This blog has lost it's wings. It began like every other mommy blog. I was just chronicalling what it felt like to be pregnant and the process of having a young child. I still have a young child, he's getting close to three now, and he's great and I love him, but I'm finding myself unsatisfied by just continually posting family updates. Life is more than just the process and happenings of reproduction, creating new generations to then, what-blog about their own children?
And, honestly, I'm tired of pretending that things are just peachy. In reality, we're supposed to be the middle class, my husband and I. Jim is an artist and a teacher and has an MFA from CalArts, one of the most prestigious art schools in the country, he's famous for some of his album covers, Bellingham Wikipedia lists him as a resident of note. I am a teacher who graduated in December, I've applied for HUNDREDS of teaching jobs here, at home and across the country. Flew to New Orleans and interviewed twice in the last week for a total of 3 interviews in 6 months and I'm unemployed. I have excellent references, test scores, evaluations, I'm continuing my education to get a MA in Chemistry, and nothing. My husband and I own two lovely houses in Bellingham and we can't afford to live in either of them.
This greater depression we're in the middle of is real, it's not pretend and no amount of coverage of Anthony Weiner or Sarah Palin, or Hockey will make it go away. I'm really tired of pretending that everything is just fine. I think that's what's missing from this depression that the last one had. I think during the last depression, people knew it was happening. So, guess what, I will be accepting where we're at, and figuring out how not to loose everything we have while this thing gets figured out.
This blog just got real.
I'm sorry to hear that your family is being hit so hard by the great recession. Bellingham is notoriously hard to find teaching jobs, because one of our major sources of revenue is WWU, that literally pumps out hundreds of new, fresh-faced, eager teachers every spring competing for the short supply of jobs. I know several people who were very talented teachers who finally had to make the difficult choice to move away to find employment. I think Bellingham is a difficult place to find other employment, as well (even in the absence of a great recession). This place is beautiful and enticing, but a hell of a place to try to make a living. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteThanks Amber! Yes, WWU is stiff competition around here. I think we're just going to have to squeek by until one or both of us is able to land a job someplace. Bellingham has lost a bit of it's sheen for me, the weather seems to be deteriorating even further...
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