I Used to be Middle-Class, now WHAT AM I?

When I was 15 in 1984 I remember asking my dad (who was the sole breadwinner in the house) how much money he made in a year. He told me $43,000 a year. Now for the sad part of the story -- BEFORE I lost my job, my husband and I cleared $34,000 in a year. Now that I'm not working, well, you get the picture. Amazing isn't it? I sometimes wonder how we survive with 2 kids and 2 mortages. Thank God for food pantries and second-hand clothing shops. My children, particularly my 10 year old is acutely aware of the situation. he knows he get free lunch because we are poor. But we are not the stereotypical poor -- we are both well-educated (I have 2 degrees) but things just don't seem to work, economically speaking, like they used to. it used to be that you went to school, got a job, and lived the American dream. We had that when i was a kid - we weren't rich, but we had plenty and always took day trips and yearly vacations. This year was the first in 5 years we took a vacation and we had to go cheaply, including foregoing restaurants, instead eating in our hotel room -- mostly lunch meat and cold sandwiches made from supplies bought from a trip to the grocery store. So seriously, what is going on here. I'm happy at least with what little we have but still, what gives? Where did America go wrong??

Joblessness and Mental Health

People unemployed for more than six months show signs of depression -- job searching creates anxiety, as does fear of rejection. For me it becomes surreal at times, like I can't believe that this is happening to me -- the food stamps, the WIC, the fact that everyone around me seems to have something important to do and I don't. It is, in a nutshell very depressing. But apparently I am not alone. The unemployment rate in the United States is at 8.1%, but that doesn't include people who haven't been looking for a job recently. Some of the things that afflict the jobless are depression, eating habits that revolve around on comfort foods, leading to binging. Stress, anxiety and negative thoughts make it hard to get a good night's sleep, resulting in fatigue and lethargy. This can ultimately lead to weight gain. It's an unfortunate cycle. Research suggests that being unemployed doubles a person's chance of a major depressive episode and that unemployment is also highly associated with domestic violence and alcohol abuse, Leahy said. Unemployment is also associated with an increased risk of suicide, often because of the link to depression, according to the Suicide Research and Prevention Center.and only 1 in 10 long-term unemployed find work -- dismal statistics. Physical health may also suffer: new medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes may follow the loss of a job. There are suggestions that unemployment can even lead to cardiovascular disease, although it is difficult to prove that job loss causes heart damage.Physical symptoms can also include joint and body aches. Strains on intimate relationships might result from being unemployed, since frustration between partners can result from financial worries. However, divorcerates have been shown to be lower among the unemployed. Feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed about their situations, some unemployed people isolate themselves socially and don't find enjoyment in the activities they once did, Lang said. They may feel hopeless, confused or overwhelmed. Not everyone gets clinical depression as a result of unemployment, but it can happen. Friends and family of unemployed people should look for warning signs, such as sadness, lack of energy, insomnia and irritability. With all of this bad news, instead of ruminating, you could take a proactive role in searching for a new job and taking care of yourself. Try to acquire new skills or network if you can. This is what I've been trying to do but I have to admit it is very difficult. At times I feel entirley useless. It's also said that keeping a consistent schedule helps people who are feeling overwhelmed about the prospect of another day without a job. Chart out what times of day you will be looking for jobs, when you will be sending out resumes and when you will eat your meals. Structured time and physical activity have been linked in research with higher mental health. Even a walk can help. Bottom line is that we unemployed need to do whatever it takes to feel needed and useful in a world seems to be passing us by. It's not easy -- that I know from experience.

Jobs Affected by Government Shutdown

(from CNN) The Bureau of Labor Statistics probably won't have the manpower to issue its key monthly jobs report this Friday. Only 3 of its 2,400 employees are working during the government shutdown. Labor Department officials will still not confirm or deny whether the government's monthly jobs report will be released as scheduled Friday, but other signs point to a delay amid the government shutdown. Since the recession, the monthly report has become the most closely watched indicator on the economy, with the first Friday of each month often being dubbed "Jobs Friday." The information is so sensitive, that when it's released, reporters who write about it are locked in a windowless room without internet or phone access until 8:30 a.m. on the dot, to prevent the information from getting to investors even a millisecond too soon. The report is also of particular importance this month, as the Federal Reserve monitors the unemployment rate to decide when to slow its stimulus program. The Bureau of Labor Statistics compiles the report each month based on surveys of about 60,000 households and 145,000 businesses and government agencies. Those surveys are both conducted during the week of the 12th, so the September data has already been collected. But with just three of its roughly 2,400 employees on duty during the shutdown, the BLS is unlikely to have the manpower to compile and release the report on Friday. BLS Commissioner Erica Groshen said in a memo Friday that "all survey and other program operations will cease and the public website will not be updated," and the agency has since posted an advisory on its site, indicating it "will not collect data, issue reports, or respond to public inquiries." Meanwhile, Department of Labor officials will not respond to inquiries about the jobs report, but they have indicated there's at least one exception. A weekly report on unemployment benefits will continue to be released every Thursday morning. That report is compiled by a separate division, the Employment and Training Administration, which has 28 of its roughly 1,100 employees reporting to work during the shutdown.