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 This page is an archive. Click here to visit this section.Knitting Like a Mofo GrannyAnd Other Truths of UnemploymentBy Ryan Youth Outlook and Pacific News Service I hate working. I think most people do. I’ve worked some dead-end jobs, with crappy pay, zero benefits, and the only thing I could think of was: “Damn, if I could only laid off I’d get unemployment.” During long workdays I would daydream, imagining myself waking up around 11:00 a.m, and enjoying my breakfast of Fruit Loops and Pop Tarts while watching The Price Is Right with Bob Barker. For me, this was my Eden of Unemployment. A magical place free of time cards, power-tripping supervisors, lame co-workers and to top it all off, there would be an unemployment check in my mailbox every two weeks. To my dismay, a colleague of mine -- Malinda Gacula, 24, a graduate of San Francisco State’s journalism program -- beat me to the punch. She got laid off and went on unemployment. I was livid with jealously. How dare she encroach on my dream of unemployment! Then as always, reality reared its ugly head. The benefits are paltry, the job hunt is exasperating, and the overall feeling is depressing. I was heart broken, as my life long dreams of being unemployed were shattered. Oh well, there’s always food stamp. Through a brief discussion with Malinda I learned that the road of unemployment isn’t paved with gold, just saturated with frustration: “In my spare time, which is like, you know, all the time, I clean the kitchen a lot.” How long have you been unemployed? I’ve been without a job a little over a month now. Did you do a lot of research about going on unemployment before applying? Actually, first I talked to a bunch of my friends who went on unemployment to see what the process was like, to get an idea of how much I’d be getting, and I asked about how they survived off of it. Then I went on the EDD Web site and worried my ass off. Then I applied online. I got the paperwork within a week. How much and how often does the government send you money? The first check arrived a week and a half after I sent them the paperwork, and it was only about $80 dollars. I’m still waiting on my second check, which is supposed to come every 10-12 days. I should be getting a little over $110/$120 for the next check. What new hobbies or interests have you picked up since becoming unemployed? What activities do you have more time for now that you don’t have a job? I’ve been knitting and crocheting like a mofo granny, I’ll tell you what. I just got a t-shirt silk screening kit for Christmas, and I haven’t had the chance to use it yet. I need to buy t-shirts and that costs money and I don’t have it. I made some stickers that I stuck around the poles near my house. Unfortunately, hobbies are expensive. And in my spare time, which is like, you know, all the time, I clean the kitchen a lot. Do you find you have more time to pursue things you do for sheer enjoyment? Um, sure! I have more time and energy for sex! I’m kind of kidding. I’ve got all these plans though, like taking random buses and seeing where it’ll take me, or riding the cable cars, taking advantage of those free museum days. Walking around just for the hell of it. I’m not rushing to go anywhere, so I get to enjoy SF in a different way. What lifestyle changes have you experienced since becoming unemployed? Well, I don’t need to get up at 7 in the morning anymore. I don’t feel like I gotta shower first thing in the morning, it’s not like I’m going out and trying to impress people. Basically, I’m a slob. Well, not really, but I usually wake up at 10/11 now. Then I check my email/phone to see if anyone has responded for a job interview. And smoke. I wish I didn’t smoke as much. I went down to about a pack every three days, but I’m always worried so now it’s a pack a day again, which f--king SUCKS because that’s another $5 a day. Five dollars that I don’t have. I think I’m pretty much still eating well, thanks to the boyfriend. I used to be able to contribute a lot towards the grocery fund, but now not as much. I don’t get it when people complain about having to eat spam though, cuz spam is good. Are these positive or negative changes? Sometimes, I like to be disillusioned and enjoy unemployment for what it’s worth. Then reality hits and I’m like, ‘Oh shit, I have to ask for money from the boyfriend again.’ That’s for sure a negative. I hate that I’m relying on someone for support, but at the same time, I sure as hell am grateful that he’s being so understanding and loving, regardless of my situation. What is the best part about being unemployed? The worst part? I think the best part of being unemployed is also the worst part. I don’t need to get up at a certain time anymore, which is good but also really shitty if I decide to wake up at like, say, 4 p.m. (which I’ve done before). Then I’ve got one hour left of daylight, and then it’s dark, and then I’m not motivated to do anything but stay on the computer or play video games. Does it make you fell depressed that you’re unemployed? Has being unemployed affected your sense of worth or self -confidence? It sure does make me feel depressed. I’m alone a lot in the house since my boyfriend went back to school, and when you’re alone, all you think about is how alone and miserable you are because you’re not interacting with people and if you had a job, at least you’d get out of the house and feel like ... you’re worthy. We’ve been taught all our lives that if you go to college, it’s a surefire way to get a job and start a career. I’m starting to wonder if it really was worth it. • |
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