One Week And Counting

I’ve surpassed one full week of being without a job. Sleeping has been tough. Not so much that I’m suffering from insomnia or anything, but I can feel an immense tension in my back in the morning. Saturday I awoke with a pain below my left shoulder blade. Today, Sunday, there is a stiffness stretching across my back. I know I’ve been dreaming, but they seem erratic and I’m having trouble remembering exactly what is happening in them. I imagine my subconscious is roaming wildly in the breeches of sleep.

This week will be more of the same as the last, with one notable exception. I have to return my Separation Agreement, signed, back to my company. That will release the pitiful, insulting severance offer that was given to me. I also have to fill out their stupid Post Employment summary attachments I was sent. These are for if I want to continue my health insurance with them through COBRA, or my dental plan. “Ya know what, Potential, shove it.” The dental plan was absolute garbage. It wouldn’t even cover the costs of getting my wisdom teeth removed, or the anesthesia for it. And the estimated costs of continuing my health care coverage through COBRA, is $556 per month. Christ, that’s expensive. That’s a rent payment. How the hell was it that much while I was in the program? I bet I can find something far cheaper on my own. I don’t need your pity, or charity (though I laugh to call it even that) Potential.

Next on the agenda is deferring my student loans. I have to provide some proof of my unemployment status. Not sure what exactly that will be, but I’ll fill you in later on that. I’ll probably work on that crap Monday. But I think I’ll keep one repayment loan open. I hope that with my unemployment I can afford to continue to pay the balance off on my Sallie Mae loan. It’s almost paid off now. I would love to close out that account while on unemployment. I’ll keep making progress, as long as Unemployment Insurance doesn’t screw me over. Unfortunately, the way this year is shaping up, I’m having trouble maintaining high hopes over anything.

But Thursday will be a good day. Occupy Wall Street celebrates its two month anniversary with another massive march on Wall Street, protesting the recession caused by the financial sector and that no accountability has been put forth on them, no one is in jail, and these companies are still performing the same risky practices that caused the recession in the first place. It’s been four years now since the downturn, and I think losing my job was partially still a product of it. The weak economy strained many of our clients’ budgets, which lead to downsizing, which lead to my being shackled with five people’s jobs at my company, which lead to my unwillingness to be used (even though I still was used right to the last day), and finally to my own departure. Wall Street must pay for their crimes. I will be there in solidarity with the men and women of Occupy Wall Street. Occupy everything.