i'm right there with ya, on several counts.

When i moved back here a few years ago, i thru myself into "fashioning winning resumes", and applying online for endless different jobs, both local and worldwide.

What'd i get for my efforts? CRICKETS! Bupkiss, nada, zippo!

Even just applying locally (both online and in 3-D), got me alot of "Well, you are OVERQUALIFIED" (read:OLD), or, "You must have some really great memories"- guess what? Memories ain't gonna pay the rent! Plus i don't know what part of unloading trucks and doing backbreaking physical labor, being tired, sweaty, dirty and sexually harassed on a daily basis constitutes great memories! Folks don't understand that working on these gigs is hard; and the "Talent" is just the last thing that falls outa the box.

At this point, i've just given up. My computer crashed- i lost all my different resumes-and all my different cover letters and what references i could caj together. i actually STARTED another resume file a few weeks ago-GUESS WHAT? The computer crashed again! Add to that the fact that almost everyone here is unemployed- but hey! at least they've gotten another seventeen weeks of benefits!

PITY PARTY- i hate that term. Not one single person in my current position would use that term- but theres ALOT of folks who'll gladly throw that one in yer face. Of course, most of them have jobs, can pay their bills and have a roof over their head. They've NEVER had to live with the fear of what today, tonite and tommorrow will bring- they've never had to go for days without food, or heat or a fan or a safe place to sleep.

i got yer frikken PITY PARTY-right here!

The world is just desperately hanging on by a thread to what they DO have- they don't want to think about those of us who've just literally fallen thru the cracks. We're the ones the haves don't see-the ones nobody cares about. We're the ones who've worked hard for most of our adult lives, who've tried to raise good, upstanding children-WHO PAID WITHOUT BEING ASKED, OUT OF OUR HARD EARNED MONEY THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE THERE IN THE EVENT OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENING AGAIN (THE FIRST GREAT DEPRESSION) TO AT LEAST ASSURE THAT WE COULD LIVE WITH SOME SHRED OF DIGNITY.

i've also come to notice a new movement- that of the terminally positive.

"Oh, just send white light out to the universe and everything you deserve will come back to you a thousand fold." or the ones that'll say-"Oh, i can't deal with so much negative energy" BEB- in case you haven't noticed- we've been entrenched in nothing but negative energy for about ten years now. FEAR-fear of Osama, fear of Obama, fear of a killer flu, just plain fear. But mostly, fear of losing your tenuous little hold in whatever position is feathering your nest. and fear of honesty. i'm sorry my life isn't all white light and yummy, homespun goodness- but at least i'm frikken honest about it.

MAGNA CUM LAUDE- WOW! i know you had to've worked your ass off to get that far.

I APPLAUD YOUR EFFORT. It's just unfortunate that you, along with about three or four others i know, can only use those diplomas as fire kindling now....