The "E" words: Economy and Employment

Let me start by saying that I like Brian Williams. I never really cared for Tom Brokaw, but I like Brian Williams. So, most nights, if we are not eating at 5:30, I like to watch the nightly national news.

However, with the country in it's current economic state, it's become harder to watch. The other night, I turned to Sonny and asked him if he could remember what the nightly news used to be about before September 2008. We couldn't remember.

So, tonight, there was a story about a Shantytown that has sprung up in Sacramento, and how there are others like it popping up around the country because of job loss and such. Stories like that depress me, and make me not want to watch the news anymore.

Maybe it's because I can relate this to my own personal situation: It's the annual job search extravaganza. Only this year doesn't seem as promising as any of the past years (not that any of them shone really brightly). The main problem I have (already) noticed is that with some of the local districts there is a notice that says something to the effect of: Please complete and submit your application but due to current financial concerns, and lack of knowing what funding will exist, they will not know if there will be any openings, or what those openings will be, for some time.

This scares me.

So when I recently came across a couple of openings in the area (and I use the term 'area' loosely), I seriously need to consider them. It freaks me out though because both jobs would require some driving again. But I have to weigh the options: apply for a job and potentially have to drive, or don't apply and possibly have no openings locally and have another year like this one.

Both options kind of stink. I am hoping for some local district to throw me a bone. But, with the economy the way it is, I am not going to hold my breath.