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Been out of work since the end of March, and been looking actively since December 1, 2010 when I was told of my contract ending. New job is an IT gig with a state agency in Olympia.
I will have to drive the 36 miles to Olympia for a couple of weeks, until a paycheck starts rolling in and we can make a deposit for renting an apartment, or if we are lucky a house. Thought it might be an easier transition for our kids—ages 2, 6 & 10—into another house rather than an apartment.
I am completely mentally detached from our house with its upside down mortgage and foreclosure proceeding that should about be due for another 30-day extension notice. We usually get about 10 to 15 certified letters, no exaggeration, each month. I do not have much interest in a short-sale. Neighbor down the street is trying to short-sell his, and he said he is expecting it to take 8 months or more. I did not want to say it, but I thought he was being optimistic.
Since I will soon be working, I am going to file HAMP papers with the bank—we are already in HAUP. However, I am not very keen on staying since I have an idea how low they will realistically drop the payment, which will likely be not low enough to keep it. This assumes they give us a modification, which seems unlikely. Nevertheless, to buy time, before switching and doing a Deed In Lieu, I will do it.
Hiring manager for the new job and I really clicked during the interview, and after talking on the phone some more I REALLY like her. She seems very smart and very forward thinking.
My benefits, like health insurance, all start on day 1. That is probably my biggest sigh of relief, since I was thinking it would be tight as to whether we make the next payment on the private health insurance we are currently paying for out of pocket. Now I can call and cancel the private coverage for November.
It will be about a 40% pay cut over what I was making in my last salaried gig in private sector. Heh RWers, stick your “state workers are overpaid” shit up your ass and then smoke it through your crack pipe. Manager asked me several times about the money, “Are you sure, because this is quite a step down in pay?” I was sure when I applied, and I remain sure about it now. I am 44, and ageism is rampant in the private sector. As such, I have to look very long term.
Being a COBOLasaurus, I am in a world with a meteor heading my way. Since my profession is aging, and it appears that several of my new coworkers could retire in the next couple of years, there could be quite a bit of opportunity to move up quickly and play a part in application modernization.
I guess I am still feeling somewhat shell-shocked. “I’m hired? Really? You mean like y’all are going to pay me and stuff if I come in to work?”
I also cannot shake my feelings of angst over the many people still not back to work. Perhaps I had been effective at compartmentalizing it in my head, because just now thinking about it I started tearing up. Maybe it is a form of survivor guilt.
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