ramping up nicely. This isn't the moment I'd *choose* to take it full-time, but so it goes. I'm not exactly a paper-bound journalist who can't adapt; rather, I'm one of the people hated by that kind of critter. The biggest problem is going to be health insurance, and I'm working on a solution for that one, too.
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One way to get insurance might be through your local college (student insurance). Plus hey, who couldn't benefit from a few classes? :-)
You've been laid off? (Score:1)
I would've expected Slashdot to say something about their financial state if they were feeling the need to lay people off. :-( And you're one of the more sane editors they have. *sigh* There's no accounting for taste.
It sounds like you've prepared. I expect you'll do fine. :-)
Best of luck. (Score:2)
It's a strange time right now. So much of the economy seems hinged on perception rather than reality. Hopefully this means we pull out of the recession sooner than if everybody (anybody??) was paying attention to the books.
By the way, I've noticed that newspapers are beginning to shift to making their websites their primary focus for content. Locally, they're starting to treat this as an opportunity to compete with broadcast news by producing their own video for the website. It's a work-in-progress, to